A Lesson On Gauge

Okay, so the post I'm sharing now I've been thinking about and meaning to write since August 23rd. Life has just been so hectic that I haven't had a chance to sit down and write it. So here it goes:
This is the top-down v-neck sweater I've been working on for my beloved. It was going along great! Then I had a thought, "Hmmmm...." I wondered, "what gauge am I getting on these US6 needles that the pattern calls for?" So, I pulled out my handy-dandy measuring tape and started counting - 5-3/4 stitches to the inch! The problem with this is that gauge for this sweater is 5 stitches to the inch. Shoot! I didn't do a gauge swatch, I hate doing gauge swatches, I figure I'll just magically knit to gauge, and that is... a lot of wishful thinking. So, I grab my US7 needles and knit a gauge swatch and that comes out to 5-1/4 stitches to the inch. Still not gauge, but I didn't think I wanted to jump up to US8, that just seemed crazy and US7 seemed close enough.

You see the yellow line? I put the sweater on my beloved, measured to where it still fit good (just under the arms), marked it, and started threading a life line. Then began the RRRIIIIIIPPPPPPP-ing!
Here it is after I ripped back to the life line. Sigh. That's a lot of work lost that I have begun to start again on my US7 needles. My beloved said to me, "you don't have to rip it out, it will fit somebody". At which point I said, "No! I specifically chose this yarn for you and I specifically chose this pattern for you - it is NOT going to just fit SOMEBODY!" I'm determined to make this work, because it is something special I've been wanting to make for my sweet husband for a long time now.

Also on the needles...
This is the wrong side of a sock cuff - it is a fold-over cuff. We're looking at 5-1/2 inches of cuff. Of course, this is the start of the Rhiannon stockings that I started a bit ago for my sister. I haven't progressed beyond this for a couple of reasons. First, I got stuck and I was awaiting guidance from the fabulous Cookie A. She did respond quickly to my cry for help, thank you Cookie A.! Second, I got distracted by other projects.
Here, I'm attempting to show the right side of the cuff. It is all pretty cables. I'll definitely show more once I have more to show.
This is the project of the Sock Innovation class I took with Cookie A. at Sock Summit. (I know, I'm still behind and haven't even blogged about Sock Summit yet - shame on me!) I am reluctant to call this an original design. What happened is that Cookie A. brought a lot of different stitch dictionaries to the class and had us find something that spoke to us. This was a lace and cable combination that I found in a Japanese stitch dictionary. Then, Cookie A. helped me to modify it so that it would work well for socks. Then, I spent a fair amount of time charting out the pattern and then I finally got to start knitting it. I think it looks great thus far, I need to do some more planning with it to figure out what type of heel design to use, and if I should consider having the pattern continue onto the top of my foot or to modify it in some way. Too be continued...
Here's the yarn I'm using. It was yarn that I had in my stash that I had forgotten about. It is blue faced leister, in the colorway sugar snap. I really like it! I wish I could recall where I got it or from whom.

A couple of my knitting pals, including Arctic Knitter, and I are thinking of doing our own KAL of this:
The Babies and bears Sweater for Grown Ups from Cottage Creek. It is very similar to the Baby Surprise Jacket, but it is a little different in the way it is knit and it is an adult pattern. If is knit in two halves - from the cuff, up the arm in stockinette in the round, then switching to garter stitch knit back and forth. You do this until you get to the half way point. Then you do the other half and kitchner the back stitches together to create a finished sweater. Pretty cool!
I'm going to make mine using these yarns. I got the idea of combining these yarns from this:
This is a swatch I have from a color class I took the first time I attended Madrona. These two colorways look really neat together. At first I bought the yarn with a different idea for a sweater in mind, but the more I think about it the less I like that sweater idea. But, I thought this yarn would still be great for the Babies and Bears for Grown-Ups pattern. So, I'm excited! We haven't set a date yet, but I'll let you know when we do and you can join if you'd like to. It will be fun!
Finally, I have a picture of the swag I picked up at Sock Summit. Not a ton, but enough. I got some really nice yarns. I tried to find yarns I had not heard of before and that wouldn't be easy for me to get elsewhere. And I got a lot of stitch markers, which was fun. The yellow and blue yarns on the right are for a Baby Surprise Jacket for my friend Julie's baby, Killian. I had knit a BSJ for Killian before he was born, but it was with a smaller gauge yarn and then he was born weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces! He was born too big for it! So, this is worsted weight yarn and since both of his parents went to Notre Dame University it seemed appropriate. I'm actually finishing the new BSJ now, but I don't have a photo to share. Soon.

That is my lesson in gauge. I learned it the hard and painful way. Don't be like me.