Let the WIP Parade Begin

I plan to show a progress update on each of my knitting projects, this week. First up is actually a finished project! Here is Tangled Yoke, minus buttons as I plan to give a gift card with the sweater so that the wearer can choose her own.

Finished Sweater Versus Choose Own Button Style

Having finished my SIL’s cardigan, last week, I went to my modest button stash to see if I had any thing suitable. The pattern requires 9 buttons and I didn’t have more than 4 or 5 in a size and style that I liked. She has very different tastes than I do in some things. My debate is whether to buy the buttons and put them on, or give her a gift card to a store that sells buttons so that she can select her own. I would be willing to sew them on for her and I would do it quickly, probably the same day that I get them from her, so that is not a problem, but what would you do?

ETA: Please leave a comment. I can't get my poll to work and don't have time right now to troubleshoot. Thanks.

Another Sweater FO

I have been knitting and just plain feeling overly busy lately! I finished a cardigan for my SIL’s birthday, recently and still have not taken a photo, but you can be assured that I am still knitting!

The same day that I bound off the last stitch on her sweater, I cast on for a pull over for me. I have one ball (of 11) knit into it already and the fabric is lovely and soft. A while back, I purchased these 11 balls of Filatura Di Crosa’s Zara in French Lilac from Elann.com. I have always had such good experiences with their customer service and, being geographically close to them, I usually receive my orders within just a couple days! I had planned on knitting an entirely different sweater with this yarn, but when I was looking for something more spring-like, I happened upon this yarn in my stash. It may not be enough yards for a longer sleeved sweater, so I cast on for a Drops pattern, # 77-19 Pullover. Ravelry is so wonderful and of course I used the search to find this pattern. I have knit with Drops patterns before and thoroughly enjoy the process. The patterns usually are quite simply written, often leaving out extraneous words that explain something that most knitters would know any way. I find that it takes very little time to read the patterns and I have had no problems knitting from them. However, some new knitters find the patterns frustrating because they don’t tell you every little detail. Frequently, the pattern will say something like, “Knit rib for 5 rows.” A very new knitter may not understand that ribbing (at least when unspecified) is k1p1 across the row. Though I can be obsessive about getting a sweater just right, this type of thing does not bother me. I may even decide that I like a different rib better and change it out! :)

Here a Sweater, There a Sweater...

Everywhere a Sweater!

Yes, I have started another sweater. Here is the story:


Last Friday, I started a new sweater. I cast on for Interweave Knits Tangled Yoke Cardigan. Last summer, my SIL asked me if I would knit a sweater for her. She offered to buy the yarn, and I pulled up Ravelry on the computer at my sister’s house, where we were. I just love the way that Ravelry allows me to search the patterns that I already own to find a new project. Said SIL started to describe the type of style she wanted, and I was able to input the specifics into the search, as well. She wanted a cardigan, preferably long sleeved and crew neck in a lighter weight fabric.

Tangled Yoke came up in one of these searches. I had wanted to make this sweater from the very first time that I looked through the magazine. My sister didn’t like the fact that it was a yoked sweater and so I found a different pattern to make for her that Christmas. So, when it came up in my search, I was excited when my SIL liked it! Then, we started to look for an affordable wool yarn source on line that would have a color that she wanted. We looked primarily at Elann and Knit Picks. She found that the colors were preferable in the Peruvian Highland Sport from Elann and said that a pale blue color would be lovely. At that point, I knew to plan on knitting it for her. I don’t usually take on projects like this, but she is very easy to please and as a beginning knitter, appreciates the work that goes into a larger project like a sweater.

Not long after agreeing to knit a sweater for her, she told me, sadly, that she may not have the $35 for the yarn for quite some time. I still had store credit with Elann, and purchased the yarn for her last fall. She doesn’t know that I have already begun, and I plan to finish this in time to be her birthday present in May of this year.

I have already finished the body of the sweater, up to the armholes and really want to leave work, though I can’t, to cast on for a sleeve. What I really want to start is the cabling on the yoke, but I need to wade through quite a bit more garter rib and stockingnet stitch, first. The knitting, though on US size 4 needles, is still moving along more quickly than I had expected. If I can keep going at my current pace, I will finish this in a couple more weeks.

The resulting fabric from the Highland Sport is a little stiff and rough, but I was good and spent the time to make swatches, wash and dry them. The swatch was a little big on the size 5 needles that the pattern called for, so I went down to 4’s and made gauge. Since I washed the swatch, I know that it softens considerably and drapes much better with only a cold water bath and I know that if I add a little fabric softener or conditioner that it will be even softer and drapeier.