Friday, November 10, 2006

Baby Aran and Ruffles: Two FOs for the Price of One

I finished two projects last week but never got around to blogging about them. I guess I was distracted by the bobblectomy. Without further ado, I present a sweater and a scarf:

Baby Aran

AranFO.jpg

Pattern: Heirloom Aran Baby Set (but just the sweater, not the hat) from Interweave Knits Spring 2004, size 12 months
Yarn: Rowan 4-Ply Soft in color 370 “Whisper,” 100% merino wool, 191 yards per ball, 3 balls used
Needles: US size 3
Recipient: Nephew Loganberry
Comments:
1) I didn’t do any modifications to this sweater. I didn’t even use a 3-needle bind-off for the shoulder seams because the sweater has saddle shoulders.

Oh the indignity! says Scout2) You’ll notice that Scout is not modeling this sweater. Putting a cat into a pullover and getting her to pose for photos is much harder than draping a cardigan over her back. Unfortunately for Scout, I still tried to get a torture modeling photo anyway. Yes, that is the only photo that I managed to take before she started trashing around. I had to get the sweater off her FAST.

3) I still need to find some good buttons to put on the button placket. However, I find the button placket position to be a bit weird.

See button placket.
What a nice place to put buttons!

See saddle strap covering up entire button placket.
What the heck?!

Uh, aren’t you supposed to sew buttons onto the button placket? If I did that, the saddle strap wouldn’t sit straight. I’m confused. Should I sew the buttons right where the placket meets the front of the sweater? Is the placket there just so that one doesn’t have to sew the buttons right on the top edge of the front?

Ruffles
What are you doing with my toy?

Pattern: Ruffles scarf from Scarf Style
Yarn: Handmaiden Silk Maiden in Berry, 50% silk, 50% wool, 300 yards, 1 hank
Needles: US size 7
Finished length: 56 inches, a decent length for a “decorative” scarf
Cat: Scout (I love it when she cocks her head like that)
Peter’s Sarcastic Comment: “Wow, it looks so warm!”
My Comment: I washed the scarf and now I wish I hadn’t. The yarn became much more drape-y and my nice tight fusilli spiral is now floppy. *sigh* But I still love it because it’s soft and curly and red.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a great baby sweater! Nephew Loganberry is very lucky indeed.
Silly Peter re: fusilli scarf...
(Do you remember a fusilli at Wms?)

Lis said...

Scout is a fantastic model. I wish one of the four cats I live with were as forgiving so I could display them so.

Valerie said...

I love that scarf! And it does look adorable on Scout. That pattern was one of the most boring things I've ever knit, though, even though I loved the results.

The sweater is adorable!

Helen said...

*sighs*

that is THE cutest pic of Scout

Turtle Runner said...

Wow, beautiful aran sweater! Adorable!

Elizabeth said...

I did an audible "Aww!" when the picture of the baby sweater opened in Bloglines. It's so cute! Lucky little baby! I bet he's getting big fast, though! Lot's more reasons to knit. (me, enabling? never.)

g-girl said...

that sweater is beautiful! Scout is quite the model!

Meredith said...

They look great as usual! I like the drape of the scarf now, actually.

Anonymous said...

Cocks her head like, "Get this F-ing things off me before I go ballistic," that's what you love? It IS precious, I suppose, in a barely suppressed rage kind of way. Or actually maybe she's just glad it's just a scarf and not a baby sweater.

But I digress. Both your FOs look great. I was just thinking today that I'd like a red scarf. I've already made Ruffles as a gift (never again), but the redness of your yarn inspires me nonetheless.

Unknown said...

Beautiful work! And I love Scout!

Anonymous said...

Scout is more participatory than many cats I know :). The sweater is precious!

janna said...

Both FOs are gorgeous (although you're right about the button placket on the sweater -- odd....). I can't get over how cooperative Scout is! Simon is a very people-oriented cat, but he absolutely refuses to model!

Anonymous said...

That baby sweater is adorable but that's weird about the buttons. No idea.

Cute red Ruffles scarf! But I think it's the model that really makes it.

Theresa said...

You live in Houston - isn't not so warm a good thing in a scarf?

Terby said...

I kept your post marked as unread forever - the aran is so cute. I can't believe you were even able to get it on Scout though. That's one cooperative cat.

Ruffles looks very pretty. Red is a much better choice than the original white color. What did you think of the yarn, other than the increased drape?

Jes said...

Damn, that sucks about the ruffles. I hate when you wash a yarn and it turns into something else entirely. It happened with a shawl and rowan 4-ply.
The scarf is still pretty and a great color!

Anonymous said...

Great finished objects, but oh my goodness I can only imagine what feats of strength it took to get those on the cats!

Anonymous said...

Both look great! I think I actually have both of those as UFOs somewhere. Oops.

Anonymous said...

You are getting so many projects finished. I'm jealous!

Scout is such a good kitty to model all your creations. I think she definitely deserves extra spoiling!

Thank you for the kind comments on my blog post today. It is much appreciated.

GretchenX said...

Brutus thinks that Scout is a lovely model, and would like to know when you are knitting her a cat bed!!!

Love the sweater - I hope they have more than one child, or can pass it on to someone else when the little one outgrows it!! :)

Anonymous said...

Oh! Your cat! Is adorable!

Anonymous said...

So much work went into that sweater....well done! And...very well behaved animals.