Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Endless I-Cord

I have finally begun the finishing process for an Adult Surprise Jacket on which I had completed all the knitting at least nine months ago. Why did I wait so long? Oooh, now I remember. I had decided to do an i-cord bindoff, then do applied i-cord along the shoulders and sleeve cuffs, and the sew the shoulders together.

Just like the original Baby Surprise Jacket, by the time you are done knitting the adult version the ENTIRE sweater is crowded onto a 60" circ; this includes both front edges and the bottom edge all the way around. Here's a pic of a Baby Surprise Jacket right before binding off.



So yesterday I began the bindoff, working on it pretty much all day and into the evening. And here is where I was at the end of the day – down one front, all the way around the bottom, and part way up the other front.




It is an extremely slooooow process.


For those unfamiliar with this fun, you cast on three stitches (the beige ones). Then on every row you knit the first two stitches and knit the third stitch together with the body stitch (green) thru the back loop. Then you have to put all three stitches BACK on the left needle, pull the yarn tight, and keep on truckin'. It requires a certain amount of attention, but is also quite soporific – not a good combination.


Time for a few rousing choruses of "We Shall Overcome."

7 comments:

Marjorie said...

It's the kind of thing I like to do when listing to a moderately engrossing audiobook. The jacket is looking good!

Sharon said...

I've made a couple of the BSJ and cannot imagine doing it in an adult size. You are more woman than I!

Anonymous said...

It is a perfect finish for the jacket, tho, good work!!

Laura said...

For putting your shoulder together, you should look at the "Salish Shoulder Join" - it looks a lot like the I-cord, and would be a nice accent. Additionally, you do it first before you do the I-cord around the cuff, incorporating the shoulder "seam" stitches into the I-cord. I use it all the time as a seam!

Knitting Linguist said...

Yes, indeed!! It's looking good, but I know what you mean about those knits that just make you wish you could doze your way through them... (that's what Senate meetings are for, right?).

SNOWBIRD said...

I laughed at the end of this post, but then there are times when we knit that we need to be in a padded room. Can't wait to see the finished project. Knit on!

Politics, Painting, Poetry and Ponderings said...

This was an exciting read. Loved the Aspens and the Lava Lamp. The quilts were incredible and your knitting is an absolute wonder! Thanks!