FO Friday

What a productive week around here. I managed to finish up 2 count them 2 items that I have actually not had laying around forever...think Shaped Edge Sweater as my laying around waiting & waiting project. Anyway I got my Ruffled Edge Hokie scarf finished early in the week. I love this scarf...a new fav for sure. The yarn makes the scarf so soft and squishy it's sure to be the one I grab when it gets cold around here.

Thanks to Debbie at Mosaic for sharing the pattern. I just know I'll be using the pattern a ton for Christmas giving. It's super quick and so easy to knit up. A simple ruffle on the ends really help hold the scarf in place. What's not to like?

On to the details:
Pattern: personal pattern from Debbie at Mosaic

Yarn: Frog Tree Alpaca, Chunky weight, 100% alpaca, 100 yds, 100 grams...soft and so squishy
Needles: Addi Turbo, size 10 circular

Length: 65" long, 6" wide

Gauge: didn't matter, but the yarn knitted up to 4 sts/inch on size 10 needles

Onto the second finished item which pleases me greatly. I've been working on the Central Park Hoodie as part of the Mosaic Maniac CPH KAL which started back on July 12th. I worked ahead as I usually tend to do even thought I tried to hold back and work on my other sweater. The other sweater could not hold my attention long and wasn't as easy to knit so it's got left behind. Now the CPH is done. I'm happy with the end result...it fits which I must say is surprising. I must admit to being worried most of the way through that this wasn't going to fit. The back looked too tiny and the fronts looked like they were toddler sized. Anyway I perservered and seamed it together this week. I love it! Now I'm ready for the cool weather to get here.

I made few modifications to the pattern. I knitted the size 40 which I had tried on while at PJ back in June. That one fit well and hit the hips at a good spot so I didn't really change the length on the overall sweater. On the sleeves I only knitted 4" on the cuffs rather than the 5" in the pattern. I must say the the sleeves are plenty long if the cuff is down and fit perfectly when rolled back. Everyone commented about the sleeves being tight and they are right to a point. The fit is fine for my arms...I don't think I can wear more than one layer underneath, but then I tend to just wear a long sleeve tshit most of the time so it's not a problem. When I do this one again...and I will...I may move the whole sweather up a size to have a bigger looser fit to the whole thing.

I also did short rows at the shoulders on the back and fronts so I could do a three needle bind off for a more neat appearance. The short rows always sound so intimidating, but I find them easy and just look so much better than the stair step bind off. Another change was in the way I did the button band...picked up and knitted all in one piece from the right to the left side including the hood. I then knitted a 2 1/2" band rather than the 1" 1/2" called for in the pattern. Since I didn't want to add buttons anyway I figured the extra width would look better in the end. The only other "change' was the seaming for the hood ended up being more three needle bindoff...looks terrific!

Check out the seaming...it worked out very well for the most part. I had a bit of fudging going on around the sleeves, but most of the ugly part could be hidden in the pit area. I was surprised at how long the seaming took...mattress stitch for the whole project took over 4 hours. Not that I wasn't doing other stuff in between, but it was a time sucking thing to do. Rather than use the Lamb's Pride I used for the sweater to seam I used DMC Cotton Pearl in a chocolate brown which matched the sweater perfectly. So happy with that decision...no grabbing or sticking like the mohair would have done & it could be removed easily it if the seam didn't quite work without cussing. Perfection.

The details:
Pattern: Central Park Hoodie by Heather Lodinsky

Needles: Knit Picks Options, size 6 and 8 circulars, 36" & 48" cables

Yarn: Brown Sheep's Lamb's Pride Worsted in Cafe Au Lait, 85% wool/15% mohair, 190 yds/skein, 5 3/4 skeins used

Size Knitted: 40

Gauge: 17 sts/26 rows per 4 inches

Front view...notice I chose not to add buttons.

Side view with the hood up