Work in Progress Wednesday: Nupps are Evil and Why I Fail

I have started and restarted this blog post a few times now. Is not that I do not have anything to say, is just that I am currently in the "negative phase" of all my "work in progress" projects. Which in turn makes this blog post more like a big whine-fest.

The negative phase of a project is when you have reached a point in your project where you are not happy on your progress for one reason or another and have nothing good to say. When I hit that phase in my project I set it aside and start another one. This is usually a very good thing for me, I get in a better mood, finish a project that takes me to my happy place which puts me in knitting nirvana and I can go back an tackle the "other" project. Well, I currently have 3 such projects and none have taken me to my nirvana.

Those projects are the Layered Ruffle Sweater, Pei and Peony Cardigan. Let us take a closer look at my purgatory.

WIP #1: The Layered Ruffle Sweater

I am using Berroco Vintage DK in Red on #5 needles

This pattern is from the "Modern Top-Down Knitting" book I bought a while ago. I plan on knitting this top without the ruffles, shorten it a little, add waist definition and cap sleeves. I started this pattern out easy enough but when you arrive at the shoulder shaping of the pattern she lost me. I was finally able to get together with one of my friends and she broke it down to me in English I can understand. I have been meaning to get back to it, but I have not been able to find the momentum.

WIP #2: Pei

I am making this in my own hand dyed yarn on #5 needles

This pattern is super simple. I was actually having a lot of fun with it that is until I reached the NUPPS. Dear readers, I have gotten away with never making nupps. Every time I have seen them in a pattern I either put a bead where a nupp is supposed to go or not do them at all. With the complaints I have heard from other fellow knitters I had decided I just did not want to endure the evils of nupps. But I decided that I will try them. I have to grow in my craft and that means that I need to try new things. Well........

NUPPS ARE A THING OF THE DEVIL!!

Why did I bother? But as you can see from my picture, I have frogged the darn thing and begun casting on today.

WIP #3: Peony Cardigan

I am using Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock Yarn in Olde Towne East on #4 needles.

I have to say I LOVE, LOVE Cecily Glowik MacDonald patterns and when I saw the Peony Cardigan on Interweave Knits, Spring 2012 magazine I just had to buy it. I fell in love with that cardigan. Though I currently have a love hate affair with Neighborhood Fiber Company Yarns (That story is for another post) I knew that I wanted to make it in the Studio Sock yarn I already had in my stash. But as you can see from the photo I have only gotten the top edging done because I have reached the increase section and I do not understand it. Not even the ladies from my Knit Group could answer my questions. ARGH! I plan to email one of the other people that has completed this pattern on Ravelry or Cecily. It is just frustrating to get stuck like this. I want to wear my Cardigan THIS Fall not NEXT Fall.

The reason as to why I fail

Almost finished!

You see that picture above? All those colors and fluffiness? Those are things that I have finished knitting but have not blocked, there may even be one or two where I have not weaved ends yet. We have spoken of my blocking "problem" in the past on this post. My goal is to have at least half of the growing pile blocked by the end of the weekend. What is the point of knitting if I am not going to use the stuff?

Now that I have gone on and on about my never ending projects, tell me, what are you working on?

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

~Knitting Chica