Weekend Wrap-up : The Fifi redux

I have been working on my projects for Blue Moon. I was stuck on what to do next. So I knit my little mannequin a vest. It was super fast and I had a laugh when churchable asked what I did that day.

Sunday, I sifted through my stash in preparation for a yarn swap today in Portland. I also decided to go through my fiber stash and figure out what I would not be wanting to spin because I don't feel the hard pressing desire to spin. I know how, but I would rather knit all the time and find my yarn elsewhere. Of course I have the hard position to be in that I get a free fleece each year and I don't know what to do with it. Well while looking through the fibers, I stared in shock and kept saying "OMG" until churchable asked what was up. As you see on the left, there is a bag of fiber dyed by Tina. I had heard about Blue Moon. I had loved her colors. This was my last fiber purchases before I realized that my fiber stashing was growing but not moving from fiber to yarn. I keep some of my fiber because I may one day start again, but right now I am happy to know I can.

This weekend was rather low key. I wish it was enjoyable fruitful knitting but I had some frustrations. I knit the object below to the same point it is at in the picture 3 times before I was satisfied with the fit.

This is Fifi, which I am knitting with the Sexy Knitters Club. I love the pattern. For some reason, when I swatched I thought I got gauge so I cast on. When I tried on the top the first time to check the neckline, It was super small almost crew neck like. Not me. SO I cast on 140 instead of 120. This was also wrong, which made me look at my lying stinking 5 x 5 in swatch. It was not 20 st to 4 in. It was more like 20 st to 3 1/2 stretched if that. Grumbling all the way, I hunted down my US 8 circulars and realized that A) one was at a students house in her first sweater, B) so were my DPNs, C) my other US 8 was in a sweater that languished because I liked knitting other things. So I had one choice, finish off the sweater. Which I did and it was blocking on WIP Wednesday. It is in the finishing pile which is larger than I remember. I will have to tackle that this coming weekend. Come to find out this circular was the right size when I swatched with it, but the cable was too long to start the project on. Dragging my feet but knowing what I had to do (since I needed the US 7 circular that Fifi was on for work), I headed to my LYS. I grabbed the correct length US 8 circular and scampered home to switch things and start work.

Finally Fifi is correct and fits. I have passed the dreaded 25th round. I cast on 120 (I probably would have been happier with 140 - I might yet frog the entire thing and cast on 140 but I am a little perfectionistic about my fit) knit to the try size S and M on. The arms were perfect but the body did not fit around my rather ample bust. So I knit the increase rows for the L - XL on the body only. This came out perfect so far. I came up with 190 st for the body plus 75 st for each arm making a total of 340, which is a little closer to the L size st count but I got 37.7 in for my body. I have now passed the first 8 wounds in the central panel section. I have come to the point where I realize I need short rows. Amazingly I have never used short rows in a garment. I need them since I have a DD cup size. I am waiting for clarification on the pattern.

I got a little bit on churchable's second 4th sock. I decided that knitting on Fifi in church would not be good, since it was at the point where it would need to be tried on so I got to do mindless knitting on this sock.

I am off to swap yarn. Have a good Monday.