Gold Medal Winner!

(Apologies for crappy self-portrait)

That's right my Kingscot sweater that has been sitting untouched since July is finished and two days before the Closing Ceremonies. I'm so excited about finishing this sweater it's not even funny. The pattern design was awesome (Norah Gaughan), the yarn was delicious, and my modifications worked (whew). It was the first time that I had made a sweater with bobbles, button band that had buttons, and a button band with buttonholes.

I had 90% of the left panel done but had to rip it because I forgot to decrease by 20 stitches (so the entire side was 20 extra stitches wide). I also modified the sleeves, the original pattern calls for 5 inches of ribbing, I only knit 3 inches. I also changed the neckband to a traditional 1x1 rib, instead of the every other row twisted stitch the pattern called for. I haven't seamed anything in a while, but thankfully I haven't lost that skill. I didn't do the buttonholes the way that the pattern call for, instead I decided to do a 1 row re-inforced buttonhole that I learned from this YouTube tutorial video. It was awesome to learn a new skill and I really like the way the buttonholes turned out. I also had to reknit the button bands a few times due to gauge and placement of the holes, but it all worked out well.

Knitting with Wollmeise Molly was wonderful, the color is gorgeous, the stitch definition is amazing and the final fabric is warm and so very smooth. The only problem is that Molly ha been discontinued, so this is the only Molly sweater that I will ever have (so sad).

I would love to knit another one of these, the pattern was great, and I highly recommend the pattern and design to anyone.

Ready, Set, Wait, Wait, Wait . . . O.K. GO!

I was all set to cast on for the Ravelympics hanging out with my friends in the Complete Pointless and Arbitrary Swap Group, then about 5 mins past the "GO post" I realize that all my east coast and mid-west friends are watching the Olympics and I had to wait 3 more hours. I was really mad, the Olympics are in my time zone why can't I watch them live? I know I could have started but I waited until the flame was lit (on my 3 hour delay) once The Great One lit the outside cauldron it was on!

I decided that I would try to finish up my Kingscot, but first I had to face the "growing" Molly Monster. There has been much discussion about Molly growing during blocking and not recovering very well post blocking. I read all the warning, horror stories, and crying posts but I didn't swatch, I just dropped a size in the pattern. But I figured that since I wanted to wear it and have it look half way decent I would block the left front and back that were completed and see if it was going to grow out of control. The left front blocked a little loose and did grow a bit, but it was O.K., but the back was so much bigger than it was pre-block but I measured it and I think dropping a size in the pattern was the way to go.

So hopefully in the next 16 days I will make some serious progress on this project, I would love to finish it but being that I like to sleep in the next 17 days I will settle for a chunk of progress.

I finished my replacement sock from the sock I lost last year at Stitches West. I was really sad that I couldn't make Stitches West this year, but for some reason the universe decided to make it up to me, more about that later.