Goal Getting, Stash Busting, Gift Giving.

My May 2-4 knitting project (Yes, I know.  Most Canadians spend Victoria Day drinking beer in a campground somewhere. Me,  I knit.) met many  goals.  In keeping with my 2012 quest to improve my machine knitting skills, this latest FO was indeed knit on the machine.   A day and a half.  Hip Hip!  It used up three and a bit balls of stash yarn and will be gifted to my youngest  grand daughter, Abi. 

The only goal not met was the timing.  I started the vest Saturday morning hoping to finish it that evening in order to send it with Fred when he left Sunday morning for Hearst and the trailer.  About two-thirds of the way towards completion I realized that finishing  'on time'  would mean working the work of those with deadlines.  Would I enjoy that?  Not likely.  Instead, with Sunday to myself, I finished the vest at a leisurely  pace and will mail it off tomorrow.

The bottom features a picot hem.

 

A first for me.  Thank you google and Youtube.

The pattern featured on the front of this  Patons Next Steps book, written for hand knitting,  worked well on the machine - once I took the time to type out my translation.  Most hand knit patterns are written using measurements.
Knit until back is 12 inches from cast on,  for example.  Knitting machines, however, have a little gizmo that counts rows and all  things knit on the machine require a row count.
Knit  the back to Row 78, for example.  It is one of the things that gives machine knitting it's precision look. 

I have always thought I was talented enough to do that 'measurement-to-rows' translation on the fly.  While knitting.  Not so. Or not so, anymore.   Once I realized my inadequacy and took the time to sit at the computer and  'translate'  all measurements in the pattern to row counts, I was away to the races.

Finished off  with two rows of hand-knit, reverse stockinet around the arms and,  at the neck, 2x2 ribbing followed by the same two rows of reverse stockinet, it looks good.

 As is, a cute summer top, but over a turtleneck, a colourful, winter layering piece.

Being ten and a half, Abi is just passing from  the 'everything Grandma makes is wonderful' stage and coming into her own style. Perhaps the vest will never be worn.  But no matter,  my machine knitting skills were enhanced,  the stash  reduced

 and I enjoyed the process.  Wearing is just a bonus.