Finished: Rainbow Radiate

Rainbow Radiate is done and photographed on the HOTTEST day thus far. I must really love knitting.

Pattern: Radiate by Joji Locatelli (Rav Link)

Needles: US 6s and US 4s

Yarn: Hue Loco Phyllis DK in Vivid Sampler Rainbow, 316 Dye Studio House DK in Graffiti, Wichita Woolery Tweed DK in Graffiti

Mods: I made my own custom sleeves and did NOT follow the body shaping.

I am really happy with the fit. I could have used some more positive ease in the body but it does make a nice line at neutral or negative ease. The total yards ended up at 1,351 yards and I used up all of the tweedy yarn. I have had this idea for this rainbow sweater for close to five years and I’m glad it’s finally in existence. Now to wait for fall to actually wear it!

Happy Knitting!!

Third Sleeve Attept

So these are the sleeves I am not happy with. They are extremely boxy and square. I used some stitch markers to mark where I want the sleeve taper to really get going.

I ripped back to the marker and added 8 more decreases before the ribbing then used one needle size down to work the ribbing. The new sleeve is on the left and the old version is on the left. The difference is night and day!

Stay tuned for final FO photos!!! Happy Knitting!

Not Quite Done

The hem of my Rainbow Radiate is finished and I popped it on for a test fit.

I LOVE how the body fits and I think I am done fiddling with the body. However, my second attempt at sleeves still isn’t right. The sleeves are too wide and bunched around my wrists. I need more decreases to take out the excess fabric and slim down the ribbing.

Time to rip them back again…..happy knitting!!

Taking Out A Few Rows

I had some dentist waiting room time with each kid. So I am really focusing on my Rainbow Radiate. I brough my smaller size needles and put in the sleeves to rip back and redo.

I went 7 rows back into the stockinette and I’m going to start the ribbing here. I also think I will sneak in a couple extra decreases to cinch the cuffs in. The yarn ripped back very nicely considering it was a tweedy yarn. I am bit worried that I didn’t go back far enough. I will see after the final try on….

I should have a finished sweater soon!

Blocking Test

My Rainbow Radiate is SOO CLOSE. And this yarn is part superwash so I decided to do a quick wash and block to understand it’s fully true size.

I put some try it on tubing through the live stitches and did a basic wash in Soak. It looks so lovely in the sun and dried very quickly in the hot summer sun! And boy am I glad I did this, look how much it grew!!

I went from high waist top to almost full sweater. For the hem I am going to add a couple more decreases and start the 2×2 ribbing. The sleeves are also too long and I forgot to go down a needle size on the ribbing. I think I will rip those back a wee bit and take out 6-10 rows.

Happy Knitting!!

Rainbow Radiate Body Building

I feel like I never make progress until I step back and look at my Rainbow Radiate.

I stopped and measured here as I am halfway through both skeins I am alternating for the body. I am blending two different bases from two different dyers that have the same color (ish). I am very very very very pleased to say that you can’t tell one bit. It’s creating its own unique fabric but I am getting very little striping.

I still have a long way to go to finish the skeins I have going now. And then I have one full skein and some partial skeins left to finish out the bottom. At this point it is going to be as long as its going to be. I’m just going to knit until I run out.

Happy Knitting!!

Rainbow Radiate Body

The sleeve slog is over! My Rainbow Radiate has two complete sleeves!!

As predicted, sleeve #2 took almost another full skein of yarn. I have measured precisely and by eyeballing I think they match. But I can’t promise they are exactly the same as I did a lot of counting in a dim room while watching movies.

Now on to the body…..I have 1.5 skeins of the Tweedy DK from Wichita Woolery and 2 skeins of the 316 Dye Studio House DK to finish this project. I have previously made this size and used 4.4 skeins of the main color and for this project I had 5. Fingers crossed!!

Happy Knitting!!

One Finished Radiate Sleeve

I have been slacking on this project and it has been sitting on my WIP pile. But I did finally finish the first sleeves on my Rainbow Radiate sweater.

I don’t have super long arms but I like a good sleeve so this took almost an entire skein. And I have a new full skein attached so I can start sleeve #2. This confirms to me that I will need to use my Wichita Woolery similar skeins and alternate with my 316 dye studio skeins to finish the body. Not the best outcome but I can use helical knitting to reduce the differences. This sweater is so speckled that I don’t think it will show in the end.

Happy Knitting!!

Divide Those Sleeves!

After some fiddling and a few dropped stitches, I have my Rainbow Radiate ready for sleeves!

I finished the short row shaping, put sleeves on waste yarn and worked about 6/7 rows of the body. I have decided I like working the sleeves first before the weight of the full body of the sweater exists. It’s less fabric to have in my lap and “turn” as I work sleeves.

I grabbed some shorty circulars and put the first sleeves on and going. This has a second silver lining….I can maximize the yarn used in the body without having to save any for the sleeves. I have two kinds of grey main color that I am blending so I need to be careful.

These will be full length sleeves so I have some way to go to get these done but those short round and round circles are mostly satisfying. Lots of progress develops quickly! Happy Knitting!!

This Could Mean Trouble

My new job means a new commute. The silver lining? The new area I work in has a LYS! And on a break this week I fell down in the store and my card bought new yarn.

Am I going to Knitting in the Heartland conference in less than two weeks? Yes. But I was feeling good this day and the yarn fumes got me. I picked up three skeins of Malabrigo Rios in Matisse Blue, Cian, and Purpuras. Then one skein of Malabrigo Arroyo in Sea Slug. All of these skeins are destined to be hats. My brain cells are taken up by the new job some easy hat knitting feels good.

Next up was two skeins of 316 Dye Studio in their House DK and graffiti colorway. I have some of this in my stash for a sweater and my post COVID body needs more yardage. They are different dye lots so I will have to shade/alternate. But I’m okay with that. Lastly are two bunches of fiber from Malabrigo Nube in Solis and Indiecita colorways. I think I will spin each as singles and ply together. They coordinate nicely.

Someone asked me what I was making and I said ‘Happiness’ because you should never ask a knitter about their stash!