Blocking Day

Today, I took the time to soak and block all the projects that I have finished lately,  I use baby shampoo to gently soak the items in lukewarm water.  After rinsing in clean water, I squeeze as much water as I can from them and lay the items on my blocking mats. My pads are yoga mats from Target.  They are 24 inches by 24 inches and four come in a package for $20.  I have two sets since it usually takes four to block a sweater and I tend to save up items and block them all on the same day. 

I lay the mats on our pool table in the sun room with fans blowing on them. It usually still will take several days for large items. Baby clothing might be finished in one day depending on the weather.

Today’s blocking includes: My Alpaca Yoke Colorwork Sweater, the Baby Yoke Sweater with chicken buttons, a blue baby hat, my La Vie de Bois socks, my Seedless Slice Sock shop sample for my LYS, a green cowl, the Aberdeen Ave cabled hat and a gauge swatch for my next sweater.  The Preppy Baby Blanket is in the dryer.

My next sweater is going to be the Locke St. Cardigan by Glenna C. from her Urban Collection, Winter-to-Spring 2012.  It looks to be a great pattern made in pieces with three cable patterns. I will be making it in dark green alpaca from Plymouth Yarn. I am using the Baby Alpaca D. K. in colorway 1440.  This should be a very lightweight sweater that will be great to throw on in air conditioning and to move into the fall.  Who knows, in South Carolina, it may be a great sweater for our mild winters also.

My only concern with the sweater are the sleeves. They appear to be snug. I may modify the pattern and add the next size sleeve to the body of the sweater, making adjustments in the arm hole of the body.  I also like a little extra length to my sleeves, so I may also add an inch or so. This may allow me to add another increase in the top of the sleeve, so I may not need to go up a whole size. I will decide while my swatch is drying. 

Before blocking, the swatch measured 21 stitches and 26 rows to the inch on a size US 6 needle. Since this is a little larger than Glenna’s pattern calls for I will make the medium size. I fall between the medium and large anyway, so it should fit. But, we all know that swatches lie. I’ll remeasure once the swatch has dried.

Tom and I have been traveling all over the state lately.  It is tiring but at least I get to spend time with him and a little knitting time in.  We will be walking in a St. Patrick Day parade on Saturday morning in one part of the state and attending a formal dinner at the other end of the state on Saturday evening. Maybe I will get a sleeve finished on the sweater. We’ll see.  I hear the dryer beeping.

Until next time . . . .