purlsandmurmers

Reading about Knitting

 Two new books.

Mostly these are books for reading, and learning; they are books to use, more than books to knit from.  At least that is how I see them so far.

The Knitters Book of Wool was a Valentine's day gift from my sweetie, and I've dipped into it here and there with intentions of sitting down and actually reading it.  It does seem to clarify some things for me and I am sure it will be useful.  It does have patterns, some of which I will probably knit, but I'm not really interested in the book for the patterns.

I had been waiting for Knitwear Design Workshop and eagerly ripped the package open the day it arrived.  I have spent a little time with this book, and have started reading it, and flipping ahead here and there.  It looks very useful.  It also looks like it will be a great deal of help with pattern rewriting and reconfiguring of the sort I am doing with the ruby  bubbles cardigan I am currently knitting.  I'd really like to sit down and spend some time with this book, just getting all the information down pat.  It has patterns too, but only a few.

As for Ruby Bubbles, I finally finished the long stretch of stockinette between the waist and the underarm and began the underarm shaping tonight.  I don't really know if the slowdown was due to the fact that I was distracted with a spring cleaning and resorting of house, closets and internal cobwebs, or if it was just a long stretch of boring stockinette and I grew bored.  Probably a little of each.

Spring Rowan

Rowan 47 has been here for a little over a week.  As usual, on first inspection there were numerous things that caught my eye, but as I peruse the magazine I notice that first impressions are oft deceived by pretty pictures, not particularly what will actually work for me.

 Here are the things I like, and would really consider knitting someday.

Relax.  I already have the summer tweed in a nice turquoise color to knit this.  I can see this so easily with soft linen pants on a casual summer day.

 Sedate is a beautiful cardigan knit from kidsilk haze and fine milk cotton.  I love the contrast in textures and patterns on this cardigan.  It looks like it would be a pleasure to wear and I love the graceful sleeves.

 Harmony is another beautiful cardigan, one that I initially passed over, although I really don't know why.  I think it was the color in the photograph.  Oh the sweater looks lovely in this photo, soft and feminine, and perhaps that was the problem.  It looked too soft and feminine and classic for me.  But I kept coming back to it, and the more I came back to it, and looked at the pattern and the diagrams, the more I knew I really liked this pattern.  I would just do it in a stronger color.  The pattern calls for purelife organic cotton 4 ply, but it would also be lovely in a fine wool, or perhaps even more of the Blue Sky Alpaca Silk.  I am really in love with this Blue Sky Alpaca Silk.

 Lastly I am very attracted to a crocheted sweater, even though I haven't crocheted a sweater in nearly 20 years.  Merry is designed by Marie Wallin and is knit in Lenpur Linen.  Usually, when I love a crocheted sweater I am later disillusioned when it starts to crop up on Ravelry.  That does not meant there are not exceptions.  I crocheted sweaters long before I learned to knit.  Still, I think I will wait and see how it turns out before I jump in.  Besides I have plenty to knit on my queue.

Next: An experiment in sweater fitting

You might recall that back in December I posted a list of what was next in the knitting queue.  I am sticking roughly with that plan except that the gorgeous blue Stacy Charles cashmere has been pulled until next winter.  I just didn't anticipate that it would take me two months to finish the striped cardigan, and I thought the cashmere would be a quickie winter project.  Now I feel it is too late to begin it and actually enjoy wearing it, so I am putting it on hold.  

 Instead of the cashmere I began the Silk Cocoon Cardigan from the Spring 2009 issue of Interweave knits. I am using the recommended yarn, Blue Sky Alpaca's Alpaca Silk.

I started knitting my swatches right after I finished the previous sweater, but it took me a couple of tries to get the cocoon stitch, which you see on the yoke and the sleeve cuffs right.  The first time I was too tight and was having a terrible time with those repeated "p5 tog" stitches.  Now that is not that unusual, that I knit tighter in the gauge swatch than I do when actually knitting the garment, so having one run through the pattern one time, when I went to larger needles and tried again, the whole thing was too loose and floppy, but at least my fingers got used to the pattern.

 The third try (on the original size 3 needles) worked perfectly.  Here is a close up of the pattern stitch swatch, mostly because it is also fairly close to the right color, at least on my monitor.

On gauge and ready to go, I decided to approach this pattern a little differently than usual.  

I've been working with a shirt muslin and doing so has made me think about fit more.  Now I know knits are different than wovens, and the stretchiness of the knitted fabric makes up for a lot of things, but I wanted to really think about the shape of this garment, the size, and how it would really fit me.  I decided to use the information I have learned in my sewing experiments and see if I could knit an even better sweater.  After measuring, thinking about it, and marking all my changes to the pattern, there were so many cross-outs, starred passages telling me to go to the back of the page, and general rewrites that I figured I just might as well rewrite the pattern the way I was going to knit it.  The whole process, fitting, marking, and rewriting took me the better part of two days.  I don't yet know if it was worth the effort.  The worst thing that can happen? It doesn't work and I learn a lot.

I started with my usual adjustments, which were confirmed as necessary in my fitting class last November:  namely I took out about 3/4 of an inch at the center back, just below the waist, tapering to nothing at the side seams, I do this with short rows.  I also add 3/4 of an inch in length at the center front over the bust, again tapering to nothing at the side seams.

When working on blouses, I also learned that I needed to add 1 inch at the center back above the shoulder blades so the neckline of my shirt would sit at the proper place. Since taking that class I have noticed that many of my sweaters dip to the back in the same way, so I added that dart to the center of my back after I had begun the armhole shaping, at about the level of the scapulas.  

After all this I looked at the actual dimensions of the sweater, and compared them to my actual dimensions.   Inspired by "Mother Daughter Knits"  and my pattern experiments, I checked the shoulder width, the sleeve length, and where the waist shaping occurs in the pattern compared to where it occurs on me.  This led to another series of changes in the pattern, including making the sweater bigger at the hem in back, to cover my bum, which also meant increasing the number of decreased stitches before reaching the waist, and making the fronts comparatively smaller at the hips.

 Now that all the math is done I am finally knitting.  I'm in the middle of the back waist shaping and have just finished the short rows for that scooping-out at the center back.  So far, it is going well.

Will it all yield a better sweater? I honestly don't know, but I hope so.  Call it a grand experiment.

Wearing it.

 I wore the Elaine Striped Cardigan today and I love it. 

These particular pants aren't perfect, but they really are the only things I like with this sweater that I can wear at the moment.   

If I were not losing weight I would make some alterations on the pants, (the folds at the pocket require a simple, but time-consuming, fix) but it is not worth the time at this point.  They will get me through a little more of this season.  Better to spend the time making new pants.  I have a few different shades of maroon wools, and hopefully one will go with this sweater.  I also think a pair of dark khaki or olive green pants would be lovely and I might have something that will work.  Certainly both colors would work with many other things as well. Jeans in a dark wash are another possibility, but again, I have none that fit me now.

I will get there, I'm still working through my priorities, weighing what I want in fit and style, knitting and sewing projects, versus the demands of exercise, trying to eat well, and reaching goal weight.  It is not so much about being a particular weight, or even "thin" but about control and overcoming the penalties of a few years where control went out the window and  stress ruled the day.

At the moment diet and exercise have priority, and everything will follow suit, hopefully in a measured fashion.

Knitscene

I hadn't looked at Knitscene for a while but when a friend brought the winter/spring 2010 issue to knitting group/class a couple of weeks ago I found several patterns I was interested in knitting.

All three patterns by Connie Chang Chinchio caught my eye:

 A lovely hoodie, although I never use the hood for more than decoration.

 A nice casual knock-around sweater with great wrist detail.

 An interesting cardigan out of Malabrigo lace.  This attracts me even though I don't usually like cardigans or jackets without fixed closures.

Then there is more.  

 A lovely lacy top by Teva Durham in cotton and silk.

 A cute little vest with a lovely multicolor cowl -- a dash of color at the face without the dangling ends and shifting folds of a scarf.

 And another cardigan, this one with a lovely cabled yoke. 

Finally!! Finished!!

The Elaine Striped Cardigan is done!

 And I am happy with it and like it on, which is surprising only because right about the time I started setting in the sleeves I really did not like this sweater and was ready to throw it into the "to be unravelled and redone" pile.  But I persevered and I am glad.

I tried it on last night and happily danced around the house a little bit before throwing it in the wash.  The various parts were in various states, some having been blocked, others not, and the sweater had served as a lovely sleeping blanket for the cats while I dithered and dallied and put off sewing in those sleeves.  Here it is on the blocking board.  It is supposed to be cold and gray with a promise of snow so I don't expect it to dry quickly.  Of course given the lack of snowfall in this area so far this winter, it may just turn out to be sunny and dry, yet again.

Slow to dry may be a good thing though as I have broken my #1 rule of "No More Orphans".  I have nothing to wear with this, or at least nothing that fits.  Oh I can wear it with jeans, but I don't really like it with jeans; the sweater already has so much color in it, and none of them are blues, grays or blacks, which I feel I could work into the denim theme.  For me, I like my contrast to be a little more coordinated.  The pants I was going to wear with this sweater when I started it are now too big.  I have a couple of things that I may be able to alter to fit, and I have fabric, so something will turn up soon.

 In the meantime, in the absence of modeled shots, here is a close-up of the lovely wooden buttons.  These were in my stash, obviously just waiting for this sweater.  The top button is a little small, and tends to roll around, but it works, and it is nice to actually be able to use something from the button collection on an actual garment.  I am always amazed at how I can have so many jars of buttons and nothing to go on a given project.

Warm Up!

The blanket is finally done.  I think it turned out well considering the raw materials.

 

Actually, once I got back into the rhythm of the crochet, the border, which is quite slim, went very quickly, quickly enough that I considered going around again and making it wider.  

I had a minor set-back after I finished the border because I decided to wash the thing before turning it in since my cats have thought it was the perfect lounging blanket while I was working on it, and before all the blocks were sewn.  When I pulled the thing out of the dryer there as a big hole, where one of the blocks had come unraveled in the center.  It seems the knitter just carried the yarn behind a few stitches when beginning a new piece in the middle of the block and since acrylic does not "grab" the yarn simply unravelled.  She (I am assuming the knitter was a she but I could be wrong) should have changed yarns at the side and knotted it.  If I had looked more closely, I might have just unraveled that particular square and reknit it as it was too large and floppy and I had a terrible time gathering it up to fit in with the surrounding squares while I was sewing it up.

Anyway, I did manage a passable, but not superb, job of darning the hole with enough extra yarn to tie a tiny little knot, hide it behind a stitch, and dab it with the teeniest bit of fray block, to keep it from unravelling again when Its owner throws it in the wash.

So much for my education in blankets.  I am reminding myself just to knit enough blocks for an entire blanket next year and donate a completely finished blanket to save someone the trouble.  That way I have complete control....

There is enough yarn left for me to knit a few blocks for this year's knit-in on May 2, although not enough for me to make a blanket, and I want to knit my own projects.  I will also use some of the gray yarn to knit a few blocks for the kitties to play with since Moisés would keep steeling a block and running around the house with it.   What do you think?  I'm inclined to think the knitting he is supposed to play with is never as enticing as the forbidden yarn, but it will not take so long to knit a block and see.

Two winter collections from Rowan

While I am occupied with adding a crocheted border to a "Warm Up America" blanket, I thought I would update my pattern database and share a few recent additions to the pattern library.

Both of these books are from the fall/winter collections for Rowan, although I just got around to purchasing them in January.

 Both books feature classic, somewhat rustic, what I would call, "country" sweaters, although there are certainly sweaters in both books that could be at home almost anywhere, city or country, depending on one's style.  Or am I completely out of date in thinking that t here is such a thing as "city style" and "country style" anymore?

The Purelife Winter Collection features sweaters for men and women designed by Marie Wallin.  Since G doesn't want sweaters, I am mostly interested in the women's patterns.   The designs use Rowans British Sheep breeds Chunky and DK wools or Organic Wool DK. There are three patterns in this book which I like, all in DK weight. 

 Windemere is a lovely, classic, cabled turtleneck sweater that I think is somewhat elegant, but which I will never knit.  I have, somewhat reluctantly,  come to accept that for the most part I should avoid high turtlenecks sweaters unless they are being worn as layering pieces with other shapes and necklines to add interest.  A simple turtleneck sweater like this is simply not my friend.

Luckily there are two other sweaters that I am itching to make and wear.

 Ulveston is a lovely tunic with a lace and cables pattern that would be perfect for layering, worn with a shirt as shown here, or with that turtleneck and perhaps a scarf or long necklace.  

 The third pattern, Kendall, is not a layering sweater, and although it does have a cowl, the drape makes it much more wearable and flattering.  The illustrated sweater is knitted from bluefaced leicester, one of the natural wools in the British Sheep Breeds collection, which is fitting as bluefaced leicester is a soft  with a nice drape and a bit of luster as well, features to remember when choosing a yarn for this project as it is meant to be worn against the skin.  Softness and the soft luster of the wool add elegance to the sweater.

 The second winter book I purchased was Rowan's Classic Heartland which features designs by Martin Storey, using Rowan's aran weight wool-silk blend, Silky Tweed.

Continuing with my recent fascination with colorwork patterns, two of my choices in this book use stranded colorwork using the fairisle technique.  This means, of course that with the aran weight yarn, they will be toasty warm sweaters, much like the much striped cardigan I am currently working on, although slightly less bulky as I am using an aran weight yarn and a bulky yarn in that sweater.

 Considering that I am constantly cold this winter, it is no surprise thought that I am attracted to cozy warm sweaters.

Lowri fits the bill for warm and cozy, and pretty too.  I love the pattern and the subtle colors as much as I love the deep ribbing.  This pullover is knit to what would be called "mid length" in the Sally Melville book Mother-Daughter knits, and the deep ribbing can be knit to the perfect length so that the colorwork begins at one's "short sweater length" which would give an attractive silhouette and increase the styling and wearing options.  

I don't know anything about the yarn, although I did see at least one comment on Ravelry that it might work best at a tighter gauge than recommended on the label (19 stitches = 4").  The stranding might help this, but at 20.5 stitches to 4" this is not much tighter.  I might sub a different yarn or a different weight yarn.  Since Rowan's charts tend to be tiny and difficult for my middle-aged eyes to see, I always end up recharting the patter anyway, so it probably wouldn't be that difficult to convert it to DK.

 The other colorwork sweater, Dilys, is knit more tightly, at 22 stitches to 4 inches.  I am sure this is because this sweater is meant for layering and the designer wants a stiffer hand with less drape.   I certainly am attracted to just these qualities in this sweater:  the shape, the layering possibilities.  This sweater combines my love of color, but in a rather sophisticated way, with the short cropped silhouette that I have learned works so well with my long torso.

This is definitely a must-knit, although I don't see how it will get on the needles before next season.

 The last sweater is a lovely cardigan with a tailored appeal, Braith. There is nothing fancy here stitch-wise, it is just a classic, simple, wearable cardigan, and probably just what my wardrobe is waiting for.

At Last...

I didn't quite make it by the end of January, but the sleeves were completed last night and blocked this afternoon.  The body of the sweater has already been assembled so I just need to knit the collar/neckline and button loops.  I need to look for buttons as well.  I'm hoping there are some in my extensive button stash.

 My intention had been to knit finish the knitting this morning, after errands and while I was sitting in yet another doctor's office, but I brought the yarn and the knitting needle and left the sweater at home.

Instead I started a sock, a plain simple stockinette sock, top down, with a picot edge hem at the top.  I'm just past knitting the hem in place and continuing to the body of the leg.  The yarn was originally to be used in a different pair of socks, shown here, but I didn't like the way this flecked yarn looked in the lace pattern so I ripped them out during my last ripping frenzy.  Simple socks will be much better.  Besides, socks make a nice, easy, carry-along project.

I need to do some swatching for the next project/projects and crochet an edging on a blanket and it is cold and dark enough that I expect the sleeves to take a couple of days to dry.  Finished objects should be coming up soon.

Mother-Daughter Knits Part 2: The Sweaters

I promised that I would show the patterns from this book, and there are quite a few that appeal.  In fact I added six sweaters from this book to my master knitting pattern database, which is a pretty good number.

One thing I like about the patterns, and this refers back to the information I discussed in my previous post, is that there is very complete sizing information given with the patterns.  Of course there is finished bust and length but also waist and hip measurements if it is relevant as well as waist length and shoulder width on a few patterns.  The patterns also discuss the intended length of the pattern for example, a sweater is intended to be worn at the mid-length, or it discusses options or how the placement of design features might affect the length at which you choose to knit the sweater.  Not only is this useful if you are knitting the sweater, as many many patterns are lacking even basic information, but looking through the book, looking at the styles and the fit and directions given is an education in knitting design and proportion that can be applied to other sweaters.    

The only fit information that is lacking, and it is not common enough in knitting patterns to begin with, is that it would be wonderful if the designer mentioned the amount of ease in the design in the actual pattern.  That said, it is still easy to figure out as there is a size guide in the back of the book and one can easily find one's size and then compare it to the given measurements.  

 

But I believe I promised pictures:

I love this buttoned and tabbed muffler.  Oh I know buttoned mufflers are almost a dime a dozen.  There is a nice one sitting on the table of my LYS right now.  And I do like the tailored effect of them, the clean lines and the warmth without too much bulk or flopping ends. (and this from a woman who has more scarves than anyone has a right to).  But what I really like are the little tabs, a small detail that I wouldn't have thought of but now think is just perfect.  They are, in fact, a little bit weird, like fingers wrapping around the neck, and I suspect that is what attracts me, as if that little bit of oddness catches one by surprise and makes it all the more interesting.

 Sally Melville says that she was inspired to make the buttoned muffler by a pair of fabulous tabbed cuffs her daughter designed.  I agree with her that the tabbed cuffs are fabulous and I am very much intrigued by them.  But I also know that I would never wear them.  I love gloves and mitts, but only as an accessory to my coat.  

I honestly believe that there are "glove people" and then there are the rest of us.  Glove people can wear gloves and make them into a style statement; I cannot.  I admire beauty in gloves, but in the end it is just a glove, a necessary accoutrement, and as much as I love these tabbed cuffs, they would never be comfortable on me.  

 And now on to the sweaters.  There are lots of sweaters, all pretty much classic.

The Knit Across Sweater is knit side to side, as is implied in the title.  I like the narrower ribbing on the sleeves and the wider ribbed pattern across the body.  The ribbing at the waist is picked up and knit down after the top of the sweater has been completed, and it can be worn short and bloused as shown, or pulled down.  I would think that it would be flattering and slimming either way.

 I learned long ago that a long, unshaped sweater with a deep rib detail like this one is very flattering on me.  I tend to think the long deep ribbing, and it is about 6 inches as this pattern is written, somehow reminds me of a little flippy skirt at the bottom of the sweater.

I have always been a fan of a long cozy warm sweater when the weather is cold, and the way the design breaks up the large expanse of sweater makes it very nice and wearable.

 Even though I have never been a big fan of the shirt-jacket, I am very atttacted to the classic knit shirt as designed by Sally Melville in this book.  Perhaps it is the soft fabric that appeals to me.  She shows two versions, one in lace weight mohair and another in sport weight linen and both are gorgeous.   I think it is the combination of the shaping and the soft drape of the fabric that appeals to me, and the fact that soft drapy semi-sheer mohair would be warmer and more versatile than a sewn shirt jacket in a sheer fabric.  At any rate, for the first time in my life I see shirt-style cardigans in my life, whereas before a shirt jacket was something I borrowed from my husband when I was raking the leaves.

 The Sophisticated Hoodie is also nice: interesting enough to knit, casual and more stylish than a standard sweatshirt.  Knit in cotton or a cotton blend I think this would become a trans-seasonal favorite much like Rogue has become a winter favorite.  Again, I have learned that I am a great fan of knitted hoodies, and have several residing in my closet, both purchased and hand knit, and several of these are about to be retired.   This one would be a great new addition. 

 A classic cabled cardigan is always nice, and this one definitely appeals to me.  It is not particularly shaped, but the deeply ribbed waist will add the illusion of shaping as will the nicely angled cables in the bodice.  This is a nice combination of texture and detail with simplicity of shape and design, something that sometimes seems all to rare

 The tunic pattern named Mini-Dress is a more trendy garment than most of the ones listed here, and it is designed by Sally's daughter Caddy (as is the first, sideways sweater).  I have loved this since I first saw it and although I can see it with a simple pair of slacks and sandals in warm weather, I mostly envision myself wearing this as a layering piece.

 Last (yes there is an end to my long ramblings) is this Crinkly Blouse Sweater.  Another long unshaped sweater, this one is actually a-line, to be worn with narrow pants, it exudes calm casual chic.  I think it is the combination of the ribbing and the lace, with the crinkly texture of the pattern and the linen that really makes this sweater.  It would have a completely different aura in a different fiber. There are days when I want simple, casual, and uncomplicated and this sweater fits the bill; if I can have all of that with a bit of sophisticated chic, so much the better.  I believe this sweater has that potential although success will all lie in choice of yarn and the fit. Get it wrong and you could easily have an oversized "I give up" sweater.  Luckily the designer gives you enough information to make it work if you pay attention (something at which I have not excelled of late).