Finished Object: Liesl

As I mentioned previously, Liesl has been my primary knitting project since January. Coming off the Christmas gift production rush, I was hungry for something just for me. I had some suitable yarn (Nature Wool) in an acceptable colorway, and was encouraged by the accounts of how quickly this worked up. And I can see now why if you are knitting more regularly than I am, why people make more than one Liesl. These really do fly off the needles. My knitting time has been patchy at best, but when I did work on it, the progress was remarkable!

My original goal was to make a full sleeve version and use up all my yarn. I managed to accomplish neither, but I'm fine with that. Due to the fact that I was brain fried when I was starting the first sleeve (it took me three sessions of looking at everything and estimating before I was able to actually get the pattern stitch started...no fault of the pattern, the pattern was great...this was purely a result of being too tired), I decided that actually starting the sleeve took more priority that getting up, getting out the scale and measuring my yarn.

As a result, I just decided to wing the sleeves. I knit the first as long as possible while still being confident I had enough yarn to knit the second. I also could have gone back and added more to the first sleeve once I knew I was safe on yarn, but again, by the time I got to that point, it was more important for me to finish this project than to eek out every last inch of yarn. While I LOVE using every bit of yarn for a project, and get a runners high just thinking about it, I also find the process of yarn "eeking" very stressful. And frankly, right now, I just want to enjoy my knitting time. So in the end, I ended up with 3/4 sleeves and I'm totally fine with that :)

I also made my Liesl with two buttons instead of three...mostly because I forgot about the 3rd button hole until it was way too late to go back. But given the size I ended up with, I think that worked out in my favor, since the third button would have pulled too much over my bust line.

And that brings me to the size. I failed to mark the size I was working up on the pattern...I also failed to realize I had noted the size in Ravelry. So I switched from working up a 38 to working up the size below when I split everything for the sleeves. Oops. Which is too bad because while it is very wearable as is, it would be even more so if it were a little larger.

I also highly recommend making this in a more squooshy or soft wool. The Nature Wool is great, but I could see how anyone with a sensitivity to wool wouldn't want this right on the soft parts of your arms. I opted for the Nature Wool because it was in my stash and, dudes, this economy sucks...so yeah, new yarn wasn't really in the budget. But, if you do have something like Malabrigo in your stash or can buy some for this project, it would be awesome!

And now for a gratuitous baby (I mean toddler!) picture...please focus on the cute baby, not the funny looking mom ;)