Cutting it Close and Some Elective Surgery

No pun here (not that I'm above such things).
Finished DH's Rugged vest III last eve, with just about 10 yards of yarn to spare:

I didn't make the neck or arm bands as wide as called for, for fear of running out of yarn. If I were smarter, I would have striped some of my black Tapestry (I have part of 2 skeins somewhere) into the ribbing everywhere. But I didn't think DH wanted a multi-colored vest. Well, what's done is done (most times). The right arm band curves around I think because the ribbing is so few rows. When DH put on the vest, the arm band lied flat.

And DH is picky about fit, let me tell you. Remember I had found this vest in the back of the cedar closet?

It's made of Rowan Magpie Aran. Well I needed to know why DH never wears it. Turns out that he wanted it a tad longer (could he not have told me that while it was on the needles, I ask you?). In addition, DH's infamous destroyer-of-vests belt buckle had done a number on the ribbing of this vest too. Not yet ripped a thread, but close. Ergo, I did elective surgery on the vest. Truly, this is not for the faint of heart. I cut off the ribbing about half-way. The gore! The mess! Being this is a family blog, I could not in good conscience post photos of the ordeal. Several times I needed to do what EZ advised, and lie down on a darkened room with a cold cloth over my head. Once the surgery was done and live stitches back on the needle, I reknit the 3x3 ribbing to DH's desired length. Note to self: always bind off a top-down job on ginormous needles, else wind up redoing last ribbing row. Which is what happened to me.
I would show you a photo of the refurbished vest but I can't get it off DH, he now loves it so much. Maybe when he's in the shower...

On a personal knitting note, I finished the back of the navy Sera top and started ribbing for the front (1 row to go). The back is just a curling mess now. When I block it, I'll take pics. I have a wedding on Valentine's Day. I plan to wear this top with my long navy skirt. DH just cannot have any more vest emergencies between now and then!

Some eye candy for you: I made squares from the Great American Afghan
years ago to teach myself new techniques. Here's my first entrelac:

The flip side is a pretty jacquard pattern by Sidna Farley:

Here's a dainty Victorian lace pattern designed by Jacqueline Jewett:

For some reason, the Bernat Berella pilled more on this pillow than on the others.
The flip side is a cabled lace pattern by Eugen Beugler:


If you don't have this pattern, and like different types of textured knitting, do get it. The directions are really clear. Disclosure: I subscribed to Knitter's at the time the pattern came out.

One last note on the earthquake in Haiti: I'm selling some of my stash (hard to find yarns) to raise funds for Doctors without Borders. If you're interested in checking it out, go here. Thanks for looking.

Back in Play

So look what I dragged out from the back of the closet and began working on again. Yup, the AS Maidenhair shawl. I am now at the halfway mark (assuming I have enough Jamieson Soft Shetland to get to 11 full repeats of the big diamond motif;I have 6 full skeins left). The pattern is really easy and quite fun: I left out the bobbles to save yarn and because who wants to lean back against them anyway?

Rugged did not get ignored, see? Almost at the shoulder of the back. Today's plan is to finish the back of Rugged and start the front.

And I took some photos of the Lace Dream shawl dressed and modeled by Daughter #1, a bride-elect: She told me the shawl was heavy on her arms (!), whereupon I threw it up in the air to show her how it floated down. Her gown will be Duchesse satin, with a cathedral-length train, and her veil will be 2 layers of French net, hip-length. She thinks the shawl is heavy?

Rogue is DONE

DONE DONE DONE!
Rogue is done!
I was so frustrated by the cables on the hood I did my own variation on traveling Aran cables. I always was bad at grafting, I admit it. I attribute it to being left-handed and having to follow right-handed directions. But Daughter loves it, loves it sleeveless, and all I have left to do is to steam the hem and the armholes. I'm not even going to put ribbing at the armholes, just leave them as is. If they show wear, I'll blanket stitch them. For now, they'll be au naturel.

In going through the back of the cedar closet, I came across this top I made over 10 years ago: I designed it to wear to a friend's son's bar-mitzvah back when grey was the rage. It's charcoal Filatura de Crosa Sera, with center panels of FdC No Smoking in pewter. It fits me even better now.

Something else from the cedar closet: This vest was made years ago for 1 daughter, both deny it for some reason. The pattern is from a 1960's Spinnerin book and the yarn is Rowan Magpie. It doesn't fit me (too small); what shall I do with this lovely homeless vest?

Last bit of my older knitting for today: This lace shawl, done I think in Madil Kid Seta, is found in the 1996 Spring Knitter's issue #42 dedicated to lace and reprinted in The Best of Knitter's Magazine Scarves and Shawls. It's Eugen Beugler's Lace Dreams shawl. I made it according to directions, in 2 halves, with a provisional cast-on first, then picking up the sts for the second half. I used a size 4 needle. I normally don't like yellow, but this banana ice color is quite nice.