Category Archives: knitting

2024 FO

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I have my first finished object for 2024!

I ripped out the Botanical Yoke Dog sweater on Christmas Eve and immediately cast-on in a smaller size. I also had to do some math to make it shorter while still getting the correct stitch count for the increases in the body. (My gauge was a teensie weensie bit off.)

This is the small size on Pepper. The first one was a medium. I wanted to see how high the neck was before knitting an additional 15 rows as the pattern instructed. It would have gone up to her ears had I kept going!

Pepper in sweater before ends woven in
Pepper in sweater before ends woven in

I think I knocked off about 4-5 inches from the length of the body. Huge difference. The original one is on the left and the new. improved one on the right.

The original (larger) one would be easier to get on her but I’m not ripping this out and reknitting it again. I took good notes so if this one gets damaged or has a hole I can’t repair (I’m looking at you Pepper!), I can knit another one that will fit without reinventing the pattern. 

Pepper in sweater
Pepper in sweater

Pepper’s almost 15 months old and I don’t think she’ll grow much longer.

Next on the needles: slippers for my sister-in-law.

I should have stopped sooner

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11

I knew this wasn’t going to fit by the time I added the sleeves/legs but I kept on going as I was in the knitting zone and wanted to get the Botanical Yoke Sweater finished in time for Pepper’s Christmas!

Her miniature Schnauzer body isn’t that long!

So I put the live stitches on some scrap yarn, removed the circular needles and tried the sweater on her. The body is about 5-7 inches too long.

I like the looseness of the chest area however, it’s still too large. 

After reevaluating and trying to do the math, I’m starting over.

I’m making two changes: knit the next smaller size and shorten the body to Pepper’s measurements. This pattern has some body shaping so I’ll have to finesse that section. Notice I didn’t mess with the sleeves/legs (yet).

Mr. Aitch, Pepper and I hope your Christmas was merry and you had some peaceful as well as joyous moments. Perhaps you found a partridge in your pear tree. 

Pepper’s sweater

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I started the Botanical Yoke sweater for Pepper last week. The pattern begins with the “sleeves” which are put “on hold” and then begin the main sweater from the bottom up.

The sleeves are finished; I’m on the fourth row/round of the body.

It’s been cold here the past few days so when I put her old sweater on her, I realized it was way too small. She wore it anyway.

I’m trying to knit this quickly but with DK yarn and size 4 needles, it’s not as quick as a worsted sweater on larger needles. Plus there are all the other things I have/want/need to do…