Blue Canary Creations: Halfway Home

So I finished the Solar System sweater:

All the smaller planets are chain stitched on. Saturn and Jupiter knitted separately and then sewn on with yarn... I'm going to fix Saturn's rings to be a bit bigger...

Just in time for the 4th birthday party! It was planet-riffic. Here's the cake -- we made it and decorated together:

Yes, I know there are 6 candles not 4. But, he wanted ALL the candles. Some battles really not worth fighting!!!

He LOVES the sweater. Very good ego gratification for Mommy here, he's wearing it every day. It is pilling up a bit on the arms, but I'll give it a good shaving. Such is the price of the cashmerino softness. Also please note -- it relaxed quite a bit in the blocking, so this is definitely oversized for him now. It's OK, it can be a two-season sweater, but he's got a good extra 2 inches in the sleeves and body... let me know if anyone wants a pattern, I'll write it up.

We had a lovely solar system birthday party, and in the meantime, I have continued to crank away on the Caterpillar blankie for the not-yet-born son:

I've adjusted the charts a bit for the second set of fruits. I have to remember that when doing fair isle, you don't need a squashy grid, things come out pretty much square (same height to width ratio). So I've taken a few rows out to make some of the fruits not so tall. This thing is getting pretty big and heavy -- it's either a blanket or a very very very warm miniskirt. I think finished dimensions will be about 36" by 40". Still fun though, thank goodness for gigantic yarn!

Steek freek-out

I'm still a little nervous about cutting this thing made of superwash yarn and having it not unravel. But if the Mason Dixon ladies say it can be done, it can!! Here's a pic of the steek area:

I will breathe and trust.

Oh, also, I'm teaching a class on fair isle/intarsia combo at Arcadia Knitting this Saturday, for anyone who's in Chicago, come on over! It's from 1 to 3 in the afternoon.

Other stuff, mostly politics

I rewatched The Contender recently, and really enjoyed it even more. Worth watching again in this election season, and this attack ad festival. Jeff Bridges is outstanding as the President. And Joan Allen is awesome.

Also, I just read a terrific interview with John Hodgman. Funny, but also some insightful political analysis of the campaign.

There's always someone cooler than you

Comments

Don't worry about your steek. Definitely use two rows of machine stitching on the shortest stitch setting. You can also pick up your edge stitches before you cut your steek if you're worried about pulling on it.

Posted by: Jessica | October 22, 2008 at 01:55 PM

Love the planet sweater! Your son looks quite pleased with it. I do hope you will write up the pattern!

Posted by: Evie | October 23, 2008 at 07:31 AM

Wow, that was quick! :)
The sweater looks so great. And I'm totally digging the asteroid belt on both the sweater and the cake. Awesome.

Posted by: Amanda | October 23, 2008 at 11:22 AM

Posted by: Amanda | October 23, 2008 at 11:24 AM

Both the cake and the sweater are über fantastic! My soon to be five year old is gonna love it - can't wait to show him the coolness you created, though I have a feeling it will mean I'm knitting a solar system sweater when my skills are up to it. ^_^ Many happy returns to your little dude!

Posted by: EdaMommy | October 23, 2008 at 11:35 AM

LOVE the solar system sweater. What a great way to incorporate your son's passion with your own.

Posted by: Heather | October 28, 2008 at 09:05 AM

Wauw!! The perfect sweater for boys...and your son looks so fine in it. Congratulations on his birthday :0)

I would definitely love it too, if you wrote down the pattern :0)

Posted by: Ulla V. | November 12, 2008 at 12:37 PM

Honestly, that is the darn cutest sweater I have ever seen. Did you design it yourself? I have four grandsons and create different things for them and I just love the planets sweater.

Posted by: Leslie from California | November 16, 2008 at 08:37 PM