Mariah

Since I started keeping this journal/blog thing, I've learned something about myself. Generally, whatever it is that I'm bitching about is never as bad as I think, once I actually sit down and do it. Case in point: re-knitting the shoulders on Mariah. Being completely bored with my other two projects, I grabbed the only spot of color in my knitting spectrum currently: my red Mariah. I re-knit the shoulders, using some short-rows and knit the collar. Tried Mariah on, ripped the collar back and re-knit, including a decrease. Declared "I'm not re-knitting this again!" and tried it on. It's good. I like it.

The picture's too dark, but when I used the flash, it was just a big red blur. At least this way, it's recognizable as a sweater. I just have to weave in a couple of ends, block it and sew in the zipper. I'm counting on blocking to straighten out some wonky stitches on the short-rows. Yeah, blocking fixes everything. Maybe I should block it now and see if blocking will sew in that zipper for me.


Project specs
Pattern: Mariah from Knitty, designed by Jodi Green

Yarn: Pattons Classic Wool in Bright Red

Needles: Size 7 circulars, brand unknown (whatever it is they sell at Wal-Mart)

Gauge: ...no idea. I don't swatch, I just hope. So far, it's worked.

Modifications: None, until I finished the raglan shaping. Then I decided that I didn't want the hood, and, more importantly, I didn't want to knit the hood. So I would make a crew neck, being the simplest of the alternative necklines. I added some short rows on both fronts, to raise the neckline in the front without altering it in the back, then some more short-rows on the shoulders to raise those as well. The I knit 1x1 ribbing for seven rows and bound off. Without blocking and a zipper, it's hard to get an exact idea of what it looks like on me, but I think I like it. Very warm, though. Which is good in Boise, but not so good if I'm just extremely proud of myself and want to parade around my heated apartment in it.