Audrey A-Long

Just starting out.

Hi. I just found audrey a few weeks ago, ok a week ago, reading blogs and found out about the knitalong, which also made me decide to look at the yarn, lys employee, talked about how great it was. Didn't need anymore encourage ment.
so i got the yarn in the coral, because I have a skirt I need a top with and this is perfect. I love this yarn. started monday night, and am almost done w/a sleeve.(also have 2 other projects I am working on)that is my excuse for being slow..
Going to go read all the entries and look at all the wonderful pics. I have seen allot of them.
this also is myfirst knitalong.
sherry

More Audrey Finishers and Where They Hail From

Since we've had another burst of finishers, I thought I would update the map...

create your own personalized map of the USA

Congrats to Leslie in Colorado, Julia in California, Dawn in Ohio and Eilene in Maryland! That brings our total number of finishers up to 23! I'm hoping to get everyone's labels in the mail soon. You'd think I'd be able to get such a simple thing taken care of faster, but I'm having a hard time getting to the post office these days. Sorry about that!

I finished the lovely Audrey!

I'm so excited..she's all finished. Thank you for letting me join your knit along. I enjoyed the time that I spent here very much. But now it's time to leave. :(
Guess what time it is..It's Audrey's label time. WooHoo!!!

Here's a picture of me modeling my new wardrode addition...

Isn't she loverly?
If you would like,you can check out more pictures on my blog. It's been so much fun!
Take care and Happy Knitting!!!

Eilene
Ei Knit

The Last Ones In ...

Still get to make an Audrey. After working on my sister's birthday present wrap for the last little while it's a relief to finally pick up my Calmer (Jewel). At 4 PM yesterday I had about 8 inches of the back done working with the centre darts. At 9 PM I was at about 4 inches, having frogged back to before the increases and gone with the decreases as written in the pattern. Once I realized that you didn't knit the marked stitch (thank you archives) it all made perfect sense, and I've liked the look of the finished Audreys that use that.

This is my first knit-a-long, but I can see the benefits of working on a project like this in a group - plus I get to see all of the beautiful works in progress and finished masterpieces to inspire me. Well, that and my collection of Audrey Hepburn DVDs.

Ramping up

I just got my Rowan #35 and I'm excited about starting Ms. Audrey. I'll be visiting a LYS in Salt Lake City, UT, this week to pick up some Calmer. Still haven't decided on a color yet. Has anyone modified the pattern to accommodate being long-waisted? I'm worried that the finished product may be too short, but this is only my second sweater and I'm not sure how to adjust the pattern, especially with the darts. If anyone could point me in the right direction, I would be most greatful.

I can't wait to get started!

Now all I need is an Italian Backdrop....

My Audrey has been done for a while, but now she's also photographed:

I love this sweater. The pattern was great and the comraderie made this experience a lot of fun. Thanks so much to everyone who hosted and shared their thoughts and work along the way. For more information on the details of my Audrey (and more pictures - we all love pictures!) visit me over at my blog, MindofWinter.

Halfway there.

Well, kind of. I have finished one body piece and one sleeve. If you don't count the neckband, I've done half of the knitting! But, I've completed the most important part: I've located someone who owns a Vespa who will probably let me take a picture of Audrey (and me) sitting on it. If only I could take it to Rome for the shoot!

Finished!

I was supposed to be packing for my trip this weekend, but instead I took a look at the half-finished neckband and said, "this won't take long to wrap up..." Two hours later, I had a finished sweater!

I used 18 repeats on the neckband - once I got it together, I realized I probably could have gone with 16 or 17 instead. I was just afraid of it being too small and the neck being too cinched. I do like how it turned out - I'll just have to suffer through a strapless bra when I wear her out. It'll be worth it, though.

It's almost closing time

I'm getting close to finishing her...
I seamed the shoulders. I'm now working on the neckline. Thie is very cool to knit. I love lace.

I have a question about seaming the arms. Since all the increases are on the seam, is it best to use the backstitch or the mattress stitch?
Thanks to all in advance!! :-)

Come visit and see her.
Eilene
Ei Knit

Making Progress

I am really cruising along on Audrey. As of now I'm finished both sleeves, the back and I'm almost halfway done the front. I LOVE this knit!!

Since I can't seem to download any pictues...if you would like you can check out the lovely Audrey on my blog.

Have a great day!
Eilene
Ei Knit

Sleeves Finished... now the Body

I'm moving right along on my Audrey. I decided to do the sleeves first and they are finished. One of the body pieces is on the needles. I'm enjoying this sweater and the Calmer yarn. I'll definitely use this yarn again. My Audrey is in the Peacock color.

I've never used Moveable Type before, and I'm going to try to upload a picture of the sleeves. If it doesn't work, you can see the picture at: http://www.rjconklin.com/keeptalking.htm (today's date.. Aug. 15)

Joanne
Highlands Ranch, CO

Getting Closer

I have just finished the second sleeve. Now I will need to assemble Audrey and then do the neckband. It is going awfully fast.

Shelley

Moving Along on the Back

Well, I'm finished both of Audrey's sleeve's...and yes,the second one was much quicker than the first. Yea!!! I started working on the back last night. I decided to put a ring marker on both sides of the marked stitch. So far so good. I've done 1 decrease so far and am almost at the second one. I LOVE this knit. In my opinion, Audrey is one of the most beautiful sweaters I have seen in a long time. Besides that she fits eveyone so well. You all look beautiful in your finished Audrey's!! ;-)

Eilene
Ei Knit

PS. I don't understand why Movable type will not let me download my pictures. It let me before!

Hello, I'm a late joiner.

My name is Andrea, and I'm making Audrey in Night Sky (discontinued dark-ish blue). (I had hoped to show a picture with my intro, but I got in late last night.) I'm very excited about this sweater, and I've almost finished my first piece (back or front). I had to rip once or twice to get the shaping right, but this blog was immensely helpful for that. (I read the whole archive before I joined.) One tip I can offer for the shaping that I didn't see here is to use two stitch markers to mark the "marked stitch" instead of just one. When I had one I kept forgetting whether it was before or after the stitch, or I moved it by accident, or something. Anyway, once I used two, it worked fine.

I'm already hoping to make a second, but sleeveless, Audrey in Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere. I haven't swatched the ribbing, but I think my stockinette stitch gauge is very close.

WooHoo! I'm done sleeve #1

This first sleeve seemed to take forever. When you have to frog like 3 times...well know wonder! But now she's done...and for some reasom Movabletype won't let me download my pictures. :(

Now I've started my second sleeve!! Thie one is going to go much faster!

Eilene
Ei Knit

The Perfect Sleeve

After a weekend of ripping, reknitting, finding my mistakes, adjusting, and ripping and reknitting some more, I managed to produce a perfectly-sized sleeve for Audrey.

Of course, with my row gauge being off, the adjusted sleeve shaping doesn't match the non-adjusted body shaping where it's supposed to attach to.

Luckily, I think I just need to rip the body back to where the sleeve shaping starts. I reworked the pattern in about 10 minutes this morning (I'm getting pretty good at that!), so once I get the second sleeve done, I'll be ready to roll on fixing the body pieces.

Oddly enough, all of this reworking and reknitting hasn't really discouraged me. If anything, I'm feeling very encouraged by my ability to figure out where my problems have been and adjust the pattern accordingly. It's almost as if I actually know what I'm doing! At the end of this all, I'm confident that I'll have a perfectly-sized Audrey that I can be proud of.

Monkey Sleeves

Audrey, oh Audrey. Just when I thought things were working out so well with us, you had to go and break my heart.

Yes, I knew when I swatched for you that my row gauge was off. I knew that I should have reworked the pattern to take that into consideration. But I believed in you! We got through all of those crazy increases and decreases for your darts - twice! - and everything looked like it would be OK. The front and back turned out splendidly. Perhaps a little longer than intended, but still a nice length with a nice fit.

Because of that, I really didn't think the sleeves would be a problem. I'd noticed they were looking a little long, but because you hadn't failed me yet, I trusted that it would all work out. I trusted you, and what did I get in return? A sleeve so long I could make pants out of it with very little adjustment.

I mean, it's long enough for a pant leg now, and I've still got 20 or so rows to go! Obviously, it's not going to work as a sleeve. Unless I magically turn into an ape overnight or something.

I'm disappointed. And heartbroken. Now I need to not only frog nearly an entire sleeve, I need to go through and rework the pattern for my gauge. This is something I am not looking forward to. Not even a little. Especially when I have to backtrack so very far.

---

That was a few days ago. Since then, I took a deep breath, kissed and made up with Audrey, and reworked the sleeve pattern for my row gauge. I ripped out my sleeve (or should I say "pant leg"?), rewound the yarn, took a deep breath, and cast on again.

I was incredibly nervous about it. I've never reworked a pattern before, and it just felt like it involved a lot of thinking and calculator usage. However, I'm making progress and so far, the sleeve is already looking less freakishly long. Whew.

Now I'm just going to knit away and mentally prepare myself for the possibility that I'm going to have to rip the front and back out because the sleeve shapings won't match up.

Starting Audrey Again

I frogged her sleeve. The gauge just wasn't right. So here is the new sleeve...

She looks much better now that I'm using #6 Denice needles. I'm such a loose knitter it's ridiculous. I've got to go food shopping so I can come back and work some more on Audrey.
Thanks Becky for your help. It's much appreciated!!
Happy knitting!

Ei Knit

Sleeve One In Progress

After much wrangling to get gauge with Calmer (color:Calmer), I think I am in a good place. Even after the work it took me to get close to gauge I do like knitting with Calmer... I am at about 24 stitches to 10cm. I was talking with some of the ladies in my knit knite yesterday, and it was stated to me that I would be fine knitting the size small (56) for the sleeves, but would more than likely have to go up to the medium (102) for the body-front and back, due to my gauge of 24st to 10 cm. Does this sound right? I would like to get a second opinion. I'd like Audrey to be fitted, but not stretched, you know?

I am using a US 9 to get that gauge...I know I am a tight knitter...and I am doing my best not to tug on Calmer...I have swatched 4 times with the same result. 23.5 to 24 stitches for 10 cm.

Thanks so much for any feedback!
Heather
pixiestikzknitz

Cheater Audrey

With an upcoming trip to Savannah and Denver temps holding in the 90s, I truncated Audrey and left her limbless. (As much as I adore Calmer, I worried that the acrylic content would exascerbate my summer persperation issues. And we wouldn't want that, would we?)

It seemed such a shame to wait until fall to wear the poor girl; she's been so cramped in that knitting bag. And once I realized (after two frogs, three seaming sessions and a nice chilled European rose) that the lace-as-written extends over sleeve caps--and I had no sleeve caps--Audrey sans Sleeves became much better behaved.

Come "Get Nake-id" at my new site...www.nakeidknits.com. Ciao.

I started Audrey!

I finally started the loverly Audrey. All I can say is that I love Calmer. Though I hope I didn't make a mistake using this very neutral color instead of something with more pizazz. I decided to start on her sleeve as well. I wanted to get the increases down before I start the main body. Well, here she is folks...

I'm using Rowan Calmer in the color Drift. I love this as it will go with everything. The one problem I have with this pattern are the schematics. In my opinion, I think they should put the measurement of the sleeves width also. The width at the bottom cast on edge just as it lies (without stretching) is 61/2 inches. I'm using my wonderful Denise needles in a 6&7. I am definately a loose knitter. I love these needles! I've worked with the calmer once before but it was in the round. So it was all knit. I think my stitches are not the most uniform they could be, but I don't think they look terrible either. Sooo, I'm fordging ahead. I've done 4 increases so far. I am confused about which increase to use. I was wondering what increases some other knitalongers used. Also, how do I make a purl stitch? Do I use the typical increase for knit stitches or a M1 with a left or right slant depending which side of the sleeve I'm on? Thanks in advance for anyone's help. I'm really loving knitting Audrey so far.
Happy knitting!! ;-)
Eilene
Ei Knit