First project for 2011!

5/7/11 - Tried knitting the Fair isle on larger needles but it just looked wrong. Frogged it back and will try again on the 10s.

6/5/11 - Got past the first Fair Isle section - it looks a lot better just using the same needle size as the body. I have never in my life had to go up a needle size to do Fair Isle! Way behind on this project - will probably knit more on it now that I’m over the mental block.

2/3/13 - FINALLY finished the 34-row Fair Isle section. Man, what a nightmare. My tension looks fairly even, and what isn’t, I’m hoping sorts itself when I do the blocking.

I enlarged the main chart and found a couple of mistakes in it - one of the “crosses” isn’t on the same line as the other one, but that’s easy to fix. I used Post-it notes to keep track of the rows, putting them on the row ABOVE the one I was knitting - that will help a lot!

I think the biggest problem was starting this sucker when I was still new at Fair Isle. Now that I’ve had several other projects finished, this should go a lot faster.

5/4/13 - Oh happy day! I finally finished knitting the back! Now I need to finish the left front - hopefully by the end of this month, and then the right front the next and maybe…I can have this done in time for Frank’s birthday in October? It really is a fast knit - except for the blasted Fair Isle sections, which are just fiddly.

6/8/13 - Finished the Left Front.

9/3/13 - Almost done with the Right Front, but I have a new problem. Ganache the Wonder Cat cried and pawed at it until I let her nap on the Left Front. I think she wants to claim the sweater as “hers” - not going to happen, furball.

9/22/13 - Assembled the back, front and facings and picked up the stitches for the collar. Frank tried it on - it fits him nicely! Still not sure about the zipper - the one I got is very heavy-duty and I may either get another one or leave it off entirely. (Yeah, I know - chicken!)

12/2/13 - Am TRYING to finish this for Christmas. I am halfway done with both sleeves - if I can finish the monster 34-row Fair Isle section this weekend, I should be able to finish this for Christmas.

Really, it’s a lovely pattern and very well written and the yarn is a dream to knit with. I just suck at time management, that’s all.

12/11/13 - First sleeve is DONE and in the process of being blocked. Hope to finish the second one this weekend.

12/15/13 - Finished the second sleeve and blocked the collar. Just need to sew in the sleeves and the zipper - looks like hubby will get his sweater for Christmas after all!

12/21/13 - Finished! Handstitching on the zipper looks a wee bit sloppy - may have to get some bias tape and invisibly stitch over the zipper tape to cover. But Frank is very pleased!