Off the Needles!!!

ARWEN IF OFF THE NEEDLES. REPEAT. ARWEN IS OFF THE NEEDLES!!!!!

I can hardly believe it!!! Yesterday at 6ish pm, I finished the last cable row of Arwen and began the kitchener stitch for the top of the hood. I have a confession to make. I don't know how to block OR put a sweater together. You see, that is why I knit sweaters in the round. No stitching up. Well....... Arwen is special, so I thought I would figure out how to do her right. Thank God for the internet.

I did a steam block with a wet towel and iron. I chose that method as I don't have the tools for the pin it out method. It worked OK, but I think I am going to get some of those cool T pins for another project.

Then, I tried the mattress stitch on my newly blocked sweater. %$#^%$#$^#@^%
It didn't work on my 1st try out, so I made something up for the underarm of one sleeve. The results were pretty bad. Back to the computer, this time with Arwen in my lap. I sort of got it, and it is beautiful. Like magic. You would think there wasn't a seam there. The wrong side even looked like the article pix from Knitty. I stopped last night at 10pm because I needed to figure out how to attach the shoulders to the back. It's not straight forward as the hood, sleeves, and fronts are all knit in one piece and I needed to go to bed.

So let's review...... reversible cables, backward co, kitchener stitch, short row shaping, blocking and mattress stitch..... I have learned a lot. Sorry no pix, I need to take a shower before church and no time with all the mattress stitching I am doing.

Praise the Lord!!! catie