Charlie Skirt - The Drama Continues (Or, if You Prefer, Help Me to Choose My Next Knitting Project)

Brief check in to tell you I've never spent so long making a skirt in my life. And this pattern isn't even lined?! At any rate, I have either made some sort of late-stage mega mistake (though my review of the pattern pieces doesn't lead me to believe this) or there's an error in the 16, pdf version. I think I can fix it but it's going to take ripping out a lot of top stitching at the front waist and cutting down the waistband depth. FYI, this issue was not caused by my minimal, horizontal side seam alterations (which were carefully paired). Having said this, the other two blog people who've made this (I believe in the same size Correction: I made a modified 14, I believe they made the 16) did not note this issue. Could be that I did something wrong, construction-wise, but I don't think that's the case either.

The point is that I've got to put down this project and let my mind unconsciously review the situation. I don't believe this is a foregone failure and I do believe that this version will fit in the end (if not awesomely, first time out). I pin basted it to confirm. I'm just not sure about this waist band/back yoke - not the drafting of the original pieces OR the construction method OR what the final fit will be. It seems like there's too much fabric at the back waist... Might have to alter the yoke next time.

I also have to remove, like, 4 inches of length from the hem. It's crazy. Could have saved myself that fabric! My legs aren't short, even if I am, so I can tell you this pattern is designed with a tall person in mind.

I'm putting it down till tomorrow (I actually stopped at 1pm) but this now leaves me at loose ends on a long weekend! I guess I'm going to have to find a new project to knit as I've finished the Bias Wrap (it's blocking) and my half done pair of socks is at the office. Man that wrap was a fast, terrific knit. Wanna feel productive? Use bulky-weight squish-ball yarn. It disappears like a wet dog in water. But as it's drying, you can see its reconstructed, bloom-y potential.

So here are my next-step knitting options:

Option 1: The Cozy/Chic Fall Topper

Modern Wrapper by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas

Modern Wrapper Fine by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas

These 2 patterns are supposed to be versions of one another but, from all photos, they seem to be quite different in more ways than simply proportion. The Fine version is meant to have more size and fit options (the original is one-size). But the Original seems to have a sleeker silhouette with those fitted arms beneath a dropped shoulder. I think I'm going to have to buy both patterns (10 buck USD each) to see how the construction works in each. Then I can determine which is the better bet. Right now I'm leaning towards the original pattern made on a smaller needle size with a couple of horizontal and vertical edits. If you've made either - or even if you haven't! - please chime in with feedback.

I'll use this yarn, the bamboo/alpaca Briza by Americo:

Briza in Bark

As long as it's not too fuzzy (and the store sample of this yarn was not), I think that the design will look quite good in the Briza. Have I mentioned how much I love having 1500ish yards of yarn for every project. It increases my options tremendously!

Option 2: The asymmetric sweater that could be awesome - or bland:
 

Sweet Jane by Amy Miller

I've got this yarn earmarked:

Quince and Co. Chickadee in Kittywake

In case you thought I was joking about my irrepressible tendency toward grey and neutrals, think again!

But then there's the pretty, fitted Arrow pullover (below). The Arrow is technically designed for fingering-weight yarn, though the Chickadee I have earmarked is sport-weight. I think it might work well nonetheless:

Arrow by Megh Testerman

Thoughts?

But finally...

Option 3: The Hipster One that Karen from Fringe Association would make

Nancy's Vest by Carol Sunday

The wildcard here is the boobs. I'll have to find a way to knit this just big enough or it could be a tent. I'm impressed that so many of the versions on Ravelry, made for peeps of different shapes and sizes, have turned out to be flattering. That's a mark of a good pattern, in my experience.

To make this, I'll use my fab Icelandic indigo merino, gifted by Nic:

So what's the delay? Well, partly I'm feeling conflicted about which choice is the best. If you have thoughts about what I should make first - do let me know!

Moreover, the part of me that doesn't much feel like doing a ton of sweater-math is not jumping on any of these - and I have no idea which will be easiest. I'd say the Modern Wrap, but it's just huge on everyone so I'll need to modify its size, for sure.

Then, it's not lost on me that all of this knitting is stockinette. And most of it not in the round! That means I'm headed for another couple of months of knit one row, purl the next. Having just done this with the bias wrap, I can say that it does get old. Mind you, I much prefer, and find it much more ergonomic, to knit on thin needles with thin yarn, which is what most of the patterns in this next batch require.

BTW, I've been on a roll when it comes to finding gorgeous knitting patterns on Ravelry. Check out my favourites page for some great ideas, dare I say it myself! Somehow those photos show all samples knit in grey?!

6000 Yards

I tend to either sew a lot or knit a lot. These days it's skewed to the sewing with a sock or knit project completion on the side. I do find that socks are a perfect knit in the summer because they are light, easy to transport and enjoyable. So I don't know how (given that socks are largely all I've knit since the beginning of May) that my stash has grown exponentially.

You may recall that by mid-April of this year, I'd used up about 6200 yards of my stash yarn (of all different weights). And then I started yearning for something new to pet...

It started out with 600 yards of this:

Classic Elite Chalet - Bamboo and Alpaca in Stone, Slate and Charcoal

My parents bought this lovely chainette-yarn for me for my birthday when I visited in mid-May. It feels great, it looks great - it's got an ombre gray thing going on. I bought it having seen a knitted sample of the Color Block Bias Wrap. That is what I intend to make with it. I've just today started it. All good.

But then I felt like making a few things that required at least a bit of new yarn. That's how this, this, this and this (new photo pending) came about... Still good - buy yarn / use yarn. That's how it should work.

Then I got a bit sock-frisky and this, this and this were made - from newly purchased yarn natch. Note: I'm going to combine all of the remnants to make a 4th pair of socks. Again, not using stash - but all stash has been assigned to something I can make later. And 2 of these 3 pairs have already been gifted to Sandra and Nicole, to thank them for looking after M while she was sick and I was away. The third pair is technically only half finished.

I also allowed myself, in this grey-phase, to purchase a sweater's-worth of Chickadee in Kittywake (a version of grey). That's 1500 yards I haven't had a chance to use yet:

Quince and Co. Chickadee in Kittywake

I'm pretty sure I'm going to make the Sweet Jane with it. Just haven't closed the loop.

But somewhere along the line, I got a bit sidetracked. 

My goal is to a) be able to fit all of my gorgeous stash into one deep banker's box and b) to ensure that I can use up all of my yarn when I buy it (perhaps by buying more than needed for one project, but by having 2 projects clearly in mind).

The following purchases did not exactly come with that pre-awareness: 

Charlevoix Pure Laine in Grey and Cream

There was no way I was passing up some "real" Quebec yarn while I was in the land of sheep and cheese. I mean, I've never seen it before and I'm likely to have rare access to it. This is a fingering-weight that's purported to be great for socks. It's loosely-twisted 2-ply and it's very airy and it actually has some nylon in it, making it wash-and-dryable, I suspect.  While it's not a merino-bomb, it is rather squishy and soft. I bought 1100 yards. I figure it will make great 2-tone socks - like in a grey theme. You get? If I change my mind, I've got enough of it to make something substantial like a wrap or even a small sweater.

Then I found out that Americo is closing its bricks-and-mortar store (but not online store) and I felt compelled to buy some more tonal-taupe/grey fingering yarn in a chainette construction with lots of air. This is the 3rd time I've purchased airy/chainette yarns in 3 months:

Briza in Stone colourway

I got 4 skeins at 25% off. That's 1600 yards. I truly have no idea what to make with this. Any thoughts?? I'm listening.

And then Nicole went to Iceland a couple of weeks ago and bought me back some gorgeous blue yarn - the only colour I seem to like to knit with other than gray these days:

Istex Kambgarn in Indigo (942)

This is an unusual find - merino in Iceland. It's actually not from Icelandic sheep but from imported merino sheep. It is milled and otherwise processed in Iceland. The colour is gorgeous - not an indigo but not too light. It's quite soft but not excessively drapey. Of course, this is a super generous gift and I LOVE it. But no idea as yet what to make with my 1300 yards of worsted-spun, sport-weight Kambgarn.  It's  a good amount and great weight for a sweater. In truth, I much prefer its sturdy but delicate hand and drape over that produced by the woolen-spun Icelandic fiber. That stuff is interesting but its not my natural preference. Of course, learning more all the time, I have begun to realize my penchant neither for very soft/squishy merino/cashmeres nor the hairy, stiff woolen-spuns. I fall somewhere on the middle of the continuum. I suspect that most of us do.

So now I appear to have a) no room in the box cuz I've acquired b) 6100 additional yards of sport or fingering-weight yarn. Wow - that seems really out of line with "smart stashing".

Or does it? I've got 4 great batches of yarn in adequate yardages to actually think big(ish). I've been using most of what I purchase immediately, because it's set out for something specific. Even in instances where stash has preceeded pattern,  one batch I got on sale for a really good price, 2 others were actually FREE! One I bought to commemorate a vacation. Seriously, this could be worse. In fact, it was worse when I'd buy without knowing anything much about the properties of yarn I wanted or the needs of my projects or how much yarn one requires to do something specific. Also, keep in mind that I've bought and immediately used @2500 yards of yarn since I finished with the Stash Bust in April. That means I'm using the new stuff at a good rate. 

NO doubt, I'm not buying anymore yarn until I've used up another 6000 yards of my current stash. That could happen by next spring, conceivably. I'm  a pretty organized knitter and I do love an outcome. But till it does happen, I will not buy. I have more than enough yarn of the weights and yardages I often use to get me through the winter. Maybe this is my way: 6000 yards in, 6000 yards out. Seems odd but I'm willing to consider it.

But how about you? Do you serially stash? Do you organize and resist even on vacation? What do you think of my new yarns and my, um, rationalization sound argument for more sheep hair ? Let's talk.