Category Archives: sweater

Cast On: Synthe

Posted on by
4

I finally knuckled under and cast on my Synthe sweater. My swatch told me I was on gauge and I am making the 44 1/2 size.

This starts at the neck and appears to not have a neckline. Just cast on and get straight to stockinette. The pattern shows no rolling but I don’t have confidence in my version. I may have to add some reinforcement to my neck opening.

So far the knitting is fast as the stitch count is still increasing. The yarn, Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, has a lot of veg matter in it that I am picking out as I go. I am not alternating skeins yet but I may do that as I get to the main body. My biggest hurdle is keeping the stitch markers from opening and falling off.

Happy Knitting!!

Swatch Yes!

Posted on by
1

I kind of forgot I had a swatch drying in the laundry room. And I grabbed it yesterday after folding a load of towels. Good news….I got stitch gauge!!

I am short a couple of rows on row gauge. This means I get to use the size/stitch count I want but I need to be careful on the parts that say “Knit to XX inch length”. Shall we take on odds on if I remember this whilst knitting?

Now I just need to plan my cast on…heheheheheh!

Happy Knitting!!

Synthe Swatching

Posted on by
2

As I promised myself after finishing my huge crochet blanket, I want to start a sweater with some of the sweater lots I own!

The post Christmas germs finally got me so this swatching process is brought to you by cold medicine, duke snuggles and hiding in my guest room. I wound a skein of my Brooklyn Tweed Shelter and got started.

The Synthe sweater is worked in the round with a purl row breaking up the stockinette. So I decided to swatch the proper way….in the round. I knit my swatch and then moved the work around my circular needle to leave a span of yarn across the back. This means that I should get a truer picture of my pattern gauge in the round.

Once I had my swatch done, I gave it a good wash/rinse in the sink and then bravely cut the strings in the back to get a flat swatch. That was nerve wracking!! The tails are long enough and the yarn is “sticky” enough that they didn’t go anywhere.

The swatch is now pinned out and drying. Once it dries, which should be quick, I can then measure my gauge and determine how close I am to the pattern. I know what size I want to knit based on my bust measurement. I’m hoping I don’t have to adjust too far!

Happy Swatching!!

Closeout Sale Shopping

Posted on by
1

I have been packing around a gift certificate from my birthday back in November to the LYS that is near my job. I decided to pop over last Friday and use that sucker up (and then some)

I stalked their website first and looked at clearance items. I was shocked to find Brooklyn Tweed Shelter on clearance…..AND IN A SWEATER QUANTITY. So I snapped up a worsted weight sweater quantity in the color amaranth. It does have a rougher feel to it in skein but I hear that it softens with washing. This is a woolen spun yarn so it should create a lighter feeling but very warm sweater. I have already stalked Ravelry for pattern ideas.

Also in clearance was some Plymouth Yarn Homestead Tweed. I grabbed a skein of Country Blue and Oatmeal to add to my hat stash. We will see if the hat mojo continues into 2025, lol.

I picked some relatively neutral colors so that would fill in some color gaps in my finished hat stash. I realize not everyone loves my personal color palette! Happy Knitting!!

I Have A Color Theme…

Posted on by
1

My tiny projects had a tiny resurgence this week. I think this color number six of the 2020 advent calendar from Chromatic yarns.

I got a little giggle out when I noticed these are very much on color theme with my spinning this week. Everything is blue and gold this week, lol!

I just need to crank out the second tiny sock and I can move on day number 8! Happy Knitting!!

What 45 Minutes Makes

Posted on by
2

We are back to the normal life grind after the holidays. I thought I would share what 45 minutes of gymnastics gets me. I am still working through my 2021 advent calendar minis from Hannah of Chromatic Yarns.

I had the neck of the sweater started when I sat down in the waiting room.

By the time we got home, I had the yolk done and sleeves on waste yarn. I just couldn’t quite the whole body done before I needed to pack up.

I need like three more rows of body, two rows of ribbing and then cast off. The body of the sweater will be complete. Also, you can see the havoc that dry air, hand washing and tiny sharp needles are wreaking on my finger tips. I’m trying to heal up with some intensive repair creams and it’s working okay-ish so far.

Happy Knitting!!

Ghosts of Advents Past (Part 2)

Posted on by
2

When I found my wee advent socks, I also found the mini sweaters I was making. I hated them…they were short sleeved and very tiny. So I ripped them out and figured out a long sleeve and larger version I liked.

They turned our great! I am still using Wee Sweater by Sarah Schira pattern, just with some mods. A wee sweater takes me a full evening of TV knitting. So I only have two of these complete but they are fun and get a little faster each time.

For these, I found some gold ribbon that I plan to “hang” the sweaters from for a sweater garland. This garland will be separate from the tiny sock one. One is good so two must be better!

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Super Simple Summer Sweater

Posted on by
2

My Super Simple Summer Sweater survived surgery and is DONE!

Pattern: Super Simple Summer Sweater by Joji Locatelli (Rav link)

Yarn: Malabrigo Rios in the Jupiter colorway

Needles: US 8s, US 6s and US5s

Mods: I made this sweater longer in the body and sleeves. I also knit the back split hem longer than the front split hem.

My kitchener stitch is still slightly visible after blocking but not so much that a muggle will notice. I am VERY happy with the adjustments to this sweater. I feel like it suits my body type much better as a regular sweater and not as a tunic.

This took just over 6 1/2 skeins of the worsted yarn so that is roughly 1,380 yards of yarn. I had two different dye lots but using helical knitting I think they blended nicely. The average eye can see some flashing and striping but it looks intentional so I’m pleased.

Now I just need to plot my next sweater! Happy Knitting!!

Tunic Surgery

Posted on by
3

I took about two re-run episodes Bones to get two sets of size 4 US needles inserted into my Super Simple Summer Sweater project for its “surgery”.

And then during another re-run of NCIS I got the cuts made and un-raveled back to each set of live stitches. It was a little tricky ripping back due to the helical knitting method. But I managed.

Now I need to muster the alone time and mental preparedness to start Kitchener-ing roughly 300+ stitches. I was smart enough to put light bulb stitch markers on each first stitch so I could correctly re-assemble front and back.

Now I need to meditate before undertaking surgery. Happy Knitting!!

Sweater Turned Tunic

Posted on by
5

Whelp, my Super Simple Summer Sweater is finished….and it turned out to be tunic length after blocking.

I did knit swatches for this project and the yoke fits beautifully. But my swatches weren’t huge so they didn’t account for the stretching that Malabrigo does especially with this much fabric. It’s a lovely tunic, but not what I wanted this project to be….

I also don’t love what it does to the widest party of my body, my hips and back 40. I didn’t insert any waist shaping so it’s all one box. The tunic would be better if it had nipped in at my natural waist.

I wore this around the house and muddled for a bit. I think I am going to insert needles and cut my sweater a bit. Based on measurements, I need to remove about four inches of sweater body. I can then Kitchener Stitch the hem back to the shorter sweater body. Wish me luck!!!