Sheep Shots

Following on the heels of 4 Tiny Sweaters



I brainstorned a bit and came up with the Second Draft of the Prototype Vest that I mailed to Children In Common last week.

What you see on the left, there, is the chest part of the vest I was plotting.

It's knit in Lopi-like (not Lopi-Lite) Gjestal Naturgarn wool.

I cast on enough stitches for 7-8" and knit until I had roughly 26" in length. Stockinette with 4-stitch garter border on both sides (I may rethink that on the next one and put the border on one side--the bottom hem--only).



Here's the finished vest.

After I knit the chest part, I joined the ends into a tube (really need work toward a provisional cast on and a grafted seam for the next one). Then I found the center front and back and picked up stitches to make the "yoke" area, leaving 8 rows (4 ridges) on each side for the underarm.

This is about a size 2-4 or so (26" chest). I got the measurements by checking numerous patterns in many books finally settling on Ann Budd's dimensions.

What follows is merely re-stating the obvious:

I worked an intarsia sun (from this OOP book). The rays are embroidered.



I striped the back so that it would match the bottom, though the stripes are horizontal on the top and vertical on the bottom.

I "scooped" the front neck (just like in Prototype 1). I think this makes for a more comfortable fit than a boat neck, especially when the wool is scratchy. The back neck is straight.

I used garter stitch for all of the edgings (neck, armhole, hem).

There were a lot of ends to work in. I did that while surfing blogs this morning. Weave an end, read a blog, rinse, repeat.

This puppy is in serious need of a nice wash and block.

Since my intention (right now at this very Moment In Time) is to enter this one in the fair, I will hold off the wash and block until right before so that it is crisp, fresh, and uncreased.


OMG! It's time to Mittn agin!

Indeed! October 1 will be here before we know it! It's time for those intrepid Mittn Knitters to drag out the bag of odd balls and set to work!

This year's goal is 8 Hand knit pairs.

I figure that there are about 26 more weeks until time to mail the finished Mittnz to Cheyenne River Reservation so that small and large people will have warm hands and hearts.

Won't you join us?

There will be prizes!

Eight of them!

Rules, buttons, and all details will be posted soon, but you can start planning now.

Gloves, mittens, mitts, armwarmers, wristers, call them what you will. If they warm the hands, they put you in the running.

Fiber? Warm! Animal and animal fiber blends are best. Colorful is wonderful, drab and dreary works too! Plain or decorated, knitted or crocheted. Felted and not.

Have at it and have a ball!

Like last year, I will be calling for photos of completed Mittnz and posting them right here. Mailing is scheduled so that they arrive in SD before the onset of winter (by October 1). This is a blitz! So we try to mail the last week in September to shock and awe (awwwww) the volunteers at the Youth Center.

Labels: charity, Cheyenne River, children's things, fair entries, mittnz