GG finished!

Due to Blogger uploading issues, I have included links to my pictures on this post. Sorry for the inconvenience :(

I'm done and it fits: Here's my Green Gable. Yay! I could've been finished last night, BUT... It took nearly 3 hours to do the tubular bind off using the Italian method. It looked like crap. [Note: The link to the Italian method was helpful in that it told me how to do the 2nd round of double knitting ITR: slip the knits wyib and purl the purls.] Unfortunately, being a novice at the tubular BO, I unknowningly used only one very long strand of yarn! Dumb, dumb, dumb! What the heck was I thinking?!! It twisted after every sequence of steps and took FOREVER to pull through the stitches. Also, I never could get an even tension using this method. Man, did I get annoyed! I had to mute the TV at one point! So today, I did the sleeves using the real method of tubular BO. When that turned out nicely, I then took out the crappy hem and re-did it. Besides looking bad, it was also rolling up. The 2nd time around was much faster, and I used 3 separate strands of yarn. Here's a link to a close-up of the tubular BO at the bottom hem. I lengthened the hem ribbing to 5 rounds (to prevent rolling), then double knitted for 2 rounds. On each sleeve, I picked up 7 extra stitches at underarm gap for a total of 64 stitches. Good thing because the sleeves wouldn't have fit if I hadn't. Unlike the hem, I chose not to do 2 rounds of double knitting on the sleeve ends.

'Still waiting on my SWTC Bamboo yarn to arrive for the Lotus Blossom Tank KAL. My Peruvian Collection Quechua from elann.com came on Monday. Here's a shot of it. The color is rich olive. The strands have a silky feel due to the tencel -- I like it! When I finish the LBT, I plan on knitting the Somewhat Cowl with the Quechua.

Now that I'm done with GG and will soon be starting the LBT, that leaves Sunset Pullover and Kidlet Tank. Also, my ball of Kool-Aid dyed yarn is waiting to be used on diaper soakers/shorts. When I finish the Kidlet Tank for Marie, I want to make an summer apron top for her. I saw a cute pattern for one online that I think I can mimic. It has two ties in the back: one at the neck and one at the middle of the back.