Next month I am going to Pfaffenhofen in Bavaria with some knitting friends for a weekend away and to visit the Wollmeise shop. I went there last summer with my family - this trip is a knitters only weekend and I'm really glad I'm going to be able to go. It is going to be a bit of a whistle-stop trip, mind you. My flight to Munich is on Saturday morning, and I have to come back to London on Sunday late afternoon, but it's worth it to be able to visit the shop with my friends.
When I visited last year I bought myself a sweater quantity of the DK yarn in the colourway Dora.
When I visited last year I bought myself a sweater quantity of the DK yarn in the colourway Dora.
I've used a fair amount of Wollmeise's 4-ply yarns and heavy lace but not the DK. I don't know why not. It's my preferred yarn weight for jumpers for myself. To be honest I think I've just been a bit scared of messing it up because I didn't want to waste my only SQ, and also a bit lazy because I like fitted sweaters so any new yarn requires swatching to make sure the size comes out right.
I picked out a pattern ages ago that I wanted to use it for, Girl On Fire by Mary Annarella, and I even bought the pattern during last year's Indie GiftALong and it's been sitting in my library waiting for me to devote the time and the yarn to it. Recently I'd been thinking it would be nice to have a WM sweater to wear that weekend. I have two - both Elphabas, one three-quarter sleeve and one short-sleeve so probably not suitable for Bavaria in October. Those three skeins of Dora DK have been making noises in my stash "Knit us up, come on, you know you want to..."
Last week I came to the decision that if I was going to make that sweater it was now or never or I won't have time to finish it before I go. But I've never used WM DK, and I'm told it grows when you wash it. (Super wash often does. It usually shrinks back again in the dryer but I don't tumble dry my hand knits.) I'd need to account for that growth because that sweater is fitted, and to make things just that little bit more complicated, I've lost weight recently and am a dress size smaller than the last time I knitted myself a sweater. I'd need to take measurements as well as calculate stitch and row gauge.
In the end I did a deal with the yarn (as you do...) If I swatched and got a tension I could work with, I'd go ahead. So I swatched. Off the needles I was getting 22 stitches and 32 rows to 4 inches. I washed the swatch, shook it out a little, laid it flat to dry. After that, 20 stitches and 28 rows to 4 inches. And what does the pattern call for? 20 stitches and 28 rows. Spot on, absolutely spot on. Now I know swatches lie but if that wasn't some kind of sign that I was meant to just go ahead and cast one I don't know what would be.
So here I am, knitting Girl on Fire with less than three weeks to go before my trip. Never mind Girl on Fire, my needles are going to be on fire trying to finish this in time! I started on Monday, today is Saturday and so far I'm just about to start the waist shaping. Of course I like to really add to the time pressure by working an extra 12 rows of bust darts as well, as if there wasn't enough knitting to do already.
I picked out a pattern ages ago that I wanted to use it for, Girl On Fire by Mary Annarella, and I even bought the pattern during last year's Indie GiftALong and it's been sitting in my library waiting for me to devote the time and the yarn to it. Recently I'd been thinking it would be nice to have a WM sweater to wear that weekend. I have two - both Elphabas, one three-quarter sleeve and one short-sleeve so probably not suitable for Bavaria in October. Those three skeins of Dora DK have been making noises in my stash "Knit us up, come on, you know you want to..."
Last week I came to the decision that if I was going to make that sweater it was now or never or I won't have time to finish it before I go. But I've never used WM DK, and I'm told it grows when you wash it. (Super wash often does. It usually shrinks back again in the dryer but I don't tumble dry my hand knits.) I'd need to account for that growth because that sweater is fitted, and to make things just that little bit more complicated, I've lost weight recently and am a dress size smaller than the last time I knitted myself a sweater. I'd need to take measurements as well as calculate stitch and row gauge.
In the end I did a deal with the yarn (as you do...) If I swatched and got a tension I could work with, I'd go ahead. So I swatched. Off the needles I was getting 22 stitches and 32 rows to 4 inches. I washed the swatch, shook it out a little, laid it flat to dry. After that, 20 stitches and 28 rows to 4 inches. And what does the pattern call for? 20 stitches and 28 rows. Spot on, absolutely spot on. Now I know swatches lie but if that wasn't some kind of sign that I was meant to just go ahead and cast one I don't know what would be.
So here I am, knitting Girl on Fire with less than three weeks to go before my trip. Never mind Girl on Fire, my needles are going to be on fire trying to finish this in time! I started on Monday, today is Saturday and so far I'm just about to start the waist shaping. Of course I like to really add to the time pressure by working an extra 12 rows of bust darts as well, as if there wasn't enough knitting to do already.
I am a little concerned that it looks a little small, but then it will do. I'm allowing for it growing on washing so it is a good 3 inches too small around the bust at the moment. I did try it on just after separating the sleeves and it was OK, a little bit snug but that's what it needs to be. No point it fitting now if it's going to grow to the next size up the moment it hits water.
I shall update here each weekend until it's done. Nothing like a bit of blog accountability to get a project done.
What have you knitted to a tight deadline? Did it work out?
I shall update here each weekend until it's done. Nothing like a bit of blog accountability to get a project done.
What have you knitted to a tight deadline? Did it work out?
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