AH HA!

Don’t you just love it when you get that “AH HA” moment and it actually works? I had it yesterday with the Crumpet’s dress. However, there were many obstacles before I finally got there.

1. Since I was using a lighter yarn than called for I had to do some math. Well, I have a tendency to not completely read something, screw it up and then blame the pattern. I didn’t read that the pattern was written in the round so when my math came up with a 24” finished chest instead of the 17” in the pattern I decided that the author must be on crack. Especially since you are then supposed to add elastic, Oh hello! 24/2 = 12” that then stretches to 17” with the help of elastic. AH HA!
2. I could not find the Picot Cast On in any of my books so I opted for a Ruffled Cast On that meant I had to cast on 4x the number of needed stitches and decrease. That is over 500 stitches! So, I Google Picot Cast On and find that NonaKnits has the whole thing written out on her blog. AH HA!
3. How do I add elastic? I don’t sew. How will I get the ends sewn together without looking like Piglet did it? Since the yarn is cotton it just isn’t going to stretch on its own. So, I check out the Crumpet’s KAL from a few years ago to see how others did it. I hit a post by Wendy Bernard of the Knit & Tonic fame and find that she used Cascade Fixation in the top for Girlfriend. AH HA! I happen to have Elann’s Esprit in my stash and it is just like Fixation and it is the same gauge as the Sonata I am using for the skirt. Holy Crap! This just might work.

I got so excited that I made Big Boy do the dishes and entertain Piglet so I could cast on and do a few rounds. I am so excited that I am trying to figure out if there is a little girl in my life who might need one with the beads just so I can use the beads! Anyway, I am keeping with the plan to do it in white. I don’t think I have the right ribbon in my stash of ribbon (yes, I have a ribbon fetish!) so I think I will take a trip to Michael’s this week. Maybe while I am there I will check out the bead aisle too. As I complete each round of smocking I kind of wish I were doing one with beads - it would be so darn cute!

Here is the beginning of the dress. It is done top down and so far I have the three inches of bodice done.
So, in addition to my AH HA moments on this pattern I also had one with the gauge swatch I did. I didn’t know if I would like it on size 4 or 5 needles so I swatched in both and they turned out to have just about the same gauge. Actually, the size 4 gave me a quarter stitch less than the size 5. After I did that count several times to make sure I had it right I realized the difference. The size 5 needles were Denise's that had less slide action going on. The size 4 was a metal Inox and the stitches were moving all over the place. They were moving down the cord as I was knitting therefore, stretching out. I opted to go with the size 5 Denise because even though I have to work a little harder to move the stitches around, I don’t have to work as hard to keep them from falling off the needle and stretching out as I go.

We are heading to the DC area this weekend and I am looking forward to three hours of knitting in each direction. I doubt I will get in much knitting time while we are there because I have shopping and eating to do. LOL! We have plans to hit Pei Wei, Bertucci’s and Chipotle all in the same day during our few days there. We also have to see friends and show off Piglet. We are going to a promotion ceremony for an old friend of Big Boy so of course Piglet had to have a new outfit. I will try to get pictures of him in his argyle vest.

I have done a little instant gratification knitting over the past few weeks. Here are two hats and a pair of socks for the Afghan For Afghans program. The hats are done in Highland Wool that I dyed myself. The socks are done in Wildfoote doubled and done with my new talent - magic loop and toe up!
To prove to ya'll that I have indeed been knitting I am going to post WIP's all week long. It just seems that I have projects that are never ending. Lots of lace, ribbing and cables coming your way!