Nuclear Knits: Where knitting is the bomb!

I would call this the tightest smallest sweater I own. I'm not sure if I'll keep it or give it to someone with a smaller breast size than me. Project Details October 21st 2009 - February 22nd 2010 (FOUR MONTHS! ... what the hell is wrong with me??) I used Rowan Yorkshire Tweed DK yarn on size 3 & 5 needles. I used 9 of my 11 skeins (which was 1100 yards). I'm feeling that I might be off sweaters for a while. I can't believe how tight this came out.

My goal was to finish up sleeve two by the end of the weekend. I did a bit better than that. I got both sleeves finished and started the yoke on the neck. I was knitting so much and pulling that I did cause myself a bit of pain. Not sure if you can see in this photo but I got a blister on my middle finger and it now has a tiny little cut there. Lovely huh? My goal is to have this sweater done before the weekend. I'd like to start on some socks or scarfs or something small and fun next!

Here is the Sicily Sleeves. The first one is done and the second one is a few rows in. I hope to have the second sleeve finished by the end of the week. This sweater has been a work in progress for way way too long. On a side note remember the socks I just finished for the KAL? The dancing girls? Well once I was done I entered them into the KAL giveaway. If you remember I won the grand prize with the safari socks a while back. Figuring I'll never win another thing in my life - I was surprised to get an email telling me I was a runner up. Goodness I feel super lucky!

Happy Valentines Day folks. You may be wondering exactly what I'm working on (or maybe not) and the answer would be ... still Sicily. I'm now working on sleeve one. The pattern is very strange though. It says "work in St St for desired length, until sleeve measures 6-8 inches." Exactly how long is that? What do you do at the top? I know, I know ... I should always read the whole pattern through - but shouldn't it say exactly where you wan the sleeve to stop? Does it stop at the arm pit? Top of the shoulder? I guess I'll go on blind faith and see if it works out.

I know, it is slow going, but I'm working on the first sleeve of the Sicily sweater. Seems very belled - but hopefully if it fits - I'll like it. I'm hoping to have sleeve one done this weekend. Fingers crossed! I've finished clue 5 for sock one of the mystery knit along. I still have sock 2 to do. I'll get on it this weekend!!

As 2009 is coming to an end I'm trying to finish up projects that are on the needles. The Habu scarf has been on the needles for a long time and sort of in hibernation. I'm going to push through it though. Piece by piece I'll work it. As for the Sicily, I've finished picking up for the top and now start the sleeves. Once the sleeves are done then I will assemble and finish the top part. Progress always feels good!

This is sock number 2 of the Seedy Sock. I'm so tired of these socks and just pray to the gnomes living in my house that they finish up sock number 2 before I have to kill this sock pattern. I'm trying to get through it .... but so slow! Sicily sweater is a whole other story. Knitting up fast (this is a photo of the waist and bottom portion of the sweater). My only concern is that it feels a bit fitted. I'm hoping to block it again once I'm done.

Here is the center of the Sicily sweater. I've blocked it and am now waiting for it to dry before I pick up stitches. I guess I'll have to work on something else while it drys. Rats :)

Sicily. The cable that goes under the breasts is 5 rows from being done. I plan on finishing up the repeats tonight and then connecting the two halves. Once that is done I can pick up the stitches for the rest of the sweater. Well after talking to a very nice gentalmen on the phone yesterday I do believe that I have sorted out my spinning wheel issues. Turns out that the legs which hold the wheel are adjustable. Which means it was just in a misalignment. Once that was fixed - spins wonderfully. Of course I'm now onto 2 months ago roving kit (which isn't easy to spin and I'd like something bulky when I finish plying .... which isn't very easy for me). Fingers crossed

Well here is the skinny. Taking my gauge of 5 sts/inch (when I should have 5.75 sts/inch) and doing some math - I came up with knitting the size super small for the Sicily sweater. Knitting the small sweater means that the final dimensions should be spot on with the medium size that I was going to do before. THANK GOODNESS! I really wanted to use this yarn. I'm now 2.3 repeates into the cable that goes under your breasts. I believe I'll end up doing around 11 of them. This is slow going - the cable pattern isn't easily memorized.