Best Cast-Off?

I am basically finished with my Rusted Root, and was casting off the bottom today....but afterwards realized that I don't think my cast-off is stretchy enough. I haven't tried it on (I finished knitting in the middle of a staff meeting, so it didn't seem appropriate to do a fashion show then and there!), but I'm afraid it's not going to stretch enough to go on....

Suggestions for the best cast-off for this? I'm up for learning something new if I need to!

a gleeful Hi!

I'm excited to join this KAL! It's great to see everyone's work, there are a few Zephyr sweaters that I'd like to make. Right now I'm working on my first Zephyr pattern - Glee.

I love the simple, top-down pattern (with few seams!) of this sweater. I'm knitting it in the smallest size, and I've decided to make a few simple changes to the pattern: adding some shape to the waist and making 3/4 length sleeves.

As for yarn - I'm using an alpaca silk blend, which is producing a soft, light sweater that will be perfect for summer!

Here's a shot of my work in progress...

Root Finished!

Finished last night and it's bootiful.

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora
Needles: 4mm and 3.75mm Denise Interchangeables

I think I'll give this one to my sis and make another, slightly shorter version for myself.

This one is a little long in the body and a little tight in the arms. I need a looser cast-off as well!

Rusted Root beginning

Rusted Root beginning
Originally uploaded by lligett.

Sorry for the not-so-great picture (it's a little weird to just see half your head!), but this is my Rusted Root so far. :-) I'm really enjoying this so far, and it's looking pretty good--although I'm a bit afraid to jinx it!

I did size medium sleeves on a size small body, and it seems to be turning out right, despite my nerves about that. I figure it should fly along pretty quickly now that the sleeves are out of the way....we'll see. I think it's very possible I will only knit tops in the round from now on....I'm really looking forward to being able to wear it as soon as I'm done, and not waiting to sew it up!

I'm in!

So, my cotton fleece finally arrived and I am casting on tonight. After much debating, I decided to start with Rusted Root. Green Gable is high on my list, and I now have a bunch of cotton fleece, so I may do that down the line, too!

Really, I probably should do GG, because the yarn that came today is Moss Green:


There is enough of it to do 2 tops, I think, so maybe I'll do both in green. I'd have to make 1 for someone else, though, because I probably shouldn't make myself 2 handknit tops in the exact same colour! :-) Supposedly I have a few skeins of Cotton Fleece in Columbine, a lovely looking blue, coming to me, but since they've been travelling here for about 3 weeks now, I'm not sure they're gonna make it. We shall see...I have asked the seller to track them for me, but haven't heard back.

Soon I will have progress piccies to share...

Rusted Root OTN's

Here is my Rusted Root so far.

One down, another cast on

I finished Wicked this morning.

Please ignore the slightly drunken look. I hadn't been drinking, I was squinting in the sun!! Honest.. *looks shifty*

Here is Wicked all laid out:







My sis tried it on as well and has decided that I will knit her one now too. This isn't as demanding as it sounds, as she's made me a couple of tops as well!!! :)

Info:

Made from Rowan Calmer in Cream. I used just under 4 50g balls to make this, so I'm really impressed with the yardage.

I fudged the stitches here and there as I realised that my gauge was way off. So I started with the 32"-35" size and then found that I needed to increase the sleev shaping to fit my chubby upper arms. So I moved to the next size up. A bit of swapping between the two sizes, in terms of length and sts decreased. It all seemed to work!!! :)

I'm a pattern follower normally, so to have to think for myself and make this work was a bit daunting. :-D