FO: Talia

The following was what I had drafted in a post in October 2008. Yeah, it took me a while to post FO pics. *sheepish grin*

Technically, Talia has been finished quite a while ago. To be precise, I remember weaving in her ends on 9/14, the weekend when I was recovering from my wisdom teeth removal.

*Front* Back

Pattern: Talia from the Spring 2008 Knitty, also available as a downloadable PDF at the Sweaterbabe's website
Yarn: Cascade 220 in Colorway 2401 (Burgundy)
Amount: Almost 3 balls
Needles: US 9 24", and US 9 12" circulars for the shoulder straps
Mods: None really, if you don't count the fact that I had crocheted the shoulder straps (right sides together) instead of seaming.


All in all, I'm quite satisfied with Talia. The sad thing was the yarn stained my needles and even after using rubbing alcohol, my needles will forever have a pinkish tint. :-( My only concern was that it stretched out a lot after washing because I had probably knitted loose. If I make another one, I will shorten the length and knit at a tighter gauge. My boyfriend actually picked out the buttons for me in Vancouver when we went to a huge discount yarn/notions store called Dressew. They were on clearance, and all 4 buttons cost me $2.00 total! (Not sure what that comes out to in USD, but it can't be too different.) Aisles and aisles of inexpensive yet beautiful buttons, and I only came away with these ones and 12 black ones. Yes, I am still kicking myself.

Talia progress

Front progress...

Back progress...

Casting on for Talia

Well, I have basically finished Green Gable. The only things left to do are the sleeves. Sigh. Which brings me back to the same problem I had with Rusted Root. I don't know why I can't seem to bring myself to learn how to use 2 circulars to complete the sleeves. I even have the instructions printed out in color lying on top of my Green Gable to motivate me to finish it. But, alas, to no avail.

So I decided to cast on for Talia after admiring Amateur Craft Mom's and Juicy Knits' Talias. After scrounging through my stash, I tried a swatch with Patons Classic Merino wool but the gauge was off by too much. Not to mention the fact that I really didn't want a white vest. So I decided a swatch with Cascade 220 in a gorgeous burgundy shade. And for the first time ever in my life, I got exact gauge!! It made me so happy since I could never seem to be spot on. Holding onto the gauge throughout the project...well that's a different story. I'll be going to Seattle for 1.5 weeks next week, and I'm not sure if I should bring Talia with me. She is going to get complicated and I don't know if I want to bring something that I might not be able to fix without access to Ravelry, online knitting videos, and other knit friends like Amateur Craft Mom and rchrispy.

If I get really lucky, Talia should look like this...

And look at her gorgeous waist shaping...

I would love it if anybody has suggestions for mellow, plane/airport knitting patterns. :-)