Cami Progress

Doesn't that look great? I got to say again, I just love this wool.

So I have the shirt done up to the underarm shaping. Twice. I didn't have to undo anything this time though. I knit up to the length that the pattern called for and then (thankfully) tried it on. It was really short so I added another three inches. I still have to try it on again just to be sure, but it should be just right.

As I watch the colours slowly change I keep changing my mind about how the striping will work out. (You have a lot of time to think about it when you're working with fine gauge wool.) When I went to the original length I was worried the shirt wouldn't be long enough to show enough of the colours. Now that I'm going longer I'm hoping I have enough wool that I don't get into the orange again. (I'd be more comfortable if the orange isn't around my face--much as I love it, I don't think it'll be flattering.)

I finally got smart about tracking which row of the lace pattern I'm on by adding a row counter as a stitch marker:

I was keeping track of it on paper and/or in my head and finally asked myself, "Why do you want to make this so hard on yourself?" So I strung a row counter onto some wire and placed it right before the lace work. Now when I get there, I advance the counter by one row and that tells me which row I'm on in the chart. How easy peasy is that! (And I've finally memorized the chart in case you were wondering about that.)

Now that I'm up to the underarms, I have to take a break from actual knitting and rewrite the pattern for working in the round and steeks. (EEK! No, I'm just kidding--that's just what a lot of knitters say when thinking of steeks.) You see, the pattern is written to work the back and front separately around the armholes. But that certainly won't work with this wool. Not if I want them to match.

So I have to continue working in the round and cut the armholes in later. This would explain why I need to take a moment and plan my next move (and all the ones after that).