Sweaters

Glory Days — Off to a Good Start

/ Sweaters, Technique / 1 Comment

Sometimes the combination of yarn, needles, and stitch pattern come together so beautifully that a garment seems to knit itself. That seems to be the case with the Briar Rose Glory Days yarns, size 5 needles, and textured rib pattern that I’m using for my next sweater.
I’m following the instructions for a saddle-shoulder cardigan in The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters (page 187) for a 40″ circumference at 6 stitches to inch.

The textured rib pattern is a multiple of 4 stitches + 1, so instead of working the saddles on 20 stitches as directed for my size/gauge on page 187, I worked each on 21 stitches. To make it easier to pick up stitches along the edges of the saddles later, I knitted the first and last stitch of every row to make garter selvedge stitches:
RS rows: K1 (selvedge st), *k1, sl 1. k2; rep from * to last 4 sts, k1, sl 1, k1, k1 (selvedge st).
WS rows: K1 (selvedge st), *p3, k1; rep from * to last 4 sts, p3, k1 (selvedge st).
To begin the back, I picked up 24 stitches across one saddle, used the knitted method to cast on 41 stitches (instead of the 40 instructed to accommodate the stitch pattern), then picked up 24 stitches across the other saddle. This gave me a total of 89 stitches (instead of 88), which balanced the stitch pattern at the two armhole edges (with right-side facing, both sides have a selvedge stitch followed by a k3 column).
Again, knitting the first and last stitch of every row for garter selvedges, I shaped the shoulders with short-rows (in two increments of 7 stitches as directed, but working 8 stitches in the last increment), then worked straight for 6 1/4″ (indicated by the marker), then started the armhole by increasing one stitch (using the M1 technique) at each end of the needle every right-side row six times, followed by casting on 4 stitches at each side to end with a total of 109 stitches (instead of 108).
I’ve just picked up 24 stitches along the other edge of one saddle to begin working the right front.

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Two New Starts

/ Socks, Sweaters / 3 Comments

I started two (2!) projects last weekend.
As promised, I swatched The Wacky Windmill yarn (the colorway is Find a Penny) and decided to knit  the Seeded Rib Socks on page 88 of Getting Started Knitting Socks. The socks in the book were knitted at a gauge of 6 stitches/inch, but I want a denser fabric. I get just over 8 stitches/inch on size U.S. 2 (2.75 mm) needles. I figure that if I follow the instructions for the second-to-the-largest size (cast on 72 stitches), the socks should end up about 8 1/2″ in circumference, which is the size I want, and work perfectly with the 6-stitch pattern repeat.

For this pair, I decided to work k4, p2 ribbing for the first inch instead of starting the seeded rib pattern right after the cast-on. For flexibility, I used the Old Norwegian cast-on, which is my go-to technique for top-down socks.
I also swatched the Briar Rose Glory Days yarn that I got to knit a replacement for the Unisex Zip that I knitted out of Briar Rose Legend (which is no longer available) for the The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters (see my blog post for Dec 3, 2012, titled Unisex Zip Revisited). The sweater never made it into the print book but is included in the electronic version.
I swatched the same simple two-row pattern:
RS rows: *k3, sl 1; rep from *.
WS rows: *p2, k1, p1; rep from *.
I like the fabric best knitted at 6 stitches/inch on size 5 (3.75 mm) needles. I loved knitting the swatch and am anxious to cast on for a saddle-shoulder zip-front cardigan. (I apologize for the blurry image!)

Anyone want to place bets on which project I finish first?

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Back at It

/ Sweaters, uncategorized / 8 Comments

Am I ever glad that January is behind us. The days are noticeably longer and the sun is minutely stronger every day. I think I can safely say that the doldrums are behind me.
This week, I finally finished a sweater that I started more than a year ago — the Diamond Jacket from Marion Foale’s Knitting Collection 1.

This is the first sweater I’ve knitted at such a fine gauge–9 stitches to the inch on size 1 (2.25 mm) needles. I bought the yarn, pattern, and buttons at Tutto Santa Fe, which I make a point of visiting whenever I’m in Santa Fe. The stitch pattern is a series of stockinette and reverse stockinette triangles that form an embossed texture. The edgings are all garter stitch, which I absolutely love when knitted at fine gauges.
Finishing the sweater gave me unexpected creative energy and I promptly went out and had my hair cut very short and ordered purple (!) glass frames.

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Knitting Again

/ Sweaters / 14 Comments

Yesterday one of my sons was in a wrestling tournament, which meant that I sat in the bleachers for about five hours in order to see him on the mat for a grand total of 7 minutes. Of course, I took my knitting. And about an hour into the tournament I got it out. I think my gauge may have suffered when I tensed up watching kids twisted in grotesque ways, but I did knit. When we got home, I sat in a comfy chair with a glass of wine and knitted some more. And I woke up today wanting to knit instead of doing the house or office work. I think I’m past the hump.
Here’s proof (I apologize for the blurry image):

And, as for my son, he took second place (that’s him in the red):

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Unisex Zip Revisited

/ Books, Sweaters / 3 Comments

It’s happened again. Soon after a book gets published, it seems that a yarn gets discontinued. The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters is no exception. The base yarn for the handdyed Briar Rose Legend that I used for the Unisex Zip is no longer available. Fortunately (I guess), this sweater is in the modified-drop shoulder chapter that is currently only available in the electronic version of the book (that chapter was cut from the print copy due to page constraints), so many of you may not even be aware of the problem.

I learned this sad news from Chris Rosien, owner and dyer of Briar Rose at Clara Parkes’ Knitter’s Review Retreat last month. But, there is a substitute! Glory Days, which is 100% bluefaced leicester (500 yards/8 ounces) should make a perfect match.
To test it out, Chris sent me four (4!) skeins of a beautiful handdyed red.

I plan to knit a substitute with it. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

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Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters — Modified-Drop Shoulder Style

/ Books, Sweaters

The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters has been out for a few months now and I continue to get questions about how to get the chapter that was cut from the print version (page restrictions, don’t you know) but included in the eBook (no page restrictions). The chapter in question addresses modified-drop shoulder silhouettes, which, we agreed, is a style that most knitters might prefer to knit from the bottom up.
Still, the chapter includes instructions for 15 sizes at 5 different gauges, or 75 more sweaters (not counting cardigan and neckline variations). Plus, and perhaps more importantly, the chapter includes three additional patterns–two by me and one by Kristen TenDyke. And both of my designs were photographed on men to demonstrate that all of the instructions include men’s sizes.
Here’s the Unisex Zip (worked with Briar Rose Fibers Legend at a gauge of 6 stitches/inch):

Here’s the Weekend Retreat (worked with my very own handspun at a gauge of 4.75 stitches/inch):

And here’s Kristen TenDyke‘s Basket Case Cardigan (worked with O-Wool Balance at a gauge of 5 stitches/inch:

At present, you can only get these patterns and the modified-drop shoulder chapter if you purchase the downloadable eBook. But that seems excessive if you’ve already purchased the print copy and all you want is the missing chapter. I’ve been asking Interweave to make this chapter available as a single download for those who don’t want to buy the complete book a second time. If you agree, it might help if you contact Interweave’s customer service to let them know.

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The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters Now Available in e-Book Format

/ Books, Patterns, Sweaters / 15 Comments

Although the print version is on the literal slow boat from China and won’t be available until late July, the electronic version of The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters is available for download right now at the Interweave Store. Click here for information on how to order yours for just $19.95. The electronic version will include the same instructions for circular yoke, raglan, set-in sleeve, and saddle shoulder sweaters as will be in the print version, as well as an exclusive chapter on modified-drop shoulder sweaters and three additional sweater designs.
Color me excited!

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Diamond Jacket: #2

/ Sweaters / 5 Comments

It’s been only a few weeks since I started Marion Foal’s Diamond Jacket (from Marion’s Knitting Collection 1) and I already wonder if I’ll ever get it done. At a gauge of 8.5 stitches/inch on size U.S. 1 (2.25 mm) needles, there are a lot of stitches and a lot of rows to knit. So far, I’m only about 7″ into the first sleeve. But I do love the soft lightweight fabric produced by the small needles. The marker is to help identify right-side rows (the stitch pattern is reversible).

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