I like this photo the best because it makes me look way thinner than I really am.  I think it is the stripes.

I started this sweater prior to the Olympics and finished after the Olympics, but the main bulk of the knitting did indeed occur while watching the Olympics.  So I think that officially this can count as my official Unofficial Olympic sweater.

Pattern: Temptest by Ann Weaver

Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in Punky Fuchsia.  I purchase 4 skeins and used about 2.  I overdyed 2 skeins for the darker orchid stripe.  I used less than 1 of those and just touched in to the second of the plain Punky Fuchsia.  I have probably enough to make a whole ‘nother one of these if I reversed the stripes.

Needles: Mostly size 7 Addi Turbo with some 4 for the bands and a 10.5 for binding off.

Modifications: I can not stand 3/4 length sleeves.  I just can’t. I don’t know why as most of the time I push up my sleeves, but to just have them 3/4 length to begin with drives me absolutely nuts!  To make these sleeves longer, I added 1 entire stripe plus a partial stripe.  After reading through a lot of the notes on Ravelry, I found that a common problem people had with knitting this sweater was with the sleeves being too tight.  Because of this and the fact that I always have that problem anyway, I started knitting the sleeves with the directions for my size (35), but increased up to the next size (37) for the shoulder shaping.

Issues and things I would do differently if I were to do this again: First, I would not slip the first stitch of every row especially in the shoulder shaping areas.  The pattern says that slipping makes it easier to seam, but so not so for me. I just didn’t have enough bars to use and had to sometimes go in further to seam (which I think used up precious shoulder room.) Second, I would read the pattern better!  I just now (!!!!) noticed that it recommends using a Sewn Bind Off.  That would have been very helpful had I noticed it, as the first time I bound off, it was a puckered sweater from hell.  I had to go all the way up to size 10.5 needles to get a loose enough bind off around the button bands and neckline.  I think I would have also picked up a few more stitches along the way, but it seems okay now so just a few more would be good, not too many more.

Other things to note: Seaming took an ENTIRE DAY. I’m not kidding.  Dedicate a day to stay in your jammies and watch movies.  This is also not a very photogenic inprocess sweater.  I did take photos and did intend to blog about it along the way, but really each piece just rolled up into a tube before blocking.   Can you believe that I did not own a blocking board before this sweater?

And one more thing I forgot to tell you: While this is may be my official Unofficial Olympic Sweater, I don’t think I won a Gold Medal — I would give it probably about a Bronze Minus.  I found knitting fingering yarn on size 7 needles to be very confungling!  I kept accidentally knitting into the stitch below and my stockinette was a disaster.  I spent quite a bit of time unknitting. While I think I fixed most of my mistakes, there were a few that persevered and I know that they are there.  I really thought that this would be one of those obviously hand knit sweaters, but when I wore it to work today, I didn’t get the usual, “Hey, did you make that?”  So maybe it is okay after all…  I’ll probably forget where the mistakes are in a few years anyway.  I mean, I can’t find my major Tangled Yoke mistake anymore after all.

13 buttons found at JoAnn’s Fabrics.  I consider it a streak of luck to have found the perfect color in the correct quantity on the first try!

I love the design element of the thin, slimming stripes in the middle.  So smart that designer!

The yarn is so soft and stretchy making this sweater so easy to move in.  Due to the softness of the yarn and the loose gauge, I could even wear it to work without being too hot.

I decided to just leave the ends of the sleeves as stockinette and let them curl a bit.  They do match the hem at the waist as I added a purl row where the hem folds.  I debated doing a bit of ribbing, but I do like them like this.

Pattern: Twilight by Melissa Morgan-Oakes from 2-at-a-time Socks
Yarn: Hand dyed sock blank from Knit Picks
Needles: Size 3.0 mm 40 inch Addi Turbos
Started:  January 7, 2009
Finished: February 7, 2009

Thoughts:  This is a very interesting technique. When I first started the socks, I just did what the book told me and everything was fine, but it took a while before I figured out what was really going on and how to keep the yarn from tangling.  I wish I had a photo to show this, but the sock blank and working socks fit so well into the Box Bag from JessaLu, it was like it was just meant to specially hold this project.  There were a few areas of the pattern around the heel turning/gusset parts where I didn’t really follow the pattern.  I never checked to see if there was any errata, but there may well be, or it could have just been me.  The best part of these socks is NO SECOND SOCK SYNDROME!!!!!

Other news:

Frog It or Finish It: I have taken something out of hibernation.  I don’t think it will be done by Friday but I’m well on my way!

Phat Fiber: I’m going to be participating in the March Box of Phat Fiber.  This sounds like a very interesting marketing concept.  If you haven’t heard of it yet, you can visit it on Ravelry, Etsy, or it’s Blog.  So far I have dyed the fiber I’m going to send.  I still have to package it and make all the graphics!  I have to get moving, but what a really cool concept to get your product samples out to other fiber addicts.  I’m very excited, so if you don’t see me around here to much it is because I’ve been eaten alive by the monster called Photoshop…