Category Archives: sweater

Grey cardi

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I’ve been working on another top-down cardigan for myself following the same outline as the one I knit last April/May.  Yeah, the one that is too large but is still in sweater form.  I thought that it might fit better over a heavier turtleneck, however, I was wrong.  That sweater will be ripped apart and remade.  Someday.

Anyway, I bought enough of this Red Heart Tweed yarn ages ago* (maybe 15-18 years ago?) and tried to knit myself a sweater.  I loved the tweedy bits of aqua, purple, yellow and orange mixed in with the various shades of grey and white. 

I did a gauge swatch and it was off and thought that it didn’t matter all that much.  It did.  It was too small.  The yarn was turned back into balls and remained in the stash until I could face it again.  So I decided to try another top-down cardi after I knit another gauge swatch.  Yes, I did.

Most of the body is knit though I’m waiting to see how long I can make it once the sleeves are finished.  One sleeve is done and I tried it on.  Too tight.  I fudged a bit on the decreases as I thought the sleeves might be too loose and once again, I was wrong.  So I’ll be ripping back to the first decrease and FOLLOWING THE #@&% DIRECTIONS!  

* way before I became a yarn snob

Q and A time

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I don’t think I’ve ever snagged a Q and A before but I couldn’t help it when I read this post by Karen from NothingButKnit.

Her knitting mojo (and mine) is on vacation and she thought this Q and A might help find it.  Feel free to answer* regardless of your craft: knitting, crocheting, sewing, painting, photography, or whatever you enjoy…

  1. What technique were you surprised that you enjoyed?
  2. What technique do you want to love but don’t?
  3. What is your favorite item to make?
  4. You’re only allowed to knit with one yarn weight forever. What weight is it and why?
  5. What item that you made is your all time favorite?

My answers:

  1. Colorwork.  My first colorwork project was the Traveler’s Pocket by Nancy Bush.  I LOVED doing colorwork so much that I designed my own pattern based on her design.
  2. Hmmm.  I’m weird in that I’m not a fan of knitting with circular needles but I use them.  In fact I’ll be trying the 2-at-a-time sock technique soon.
  3. Socks.  And shawls are a close second.
  4. Fingering weight as it is so versatile.  It can be held double or triple to make a different weight.
  5. My Dots and Stripes purse is my all time favorite.  My first pair of socks is my second.

*Answer in the comments or link to your blog.  Thanks!

 

Calico is now Sunny Day

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7

Last week I mentioned that I was reknitting a top using some Berroco Calico yarn.  The colors are very difficult to capture but it is a riot of warm tones.

Using the Drops Sunny Day Top pattern, I decided to start on the front before I got to the armhole shaping for the back.  I want to use as much yarn as possible and at this point, I can make the top a bit longer or shorter as needed.

The top has a two stitch garter edge that should make seaming a breeze as well as four rows of garter stitch at the bottom to keep it from rolling too much.

My markers indicate the decrease rows.  Only eight stitches in all but it should give the top some shaping.

The charted back is relatively easy but I need to concentrate.

As you can see, I missed the correct placement of one of the yarn overs.  It’s closer to the bottom than the top and I’m not going to fix it.

That’s right.  It will be our secret.  Shhh!

 

Top-down seamless cardigan

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13

With all that top-down-seamless-making-it-up-as-I-go cardigan button angst, I decided to go with the mustard buttons.

I had the perfectly matched sleeveless shell to wear with it.

Instead of sewing on the buttons, I used these tiny codder ( or are they cotter) pins that were in some of the button boxes from iPad aunt.  The button shank was long enough to fit through the knitted button band so I could wiggle the codder pin through it.  No tedious sewing and I can change out the buttons as I wish!

Plus I decided to just go with three buttons.

The pin nestles right into the knitting.

I love this sweater.  The colors played well together and from a distance, it looks like a solid color.  The Debbie Bliss Mia yarn felt good in my hands.  The color did bleed a bit.

The “false” seam kept the sweater from twisting.  I just did a line of reverse stockinette at the “seam” line.

The thing I don’t love is the fit.  Yes, I tried it on as I knit but after soaking and blocking, the sweater grew.

My swatch was five inches to the inch but I think I swatch too tightly (just want to get it done!) and when I’m knitting, I’m more relaxed.  This ended up being four stitches to the inch.  So it’s a bit large.  Like six inches too large.

And it stretched throughout the day.  The neckline was almost to the edge of my shoulder!

Other than starting over, I’m at a loss as to a solution. I don’t have any problems ripping it all out and starting over with fewer stitches, especially knowing that I have enough yarn.

Seems like I’m batting ZERO so far this year with sweaters that fit.

What would you do?  Rip or ???