oddly

My odd Audrey's all finished, just in time for the temp to hit 30C (and humid) in Munich.  It's okay though - we'll take it while we can get it.  If last summer was any indication, there will be ample opportunity for sweater sporting long before September rolls around.

Anyway, as promised in my last post, here's what I did in a little more detail:

1. Failed to achieve gauge.  Mine was a little tighter than specified, but I just went with it.  I definitely wanted to use this particular yarn for this particular project and didn't want the fabric to be any more open than I was getting on 4s/3.5mm needles, so I went one size up in the pattern and crossed my fingers.

2. Lengthened a bit.  Specifically, knit an extra 4 rows before starting the waist decreases.  I would have added additional extra length, but I was worried about yardage...not to mention the bottom ribbing fitting around me any lower on the hips.

3. Eschewed the eponymous lace pattern at the bib altogether.  Instead, I used BW's False Flame Stitch over four colors for a 16 row repeat...times 3 repeats makes 48 rows.  I started it on the first row after completing the second to last bust increase - working all the way around on back and fronts before dividing for armholes.  To avoid millions of ends, I carried the yarn from stripe to stripe, trapping the vertical "floats" as I went and being mindful of their tension.  All together, I squeezed about a hundred extra yards out of the stripes.  The slipped stitches ate a little bit of that, of course, but my gauge across the pattern stitch wasn't much different from St st in the end.

4. Worked button bands and neckband before sleeves, because I was concerned about yardage.  (Added bonus: less finishing left at the end!)

5. Shortened the sleeves a bunch. Weighed remaining yarn before starting sleeves and kept track just to be safe.  Started ribbing 2 rows after second set of sleeve decreases; kept ribbing much shorter than called for - made it about as long as the button bands are wide.  Could have made the sleeves a bit longer actually, but decided I liked them at an unambiguous short sleeve length.

That's about it.  I blocked it probably less aggressively than I could have, but there's always next time...because even cardigans have to be washed occasionally, right?

creative solution

My modded version of the wildly popular Audrey in Unst cardi is done drying, and will be getting its buttons shortly.  I knit it in rescued Chickadee from Quince & Co that was originally purchased for a colorwork project...which means that I really didn't have enough of any one color to knit the whole thing.  So instead of a lace bib, I stuck in a few repeats of False Flame Stitch (a slipped stitch stripe pattern) from Barbara Walker's Second Treasury.  Three repeats of the pattern in four colors on the front and back stretched my main color enough to get the button- and neckbands done, as well as some short sleeves.

Here it is, pre-blocking:

Why yes, that is a crochet hook in my pocket.

Notice that it is goofily short here.  It is still a little shrunken-sweatergirl-sweater looking in its post-blocking state, but in a less ridiculous way.

Further deets and FO photos to follow.

kalifornisch?

I'm feeling pretty clever regarding my latest, heavily altered, nearly F'd O.  Here's a progress shot:

Brought it to knitting group on Sunday and finished the last remaining sleeve cap; plus got a start on weaving in the ends.  All that remains is to block it and choose [possibly purchase] and attach buttons.  I'm not wild about the idea of button shopping, but there are ten button holes ... and I'm not so sure I have ten matching buttons of the correct size lying around.  More on the alterations and whathaveyou once the finishing's finished.  Meanwhile ...

My new favorite hot weather libation:

I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a name, since it's a decidedly international effort including a mixer named after one of the fifty United States but available (as far as I can tell) only in Germany ... and gin.  Plus some lime and whatever fresh herbs are kicking around the kitchen garden/crisper.

Appropriately(?) enough, the exclusively European soda in question is called "Californian Citrus Summer*".  I'm not going to get involved in a discussion of the citrus growing season in California.  Far more important than its questionable nomenclature is its nicely balanced bittersweet effervescence, which makes a delightfully unexpected, but appropriate, foil for the faithful standby that is Gordon's.

Kalifornischen Sommer:

- Ice

- London dry gin

- Schweppes Californian Citrus Summer soda

- Lime wedge

- Fresh herb sprig(s), bruised (optional)

Place a few cubes of ice in your fancy Ikea tumbler.  Squeeze lime wedge over, drop into glass.  Pour gin, then soda in preferred ratio.  I like about a 1 to 1 ratio because I am a lush have a refined palate, and prefer my drinks strong rather than sweet.  If desired, bruise and drop in fresh herbs for a flavorful garnish.  I used basil and some fennel fronds in the serving picture above, and found it to be a really nice combo.  Stir, sip, and enjoy.

*Possible substitutes include any suitably dry citrus sodas.  Grapefruit soda comes to mind, maybe mixed with some sparkling limeade or "orange dry" if you want to get fancy.