For a couple hours a day (mostly on my lunch break and while unwinding before bed), I’ve been knitting up the back of my Agatha sweater. We had a very very rough start – for some reason, I kept mixing up the rows and having to rip my work. It always happened at row 10, too. I frogged the entire thing 6 times (maybe 7 – I stopped counting because I started getting mad!). It was very frustrating, especially since this particular section casts on 69 stitches. 69 stitches + 10 rows – that’s a LOT of re-knitting! UUGHHHGHHHHHH!!
Anyway, we made peace on Tuesday and I was able to jump over the hurdle of 10 and start exploring new knitting territory. And by “exploring new knitting territory,” I mean I repeated rows 10 & 11 seventeen times each. Ha! But you know – the back looks gorgeous and I’m really excited to be almost finished with it!
Here is my progress as of, oh, about 10 minutes ago. This sweater is knit top-down, so you are looking at the back right-side up.
Despite how much I wanted to destroy things every time I gave up & frogged, I actually think it was good that I worked the lace pattern over and over – my stitches are pretty even!
Once you get past the first 3 or 4 rows and the pattern actually starts to show in your knitting (lol I just started to type “shitting” right there GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF, LAUREN), it is much much much easier because you can follow the pattern based on what you already knitted, instead of getting to the end of the row and realizing you missed a bunch of stitches and have to unknit all 69 of the little buggers… not that I know anything about that.
Following the pattern can be a little difficult, since you are following lace panel rows in addition to the regular ol’ rows that make up the rest of the sweater. I found it very helpful to stick post-it notes under the row I was following, so I wouldn’t accidentally follow row 6 when I was supposed to be on row 7 (this is where the majority of those first mistakes happened. Ouch!). Once you start knitting short rows, the lace panel rows don’t match up with the rest of the rows, so the post-it notes were VERY helpful with keeping me on track with everything.
Anyway, I feel really good about my sweater & the progress I’ve made. It is REALLY fun to knit – just complicated enough to keep it interesting, but not so complicated that I feel like I can’t do it. Hopefully I will be starting the front panels within the next day or so – and once I get farther into those, I can actually try it on!
For those of you knitting along (Agatha or not!) – how are you coming along with your sweaters? 🙂
Oh! One more thing –
I got the buttons to my coat last night 🙂 I had to have them made since those kits you buy at the fabric store at totally shitty. These are really nice – the lady uses a machine, and I don’t think I could pull them apart if I tried! I had an extra made just in case 🙂
Coat pictures to come soon – Monday, perhaps? 🙂
LLADYBIRD 
I’m obsessed with that color!!!
Sweater looks fabulous! Can’t wait to see it completed. And the buttons…are lovely! Where did you find a resource that does it for you? I can’t stand the store kits. They only seem to work well with really thin materials. I’ve had the same issue with them popping apart with any substantial fabrics. Ugh!
I had mine made by a local lady – she works at Textile Fabrics and makes buttons on the side. I’m not sure if she offers mail order (if you’re not in Nashville), but you could call the store and ask 🙂 Her prices are really reasonable – my 7/8″ buttons were $1.25 apiece. I don’t think I’m ever going to use the store kits again!
I had the same problem with my knitting and finally purchased a “Susan Bates Peg It Knitting Counter” on Ebay. They are vintage and you do have to pay quite a bit but it has been worth the money.
Oh lord you are far more patient then I. The most I’ve ever had to frog something (in my short three month knitting career) was twice and I literally screamed the second time with rage and shame. My cat was like, whoa, lady, chill the hell out, maybe have a drink? And when your cat has to be the one to pour you a restorative beverage you know you are in trouble. I JUST finished my first sweater last night, and I’m wearing it right now, flaws and all, but I need to order my yarn and jump into my Miette! Which is good, because god forbid I not be working on something, that would be nuts. Your lace looks exquisite, and I can’t wait to see the coat! Don’t tease us, show it off tomorrow! Or Saturday! Don’t be a rules girl, Lauren, we want the goods.
Haha! Well, I have to take pictures first and I don’t think I’ll even have a chance to get at it until Saturday… which it’s supposed to be rainy, so maybe Sunday. We’ll see! I just want to wear the damn thing, tbh – it’s been soo unseasonably warm here. Way too warm to wear a wool coat!
I can’t believe you finished your sweater so fast! PIX PLZ.
That sweater panel is looking fantastic! Truly inspiring- I may just have to pull out the needles one day and give it a go…
And very fancy buttons. Can’t wait to see the coat!!!
That pattern is looking gorgeous! Still anxious to try anything other than stockinette but have a couple of projects queued up that need something else.
Lace work is so much fun! I highly suggest it 🙂
Thank goodness you mentioned the coat photos before I did – I am in an AGONY of anticipation. Looking forward to seeing them soon!!!! (When I say ‘looking forward’ I mean ‘breathless with excitement’.)
This is looking great– your stitches are really even and the lace pattern is super cute!
Looks great! As a rule, I quit knitting lace late at night. Because I’ll invariably mess it up and get angry with myself. 🙂
You are a knitting rocket! Nearly finished the back??!! It looks super pretty lacework. I’ve been knitting a bit these last evenings – it’s getting a bit addictive – I have to ration “sewing time” so that I have an hour for knitting as well. Dont worry about all that ripping – I reckon I’ve ripped at least 50 rows of my current project. Christine commented on my blog that ripping can be seen as just a way to give you more knitting time. I like the positive spin!
Thank you! I also have to ration my knitting and sewing time… fortunately, I get an hour lunch break at work, so I always eat really fast and then knit 🙂 When I get home, I have a couple of hours before Landon gets off, so I spend that time sewing… and then back to knitting while we watch tv. I like to have a plan!
I like that comment about more knitting time! Sounds good to me!
Wow, your knitting is just lovely! What needles are you using, they look super bendy? Are you knitting in the round or flat? You must be so proud for sticking with this project!
Your coat buttons look great, can’t wait to see the pictures you promised us ;o)
They are the Denise Interchangeable Needles! So yeah, basically just interchangeable circulars 🙂 I LOVE them; they make my knitting so much more efficient (I was always clunking the ends of the straight needles all over the place lol). Right now I’m knitting flat – the sweater is knit top down, starting at the back and working each front. The sleeves are knit in the round, though. I had to buy double-pointed needles and hopefully I’ll learn how to use this on my next knitting meet up 🙂 Ha!
Row 10 and 11 is going to be the death of me! When I go to repeat row 10 there are not enough stitches. I have got to this point four times now, and the exact number of stitches are always missing which is two. I’m going to try the Post-it note thing and see if it helps. It looks so cute I hate to have to Frog it so many times.
Yeah, row 10 & 11 were the worst! Definitely try the Post-It note, that’s the only thing that kept me on track. At least once you get past that hurdle, it’s pretty simple from there out 🙂