Progress of Bohus Redux

Sooooo, what do you think?

Bohus Redux In Progress

I'm lovin' the colour section.  Very pleased how it turned out.  The hard part will be to re-produce it in chart form when I decide to release the pattern (I'm sure I'll think of something).


Sorry my progress photo isn't indicative of my actual progress (I've actually separated the sleeves from the body and am working some waist shaping).  I haven't had a chance to photograph a proper update.  Making matters more difficult is the wait for internet connection at home (I'm actually updating this post from a motel room 'cuz I've gone away to the valley for a wedding . . .. but I digress).


How goes your knitting?  Hoping you have a good week.
Later,
:)

Organic Design

So in "designing" my own version of Bountiful Bohus, I've had to rip out more than once.  Pictured below is my fourth cast-on (not too frustrating since each time I only got as far as just past the collar). In refining the increases and stitch counts, I'm hoping for a good fit. 

Burgeoning Bohus

As for the colourwork, I'm reworking that too.  After swatching the original pattern, I decided to modify (not too keen on the purls).  Using knitter's graph paper (googling will net quite a few free sites), I pulled out my pencil crayons and coloured.  And if the colours didn't "feel right", I changed things whilst knitting.  Guess the pattern is more organic than planned. But it looks awfully purty. ;) 


So far, so good.

Bohus Lament

Soooo after I attached the second sleeve, I started to have this vague feeling in the pit of my belly: a mixture of doubt and dread.  Something wasn't quite right with the Bohus.  Not sure the thing will fit; it seemed just a wee bit too short and a wee bit too wide.  Bottom-ups are hard to try on (ask me how I know).  I was so tempted to just rip, rip, rip  . . . 


While reading about the adventures of other knitters, how many times has a crafter ignored her gut feelings and tarried on, only to be sorry in the end.  Lesson learned: never be afraid to rip.  Its just yarn.  Yet despite trusting my gut, I still couldn't summon up the courage to rip out all that work.  Instead I put it aside, and then perused Ravelry.  My search for the Holy Grail  turned up nothing.

The Swatch

Discouraged, I looked through my bag of yarn.  The navy looked yummy next to the teal, grass and grape . . . then I heard a whirring and whizzing in my brain.  My heart jumped a little.  What if I designed my own top-down yoked cardi that contained many of the stylish elements of the Bountiful Bohus?  Grabbing some needles and a fresh ball of Softee Chunky, I started swatching.  When I was happy with the fabric, I meandered over to a top-down calculator.  After punching in my gauge, out came a raglan pattern.  Then I found a couple of bottom-up patterns in bulky weight with yoked tops.  Now I had the tools to reverse-engineer a yoked sweater using the stitch counts from the top-down calculator.  Sound complicated? Maybe, but I just know in my gut its gonna work.  

Bohus?

A wee bit of frustration over the lack of progress on my navy Bohus.  I dare say that its "growth" has been at a stand still as I attempt to complete the second sleeve.  And that second sleeve is going ever so slowly . . . argh! 

Bohus in Pieces

Whadya think? Eventually I'll get through it, right?  I'm already working the increases; then after a few more inches, the second sleeve can join the body. Can I finish this in time to wear for October?  Maybe. If only life would stop getting in the way . . . .

My one big incentive: the dense, thick fabric is gonna be warm and cozy--perfect for the upcoming fall/winter weather.  Environment Canada is predicting a cool fall for areas with a wet, cool summer.  Just what we've had this year in the Maritimes. 

Now back to my knitting. ;)

All Kinds of Progress

Sorta.  Over vacation, I did manage to get some knitting done.  Surprising how much one can do barreling downtown via subway train.  And there's been a smatterin' of knit time throughout the week.  Of course there's been this thing called "work" that has sucked up most of my time--go figure!.

First off, I'm close to finishing off the body section of my navy Bohus: just another half inch and I can join the sleeves to the body (although there's the small detail of actually making the second sleeve).

Bohus in Progress

The photo above is not accurate as I've gotten further along since photographing my Bohus.  My zeal for this project has not abated, in spite of the miles and miles of stockinette.  At present my only real concern is adjusting the yoke; thus far, my modifications have created the appropriate size (so says my tape measure).  I'm hoping this continues as I grapple with the decreases in the yoke (and don't get me started on the short-rows for the neck . . . that could be a little scary).

My other vacation project is my green Soleil.  I hadn't even swatched it when I left for Toronto.  Lo and behold, I've gotten to the waist.

Soleil Progress

It was the perfect airport/flying project (knitting is great for occupying one's hands and mind when one has a fear of flying--just saying).  The lace section was very easy once I memorized the pattern.   And the stockinette section hasn't been too mind-numbing, especially since I have to keep track of rows for the waist shaping.  And the silk-bamboo fabric: very nice feel and drape.  This is gonna be very pretty when its done.  I just hope it fits.

Progress and Maybe Something Else?

Yup, I couldn't resist casting on for the body (I'll get to the second sleeve eventually).  My mods thus far include casting on 206 stitches (I subtracted the 10 stitches for steeking 'cuz I'm working it back and forth).  So far so good.  I should probably use another circular needle to spread out my work and measure the width.

Bottom Ribbing-Cables of Bohus

With vacation coming up, I hope I'll be able to work on the Bohus and thus complete much of the body.  I'll be flying out to visit family (haven't seen them in 'bout 4 years--that's a long time!).  I'm wary of taking metal needles in my carry-on baggage (even though the airline's website says its okay to take knitting needles); instead I'll work on a scarf or shawlette in-flight (What?  Another project?  Aren't there enough WIPs 'round the house?).  My reasoning is that bamboo circulars are less likely to be confiscated (being that since bamboo is not metal so the metal detectors won't go off--right?).

What yarn shall I use?  Last year I acquired some lovely Patons Angora Bamboo (about 5 balls) in brandy wine.  

Some Soft Angora Bamboo in Lovely Colour

So I've been eyeing projects that require less than 400 yards.  I've only a few days to find something suitable. 

Take a Guess

Which project did I choose?  The Bountiful Bohus of course.  'Cuz I really do need a warm-all-purpose-goes-with-everything cardi for the fall and winter.  I've got some ratty looking cardigans that need to go into the trash (don't worry; they're store-bought ones from 10 years ago so they've more than served their purpose).  And anything I made over the past 2 years is probably too big as I've recently lost weight (you'd think 20 lbs wouldn't be a big deal--and normally it would not be a problem--but in fact, those 20 lbs disappeared over the last 6 months.  In total I've lost closer to 35 lbs over the course of 2 years so that now I seriously need to go clothes shopping, especially since attempts at shrinking my clothes in the dryer haven't been too succesful).

Beginning of First Sleeve

I decided to start off with the sleeves 'cuz if the sizing isn't working out, I can easily rip it out without too much guilt.  Already I've made mods: instead of casting on 100 stitches as called for in the pattern, I'm using 80 stitches.  Thus far, the measurements have worked to my favour--at least according to the pattern schematics.

Detail of Cables on Sleeve Edging

Since my swatch told me I've got 5.5 stitches per inch (instead of the required 5 st/in), I'm gonna aim to use the medium size to give myself a sweater that should turn out to be large.  What?  There's no medium?  The smallest size is large?  Yeah, I'm gonna have to extrapolate the numbers on that one.  But that requires--ack!--math!  No worries.  According to the pattern, each subsequent increase in size went by 20 stitch increments.  So I'm hoping that a decrease in 20 stitches will give me the required size.  The key word here is HOPE.

Wish me luck--please wish me luck 'cuz I'm gonna seriously need it.  :S