There has GOT TO BE an emergency exit out of UFO land. (Please. Tell me there is.) I suppose not. So very angrily and stubbornly, I am finishing them. One at a time. Or sometimes a new one and an old one. I never learn.
To celebrate the one ones, I present Big Red Sleeves. Extra large, mushy, cuddly sleeves. (For some reason, this sweater also reminds me of the red robe that boxers wear to the ring. Dramatic.) Started last year around June, this sweater is finally done. The sleeves were pending this whole time. I am not a good project finisher (but a very very good starter).
I am bad at taking notes as I make stuff up, so I don't remember how many stitches I casted on. But I do remember that they were most stitches for the sleeves in proportion to the rest of the body. I know. This is of no help.
Love my new sweater. It is perfect for cold NY winters. Perfect with a cup of hot tea...and snow. Also perfect for the knitter in me, because it is top down. Perfect for the color lover in me, because it is red. Crazy red. (Oh, did my nail polish give me away?)
I used Cascade Pastaza (part Ilama, part wool). Bad idea. The yarn sheds as you work with it, and it gave me itchy eyes. (BUT I don't get itchy eyes when I am around it or wear it. It has also stopped shedding. Phew) But my skeins were thick and thin in some places...and fuzzy at some spots and I like the rustic, almost crude, stitch definition they lend Big Sleeves. This is going to be my most worn sweater this season.
Ending a top down sweater in rib stitch. I found this very very painful. So how many times have you heard "bind off loosely?" So when I finished the ribbing (US 8 for ribbing), I went up a needle size (US 9) and bond off rib wise. The edge of the sweater flared. I ripped back and with US 9, I bond off knit wise. Still flaring. So I tried with US 8 rib wise. Flaring. Finally, it worked with US 8 knit wise. Just when I was loosing my mind.
Pattern: my own concoction
Yarn: Cascade Pastaza, 9 skeins
Needle: US 9 & US 8 for ribbing
24 comments:
I love red, too. It looks beautiful on you. Hurray for top down!
Oy, you did it. Finished a sweater! It looks great, by the way. I hope to finish my sweater some and start on a new one.
What a fantastic achievement to finish off your sweater. And I must say you look fabulous in it.
love the color and how it looks on you!'Good job!
I love your sweater! I love red and sweaters with simple lines.
I need to finish my piles of projects, too. I can remember when I used to have only 2 projects at a time...
It's great! Anothre red lover here.. although I don't wear it often.
Congratulations! Looks great on you! I can't believe you did that whole thing without a pattern. I'm totally impressed.
pretty, pretty, pretty! red girls unite :)
Oh gosh that looks fabulous.
Red sweaters are awesome.
Like you, I seem to start new yarn projects easily without ever seeing them to completion, *lol*...
Love the sweater!! And the color is gorgeous!! I really like those sleeves - are they just knit straight down or did you increase at certain points??
Gorgeous red and those sleeves are awesome!!!
Your sweater is fabulous! Love the design and the color!!!
I love this sweater! The neckline is especially flattering...it reminds me of one of those Zephr patterns (glee, I think). This looks fantastic on you!
Haven't wrote in months but Big Sleeves was screaming at me from across the country so I had no choice--This sweater is gorgeous! I can't wait to borrow it ;)
I'm a good starter and a not so good finisher too!
Love the red sweater and the design. That's amazing that you just invented it yourself. Love the coordinating nails too.
hi rima!
thank you. for visiting my blog! althought you don't understand one word...
i love your big red energy! perfect with the wide sleeves.
greetings from germany, rike
Awesome! Love the big sleeves....looks so festive and cheerful :)
I love this sweater.. it looks warm and is a really pretty shade of red... beautiful job... I am still struggling to knit something as well as this!
Beautiful sweater!
Lovely sweater!! Top down is the BEST! :)
This is 100 percent gorgeous. I am envious of your red sweater with the big sleeves.
I just finished my first fingerless glove last night, so a project like this seems so unattainable. I love it, though. Very inspiring for a new yarn addict like myself.
(thanks for leaving a comment on Living Senses today..very sweet)
Awesome sweater! looks very Christmas-y! Red suits you nicely!
What a nice bright vigrant colour. nice job, bet u get lots of attention while wearing.
Your red sweater looks a perfect fit! Sounds like it will keep you toasty warm too.
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