Tag: cardigan

Knitting Day

With this being a three day weekend, I’ve actually been “chillin out” quite a bit.  Yesterday, did the grocery run, and then started swatching for a sweater I will be making Josh.  It turns out he is more sensitive to wool, unless it is highly processed, than we thought.  The wool I planned to use was too much for him, which is unfortunate, as it is from a fleece I bought.  Really soft wools are not, in my opinion, meant for an overall sweater with heavy wear, so we decided to check out KnitPicks new line in acrylic, Brava.  We chose the worsted weight.  The package came yesterday, and it is actually pretty nice – soft, good twist, and the color we chose is called “currant” – the shade of dark, red wine.  Texture shows up well, it doesn’t feel plasticky -why do some acrylics just feel so dreadful??? – and hasn’t demonstrated any tendency to split unless I jab a needle into the ply.  Because the yarn is dark, texture and fancy cables are not going to be highly noticeable.  My swatch is rather large, with multiple patterns in it.  I measured it before I threw it in the wash with a couple of towels and a quilt.  I’ll measure it when it comes out of the dryer, check the feel of it, and how it looks.

In other knitting arenas, I have mittens to finish, a hat to write up and possibly a pair of socks, and my own pullover to finish.  Admittedly, like the dogs in Up!, I get easily distracted.  Photography has been taking up a lot of my time this past year, and while it is fun and enjoyable, challenging and a learning experience, there is always something to be said for old friends.  Knitting is one of them.  So is painting.  However, often the drawback to these last two is the fact that they can be too solitary (which I enjoy) and are done indoors.  The photography is great for that, and has gotten me off my tuckus and out in the fresh air.

So the plan for the day, once the bills are done, is to begin designing the sweater Josh has so patiently awaited.  I know what I want to do as far as the overall design, but the final touches are the important element.  I like the idea of texture, but not a lot that will be lost in a dark yarn and end up feeling like a wasted endeavor.  As it is a cardigan, I want a shawl collar.  Not sure about the button situation yet; my inclination is to do a crocheted edge, or an i-cord binding, with loops for buttonholes and toggles.  Pockets may be patch, but I am rather drawn to slash pockets – for these I need to pull out some of my “how to” books, such as the Vogue knitting book, or Montse Stanley, or Deborah Newton.  The entire pattern will be done in one piece, with raglan sleeves, and with as little sewing as possible.

And I will have some company – Jack Reacher is standing by!

 

Man Sweater, a.k.a. Josh’s Cardigan

I’ve done a lot of swatches, and the fact is the yarn I have for Josh’s sweater is simply too weirdly plied to allow for any texture to come through when knit up.  The end result is pretty awful – a lot of work and nothing to show for it.  However, this does not mean this yarn is not worth knitting up – it really is beautiful, has a soft feel to it when washed, and so the design process will ultimately be very simple – but not without adventures.  I may do diagonal slash pockets and saddle shoulders.  That should keep me busy!  Cast-on is done, and 1×1 ribbing is commenced.  This will carry up the button bands as well, with stockinette in between.

Boyfriend Sweater vs. Man Sweater vs. Dogosaurus Rex

Once upon a time I had a boyfriend.  He liked the idea of my knitting him an Aran sweater.  He wanted to design it.

And so he did, and I began to knit.  And knit.  And knit.

He decided he wanted to make some changes.  So I ravelled.  And then I knit.  And knit again.

The design was not to his liking.  “Let us change this, and this, and this,” he said.

I dumped him.

Now, many years later, I have yet to endeavor upon another sweater for a member of the opposite sex older than three, but since I’m now an old married woman, perhaps it is time to reconsider.  It is a gamble, as the esposo doesn’t tend to wear sweaters.

“What would you like?” I ask.

“Oh, anything is fine,” he says.

“Do you want a pullover?”

“No.”

“A cardigan?  Cables?  No cables?  Pattern stitch?  Nothing stitch?”

“How about a cardigan, and Nothing certainly sounds Perfect.  You know me, I like Dull.”

And I know me, I don’t like dull.  But I do like simple, and tailored.  I also like color, but I am the magpie, not he.  He likes dull.  Not even slightly shiny.

So the search is on for something which will not bore me to death, and will not offend the esposo’s need for dull.  I am considering ribbed cables, knit through the back loop.  Attractive, tailored, flat, won’t put me to sleep in the process, and I can do while listening to an audio book.  A pattern tailored in appearance.  I am also considering an incredibly simple rib, but one with a slightly different edge to it, one which is vertical, simple, and with a wee amount of texture.

The yarn is from a fleece I had spun into a medium-weight two ply.  I have tons of it, and the color is a lovely chocolately brown.  (Mmmmm.  Chocolate.)

Swatching is begun; the design process is percolating.  One piece knitting, cutting?, saddle vs raglan sleeves.

On the other hand, knitting for the other main man in my life, Wicket, would be easy.  He would gladly wear the Dogosaurus Sweater, but I’m afraid that when I get it done, he will die. Wicket is very old, and I am superstitious.

Buttoned Cardigan, i

A week or so ago I dug around in my stash and found some “Second Time Around” cotton.  I knew what I wanted to make out of it, but I needed to modify the pattern because my gauge was going to be very different than that of the pattern.  I ended up changing some elements of the Buttoned Cardigan, by Eva Weichmann.

The pattern calls for 6 st/inch. My gauge appears to be about 4.5-5 st/inch.

The simplicity of the pattern is one of its most appealing qualities. Knit in the round – really, back and forth – on a circular needle, from the bottom up, is something I prefer in sweaters, just because I hate sewing.  The sleeves and sweater are connected with minimal sewing – no setting in of a sleeve.

The garter stitch accents, especially placed between stockinette at the edges of the sleeves and at the bottom of the sweater, are really elegant. This creates a slightly more formal quality to the sweater, giving it a more finished appearance than a 2×2 rib. The same for the sleeves. Also, if you look closely at the buttonholes, you will see that the garter stitch surrounds the buttons, but changes to the finished edge of stockinette, which makes for an interesting and attractive buttonhole band.

The yarn I am using is rather “busy” but it shows up the garter stitch very nicely between the stockinette. The photo, unfortunately, doesn’t really do justice to the yarn, but hopefully will give you an idea of what it will look like.

The green buttons bring out the lighter thread running through the yarn, and I think will really add interest to the sweater itself.