Swatching for the Andalus Mittens

Here is my swatch...

I did the cuff pattern twice; the one on the right was done with 3.25 mm (US size 3) and the one on the left was 2.75 mm (US size 2).  The one on the right was bang on 8 stitches to the inch while the one on the left was right at 9 stitches to the inch.  I like how the one on the left looks (the one on the right looks pixelated), but it will result in a mitten too small for me to wear.  I don't feel like trying to modify the pattern to get a mitten in my size with the look I prefer so it looks like someone will be getting a gift of mittens in the near future.  Who will be so lucky?

Nothing more to see here.  Knit Along.

Now what?

So I've been swatching for the first project, the Vinterblomster mittens. I'm happy with how the swatch looks so far.

Vinterblomster Swatch

So here comes the bad news: The gauge for this pattern is 36 stitches = 4 inches. My gauge is 24 stitches = 4 inches. Pattern calls for light fingering, my yarn is sportweight. So of course I'm not going to get gauge...why even attempt it?

So now I need to make a decision. What's more important to me at this point? The yarn or the pattern. If it's the yarn that I want to knit with then I need to find another mitten pattern - for sportweight this time! If it's the pattern the I really want to knit, then I need to hunt up another yarn from my stash. I'm pretty much determined to see this project through without buying any new yarn. (Spinning new yarn obviously doesn't count)

Time to look through my Ravelry queue, favorites and my stash and make a decision. One more week before I need to cast on so this decision needs to be made soon.

Chiming in...

Seems like Tim has represented our idea well.  I've had fleeting thoughts in the past about knitting my way through Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac in one year but I've never fell in love with all the projects enough to actually knit all of them. Also, I've knit some of the patterns already and don't feel like knitting them again. There are exceptions, of course. The Open Collar Pullover in October has always inspired me. I do love me some top-down raglans and it looks like not nearly enough folks have posted their versions on Ravelry. 


Anyway, so Tim and I have been mulling over this project for the last couple of weeks. We actually have planned out the first six months (as he posted earlier) and have some vague ideas as to what we will do for the last six months. We debated for a while as to whether we would actually knit the same project every month but decided it was probably best if we only knit the same pattern if it were something we truly wanted to make. I've learned (and not the easy way) that unless I really love a pattern, I will probably lose interest, set it aside, cast on something new and then eventually rip out the unloved project a year or two (or five!) later. 


I haven't done well with challenges that I've set for myself in the past. But I know that partnering with Tim on this will mean that I have someone to whom I am accountable. I know he wants to challenge himself and step out of his sock box. My reasons for jumping into this is to actually finish each of the items that I set out to knit. Seems simple, but I have had a lot of distractions lately and while I am nearly constantly knitting...I have little to show for it. Of the eight-ish projects that I bothered to record in Ravelry for 2010, only two of my finished items were actually for me. 


But for those who know me...also know that I never do anything the easy way. I've got to put a challenge on top of a challenge. Are you ready? Here comes the bat shit crazy part...at least one of my items will be knit from my handspun. Oh, not crazy enough for you? Well, how about if I add in a Tour de Fleece challenge to the mix? Wacky, I tell ya! 


For those of you that don't know, the Tour de Fleece is a spinning challenge that runs at the same time as the Tour de France bike race. (Think Knitting Olympics for spinning.)  Still not insane enough? The challenge is from Saturday July 2nd through Sunday July 24 which means I'll be attempting to spin a project's worth of yarn during the same month that we are kicking off our DIY Almanac. Bat shit crazy is just how I roll, baby.

The Plan

My friend Teri and I (FiberTerian and Fulton, respectively, on Ravelry*) were sitting around a couple of weeks ago and I said, "I would like to put together something like Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac for myself and do a year's worth of projects.  Since it's the beginning of June, that gives me seven months to pull it together."

To which Teri responded, "The nice thing about an almanac is you can start on any month."

So, we decided that both of us would commit to putting together a list of 12 items that we would like to do over the next year...and start knitting July 1...of this year...

So far, we have the list done through December and we think that is good enough to start.

Month	Category	Tim	Teri
July	Mittens	Andalus Mittens	Vinterblomster Mittens
August	Socks	Oliver	Bloomin'
September	Shawl	Leaf Shawl	Maja
October	Polo	Open Collar Pullover	Open Collar Pullover
November	Hat	Koolhaas	Custom design to match July's project
December	Neckwear	Incognito	Dragon Scarf

The Rules

• We will work on similar but not necessarily the same projects (e.g. October we will be doing the same Open Collar Pullover Polo, but in July I am doing the Andalus Mittens while Teri will be doing the Vinterblomster Mittens).
• The project itself cannot be started before the 1st of the month.  Swatching and test knitting may be done at any time.
• The project must be completed by midnight local time on the last day of the month.  Completed means all knitting and construction (i.e. seaming) done, blocked (if necessary), and ends woven in.  Failure to complete a project within the given month will result in severe penalties (mocking will be involved).

One of the reasons I want to do this almanac is that since I started knitting in April 2009 I have done almost 40 pairs of socks...mostly toe-up stockinette or 3-and-1 ribbing.  Don't get me wrong, I love socks and I now knit a damn good pair, but I need to get out more expand my repertoire.  I need to do color work (stranded/Fair Isle and intarsia), lace, double knitting, sweaters, vests, shawls, and on and on and on.  There is a whole world out there for me to play in and I have been limiting myself to mostly feet...time to step out!  (I didn't say the humor would be good...)

Teri, on the other hand, has her own reasons for participating in this project (other than being as bat-shit crazy as I am) and she will be sharing her thoughts here also.  The goal is for each of us to blog about our progress at least once a week.  I also want to discuss new techniques (have you tried the Interlock Bindoff yet...it ROCKS!) and whatever else crosses my twisted little mind.

Nothing more to see here.  Knit along.

* If you aren't a member of Ravelry, go there now and join.  Registration is free and it opens a whole world of patterns and information on the fiber arts.