Sweater Ornaments

I decided to challenge myself to make one sweater ornament per week for the next year.  I am considering participating in a small neighborhood maker fair with some friends and this would be the base of what I would offer.  I've got plenty of sock-weight yarn around the house so my supply is well-stocked.  At about 2.5 hours per sweater I am hopeful I will be able to find the time each week.

FO: Hitofude

I finished up Hitofude and just love it.  The color and lace work are amazing and the yarn feels great against my skin.  

We just got a new puppy so I don't have a lot of opportunity to wear it (or any of my handknits, really) but it is a great addition to my collection.  

The pattern is really ingenious and I love telling people about the construction of the sweater.  It is so different from others that I have knit, or western patterns in general. 

I highly recommend this pattern for people that have some passing experience with lacework and are ready to take it to the next level.  The pattern is very well explained and I didn't lose my place, not even one time.  The fit is flattering and forgiving and I think the styling suits a wide variety of wardrobe preferences.

As always...details on my ravelry page.

WIP's: Hat, socks, 2 sweaters

I have a pretty hefty backlog of knitting projects on the needles at the moment.  The oldest is probably my Hitofude cardigan which I am slowly making progress on.  I got stuck at the waist increases - and deciding whether I should modify the pattern at all or knit it as written.  I think that I have settled on a plan forward.

The hat you see above, Selbu Modern, is almost finished by now!  I only have the crown decreases to go and I'll post about my modifications and the final hat when I am done.

Also in the basket is an Icelandic-inspired sweater made with yarn brought back from Iceland from a family friend.  The color work and pattern are from Grettir (Jared Flood), but the shaping and final measurements are from CustomFit.

I also have completed one of these awesome green striped socks.  Just need to find the time for the second (and unfortunately I missed completing them in time for this St. Patrick's Day celebration). 

Icelandic Sweater Repair

Late this year I had the privledge of repairing another important sweater - this one from Iceland from a friend of a friend.

It is a lovely sweater - one that she purchased in Iceland from the Handknitting Association of Iceland.  Unfortunately her sweet dog got a hold of it one day many years later and put a hole in the yoke.  Luckily for me the hole was restricted to only the cream color yarn!

We worked together to order some more yarn and I did my best to repair the hole.  There were some other areas that were weakening so I also did my best to reinforce them in hopes the sweater will last for many more years.

I currently have a friend and her family living in Iceland for a year and at about the same time as I was working on this sweater her parents went for a visit.  She offered to bring back yarn for all of us and I put in an order for a women's sweater. 

I settled on Grettir by Jared Flood, but am following the schematic laid out for a standard pullover by Custom Fit to get (what I hope to be) a nicely proportioned sweater.  I have completed 1.25 arms so far (no pictures yet.  The body will be light gray with white, black and green accents in the yoke.  I  am excited to see where the designing/knitting process takes me next.

I think that my friend was happy with the repair - I should check in with her to see how it is holding up.  She called it her house sweater and since we've have many days in the negative degrees (F) I am sure that it is getting quite a bit of wear.

FO: Petrea (CF closed-cardigan pattern)

I was so inspired by the first CF sweater that I immediately started on a second, Petrea.  This one did not come with a recipe (there is one now, I believe) so I swatched my yarn and purchased a closed-front, short-sleeve, cardigan pattern from CF.  I did the match for placement of the lace panels myself.

This sweater came out near to perfect.  The only issue I am still debating is whether to stitch close the little 'v' at the top of the button band.  A fellow ravelry member suggested a hook-and-eye so I can still unbutton the sweater, however I don't plan to wear it open.

This is another local yarn - Sun Valley Fibers DK Bluefaced Leicester (BFL) Superwash, colorway: Frosty Pine.

I am not sure what is up next - my daughters are staring to request things again: socks for #1, a short-sleeve tee for #2, a hoodie for #3.  Thankfully #4 is happy with the hand-me-downs that are still around, but I'm sure she'll want something special when fall rolls around.

And those socks I posted about a couple months ago?  The ones for my husband?  We'll they shrank in the wash (ugh - caution: front-loading washers can do a number on superwash yarns!) and now are for me.  And I've started on another pair for him...

FO: Birch Bark (CF Recipe)

**Sweater was first complete in December 2013, subsequent modifications complete in January 2014, but these photos were taken this month.**

My first CustomFit pattern!  I am so excited about this knit.  It's not perfect, it's not ideal, but it turned out just as I had hoped.

CustomFit is a new piece of proprietary knitting software developed by Amy Herzog and colleagues.  It is amazing in every way - and I thought she couldn't get more amazing after meeting her in-person last year for a "Knit to Flatter" course.

From that initial Knit to Flatter course I learned so much about knitting sweaters and fit.  As a result of that class I knit up enrobed and vignette. 

And then...

I learned about CustomFit.  This software allows you to pick a general sweater pattern (pull-over, cardigan, etc.), enter your own measurements, and enter in a custom gauge swatch.  The software will generate a pattern suited just for you and your specifications.  It is incredible.

My first sweater using CF was Birch Bark (an Amy Herzog pattern).  It turned out great, but a bit on the short side.  It's hard to know if this is a result of mis-measuring on my part, or the general pattern as I've seen other similar comments about this same sweater.

After stewing about the length for a bit I decided to add more.  I cut off the hem, picked up stitches in the round and knit down to add about 1.5 inches and a new hem.  That process wasn't without error and you can see an irregularity in the cables on the panel, but it's not terribly noticeable.  In the photo below you an see where the hem ends, and the new stitches, knit in the round, begin.

Now the length is perfect, but the sleeves are a bit short in proportion.  Learn as you go...learn as you go.

I won't go back and monkey with the sleeves on this sweater, but I have learned something about proportion - especially when looking back at photos of the sweater in its pre-modified state.  I really liked where the sleeves hit in relation to the hem and that relationship isn't the same after I added length to the body.

The yarn for this sweater came from a local mill - Blackberry Ridge in Mount Horeb, WI.  It is a natural gray, worsted weight (100% wool) that is getting softer and softer with each washing.

It is a great sweater for these transitional months that WI is so popular for.  A tank top underneath for warmer sunny days and a long sleeve tee for the chillier days.

And for comparison sake, here is a photo of the sweater pre-modification:

FO: Vignette

 

I finished up Vignette (by Amy Herzog) a couple of months ago, but hadn't taken any photos of it until this past week.  I am really happy with how this sweater turned out - the fit is nice, but a tad on the short side (my error).  I also could probably have made it a bit more snug around the middle.

Overall a lovely knit - great patterning - and the yarn was a great match for this sweater.  I am happy with the sleeves as well and did the set-in properly this time.

The buttons came from The Sow's Ear.  They are not something I would typically select for a sweater, but I think they work well with this one.

With the chilly fall weather arriving its time to select another sweater to begin work on.  Maybe another wrap sweater?

Bliss!

The enrobed wrap is complete - I even took it out for a test drive at a meeting last night.  It went great.  I am really happy with my first seamed sweater and feel great about moving forward in making modifications to sweaters to fit my body.  Knitting this sweater - while not perfect - was blissful for the learning process alone.

This is my practice sweater, my first seamed sweater ever, and I learned a tremendous amount.  My goal for this first project was to knit a relatively plain/simple sweater, but one that looks smashing on me and my body.  And while I didn't exactly meet or exceed that goal, I came close.  And the bonus is that I know so much more for when I knit my next sweater.

Some quick notes on modifications before I get to the lessons:

* I shortened the torso by 2 and 1/2 inches and sleeves by 6 and 3/4 inches.
* The sleeve details called for one stitch change on each side of every other row, I did two.
* I made the edging about 3/4 inch instead of 1 inch.
* For picking up sts along the neckline I did a repeat pattern of *pick up 3, skip 1, pick up 2, skip 1*















And my lessons:

1) For my body, when taking length from the torso, I should probably take some from all over and not just the bottom.  I think this is evident by the bit of extra bunching fabric under my arms and around my back.  I am really happy with the overall length - so I did take out the right about of overall length - but there seems to be some extra fabric between my waist and shoulders. I could probably have left a bit of length at the bottom, and taken 3/4 or an inch from the upper chest.

2) I should also have simultaneously done more shaping with the neck line.  And that stands to reason - if I shorten the length, but keep the diagonal line the same, it will simply shift upwards instead of becoming more steep.  It looks fine, but I would have liked a bit more reveal and steeper 'v' shape.  I could have accomplished this with a more rapid decrease along the neck line, but didn't realize this as I was working through the pieces.  You learn as you go, right?

3) A steeper neckline could also have brought my upper arm seam higher so it sits more on top of my shoulder instead of slightly over.  I think this would help with the overall shaping of how the sweater 'hangs' on my body.




















4) Sleeves always need to be set in on center with the shoulder seam.  In the photo above you can see where I off-set it by 3/4 inch (due to a slight differential in length between the front and back panels).  I shouldn't have done this, but it was my practice sweater and felt that I'd give it a try and see what happens.  Only a critical eye would notice this - and strangely it doesn't bother me at all - so I am leaving it and will wear it as is.  (The other shoulder and sleeve line up perfectly.)  Also, since you can block to even out length it likely wouldn't have made a difference in the end.  But again, learn as you go.
















5) Little shaping stitches make a big difference - and a good difference!  I am so happy with how just a few increases or decreases can make such a difference in fit and accommodate (accentuate!) curves.

6) I still need to work on sleeve length.  I tried to go for 3/4 sleeves, but after washing they crept longer.  They look nice, but I wonder if a shorter sleeve, ending at my waist where I am narrowest, would have looked more balanced?















7) Take notes, draw new schematics based on new measurements, and make changes as you go along.  I did this a lot and it really helped me to get into the pattern and understand it.  Rather than reading the pattern as text, I was able to interact with it and while there were measurements and stitch counts, on paper I could play around with changes and see what might happen - I could make changes to suit the project I was working on.  Amy's reference section on modifications was invaluable in doing these exercises, and having worked through them once feel that I can do even better, more detailed work the next time around.
 

Overall a fantastic first seamed sweater for me.  I love the color (most true in the second photo) and will wear this often.  I know now there are things that I could have done differently with this sweater, but I never would know to do them had I not knit it in the first place.  Onward with an adventuresome spirit I say (as does Amy in her fantastic presentations!)

Getting close!

All the pieces are knit and now for the seaming.  With some sage and experienced advice from a friend I feel ready to tackle it!

Spring Break: Enrobed Wrap + V Junkie

 

It is the middle of spring break for our kids and it feels nothing like spring around here.  The snow is still densely on the ground, ice is packed over grass, and the temperatures are more suited to hot cocoa and fires in the fireplace than trips around the block on a bike.  We are also having our house insulated this week (at almost 100 years old we felt it was time to bring in additional reinforcements).  

All this means that I am tricking myself into thinking that I will still need a sweater yet this season and thus working quite diligently to complete the Enrobed Wrap (a side-tie wrap sweater) by Amy Herzog.  After trying on a lot of sweaters at her workshop, I fell in love with her other wrap sweater pattern - the Striper Cardigan - but thought I would stretch my wings on a sweater that was a bit more straightforward first.  There's no color work on this one, and it is knitting up at a larger gauge.  I figure I can get things worked out on this one and move onto the next one with more confidence.

I am really pleased with how this wrap is turning out so far.  I am trusting my measurements and modifications and so far it seems to be working quite well.  The back and front left panel are complete and when I hold them up to myself they fit nicely, not too wide or too long.  The increases and decreases are in the right places; the seams match up.

This method of piecing a sweater - knitting it in separate pieces and sewing it together at the end - is new to me and I am learning quite a bit as I go along.  I will give more detail when I write about the finished sweater.  So far, they mostly have to do with selvage and edging. (I haven't gotten to seaming yet!)

 

My other spring break project is V Junkie by Alice Yu (in Socktopus).  I had started with another of her patterns - they are all quite stunning with variegated yarns - but got frustrated after I had trouble following the pattern. So I abandoned it for another with a honeycomb design.  It looks pretty cool so far and is a much easier stitch pattern to follow.

The colors I have on the needles at the moment are reminiscent of dyed Easter eggs - maybe spring really is just around the corner.

FO: Another too big sweater!

 

 

Such is the curse of the impatient knitter - or at least the one that casts on without regard for gauge.  No matter, she will eventually grow into it, just like this one.  I also realized there is another vest I finished and never blogged about that is too big.  I'll save that one for when it fits, and claim my work then (smile).

 

 

This lovely hooded wallaby is knit up in Peace Fleece in the most amazing blue-aqua color, Kamchatka Sea Moss.  The Kamchatka Peninsula is in the far eastern reaches of Russia, near the Bearing Sea.  You can read a bit about what makes the Kamchatka so special here.

 

I knit this wallaby to the 2yo measurements and added an extra inch in length at both the waist and arms.  I also modified the design details - based on the other two I knit years ago - and should have remembered that without the ribbing the fit is always bigger anyway.  My modifications include rolled hems at the waist and wrists, with seed stitch detailing on the pocket, placket and hood.  I just prefer that look for some reason.  I also seamed the hood using a mattress stitch at the end instead of trying for the kitchener stitch.  I can barely handle that exercise with 16 or so stitches on a sock toe.  The 30-odd stitches for this hood was just too much for me to deal with, although it would have made a nice seamless hood.

 

While the yarn is still a bit rustic to work with (which I personally love), I am really happy with how soft it became after a good soaking and blocking.

 

 

The sweater took about 2.5 skeins and I'm using the last bit for a thank you gift for a friend.  She was over one day and admired it on the mantle straightaway, commenting on the lovely color. She's in the midst of a kitchen remodel and this gift will be perfect for her.  She is a very talented local graphic designer/sewist and she volunteered her time and expertise to help me print some custom Spoonflower fabric.  More on that fascinating project in the near future!

Cobblestone

He doesn't wear it all that often.  Maybe once this winter not including this photo shoot. 

In fact, this sweater had sat for months after completion as I didn't block it and the fit was just a tad wide and a tad short.  I never blogged about it.  It sat next to my sewing machine just waiting. 

Waiting?

Waiting. 



A good blocking makes all the difference.  And while it is still on the wide side, it is longer and looks like nice relaxed yoke sweater is supposed to look.  And the wool softened considerably.



Over the holidays my Mother-in-Law shared a story with me.  Recently she had been visiting with my husbands Aunt and Uncle.  One afternoon his Uncle dressed in a sweater that his wife had made for him about 40 years earlier.  The sweater fit like a glove and was still in wonderful condition. 

These sweaters are made to be worn after all.  Used, worn, washed, worn, repaired and worn again. 



If only I (we) can be that lucky.

More history on this sweater here.

History in my hands

In mid-November I was contacted by a neighbor about making repairs to a few sweaters that she had.  She mentioned that they were a mix of ones she acquired and ones that her Grandmother had knit for her Grandfather before leaving Ireland for the United States.  An old sweater knit in Ireland?!  Could it really be a real fisherman's sweater?  I jumped at the chance.

 

She dropped them off and I spent the next few weeks getting to know them.  The construction was amazing, and so different on each one.  Two raglan sweaters, one saddle-shoulder, and one yoke cardigan from Iceland to round out the set. 

 

But that one on the top of the pile?  It stole my heart the moment I set my eyes on it.

 

 

I must sound a bit strange, going on and on about a sweater (and one that I just met no less!).  But this sweater!  It was made with patience, focus, talent, love and care.  I didn't find a single mistake in the patterning.  The cables and stitch definition are gorgeous.  It is unbelievable.  And it is old.  You can feel the years gone by when you hold this sweater.  It is substantial, measuring a mens XL/T, and probably weights 4 lbs.  That is a lot of wool folks.



 

And like all really good love affairs, I came away from my time with this sweater knowing more about myself (this time myself as a knitter).  I realized that I know my way around sweater construction and repair.  I know my way around bind-offs, cast-ons and sizing.  I know a thing or two about wool and I know that I have the confidence to dive into a project - even one that is not my own - and work with it.

Sadly the wool on the older sweaters is starting to deteriorate.  As with all organic materials they begin to break down over time, and I'm not too sure what can be done to slow or halt that process.  I suppose that you could seal the sweater in a display case and not expose it anymore to the elements.  But I don't think that is the life this sweater was made for.  It was made to be worn.  And worn, and worn, and worn.  This sweater was made to go out into the world and soak it up.

I've fixed up the sweaters, given them all a good (gentle, hand) washing and let them dry.  I wound up a few yards of the repair yarns for the owner to take with her.  I am sad to see them go, but it's time that they head home. 

I've grown as a knitter in the past few weeks and I think I have two old souls to thank: one of an Irish gentleman and the other his wife.