Ain't that purdy? It's really ingenious the way that the pouch is attached. You can't even SEE IT, totally invisible from both the wrong and the right sides. This is the way to go. I didn't find it difficult to do the math. The hardest part was picking up the stitches. They're picked up after the ribbing plus one row of increases. If you run the thread and look for the little bar, it helps alot. I didn't place the Wallaby down evenly because I didn't want the markers or sts to pull off the end of the needle but the pouch is perfectly centered. Now, back to stockinette (knit only, remember, we're in the round people!) Round and round and up and down she goes.... Just knit...and more knit .... yawn..until armpits. I may start the sleeves this afternoon, we'll see how much knitting we get done today. It's a nice day and I have to take the kiddies out on a vacation day thing, like beach, park, zoo.
Another suggestion on the Wallaby, when I'm up to the shoulders, the number of sts in a round will be well over 200. I am using a 40" circular and sorta magic looping this. The directions call for a shorter cable and I don't think that that would be too comfy to work with. I think we're almost at FOUR HUNDRED for the XL size so keep that in mind. The good thing about the longer cable is that I can lie it down and get a good look at the size as well as try it on. Still looking a bit small though for 44" sweater. You can't tell from the picture, where it looks even smaller, but it seems like it's going to be a smallish men's medium. My gauge is still totally correct. This means when I make them for the kids, I'm going up a full size.
I also want to tell you that I came across a lovely photo of a white or natural color cotton Wallaby on the web at another blog which had cables on the pouch and around the hood. You can really modify this pattern any way you want. The cables were lovely! I was thinking of doing seed stitch but I like the cables better. Let me make this once and see how I like it and then I can change the pattern here and there. I'm a little confused on the way the directions read for the sleeves getting attached right now...I have to look at them again when I'm awake. I think that maybe there is a comma in the wrong place and I'm reading it wrong. For those of you unfamiliar with Cottage Creations patterns, they aren't conventional in that they don't read like a normal pattern. They're 'conversational'. The Wallaby pattern is in every size from toddler to big grown up man. You can make it out of worsted weight wool, wool blend or cotton. People have converted it to bulky weight, too. It can be knit with or without a hood per the directions. People have also knit in the round tee-shirts with a yoke or split collar, like a polo shirt. Just make it short sleeves instead of long. Very versatile and minimal finishing is required. That's part of the reason this is so fun. It's probably nicer for kids and babies to have seemless than grown ups but we'll see how it comes out. I am imagining on a woman it'd be very 'shapeless' but I could be wrong.
In other knitting news, two legs and gussets are done on the blue/purple broad spiral ribbed socks. I'm about ready to put them both onto the needle and knit the feet together. It's something that I haven't tried with magic looping yet.
In other news:
I think the puppy is finally calming down. She's learned to sit for her food and stay (sorta!) and she knows to come when called, most of the time. She has to learn to stop going on my couch though...
At least the little pink feet are clean, usually she's digging a giant hole out of the yard, under the fence, or deep down to China. The pool is up but not running. (sigh) The clowns that put it together didn't tighten all the screws so it was like Niagra Falls when I turned on the water. The screws are really nuts and bolts and should be tightened with a rachet but I don't own anything that small. Furthermore, I don't want to hold the nut with pliers while turning the screw in the opposite direction because I'll only strip the nut and have more problems. In addition, it's squirting water from a place that doesn't have a screw. Maybe a bad gasket? In any event, let them come and fix it. That's Wednesday. Two more days for the sun and leaves to rot in what is becoming dirty water. I had visions of crystal clear but not now! It'll be ugly before long.
On the diet front, I was sick. I was sick for like a week, must've been cholera or something. Friday was the peak and I am just starting to feel better. Needless to say, I lost a bunch of weight and water. I drank Gatorade, which doesn't taste as bad as I was imagining. I thought it would taste like Tang. I will probably put on a pound or two when I rehydrate but I'm down about almost five more. We'll see where that takes us. Gotta look good when I'm up there on my deck for all the world to see!
