The pattern emerges with the completion of the first front half of the cardigan. I think it looks quite striking. Basically the pattern is yo holes on the side of two slanting decreases. At the end the stitches are “plaited” or cabled front and backward over six stitches. Click to see the whole piece. (more…)

Knit, knit, knit. K1, P1 rib on size 1 needles takes a long time! I worked almost a week after work hours on the ribbing alone so far. Ah well, it’s very satisfying to come out with these wonderful small stretchy stitches. Last night I did complete the back piece of my sweater. As you’d have it, 4 rows before the end my ball of yarn runs out and I have to start a new ball. C’est La Vie!

I started working on the left front side first, the side with out button holes. What is interesting about this pattern so far is that once the bottom ribbing is done you put the button hole row of stitches on a spare needle to come back to as that part is done with smaller needles. Later you just sew this piece together. What struck me as interesting and some what of a challenge is that size 1 needles and ribbing make for much shorter rows. You need to do many more rows of this for the buttonhole row than you do on the main body. Yes, again my vintage pattern is very vague, never telling me exactly how many rows or inches of ribbing to do for this button hole area. I assume they use the measure of the gauge and tell you to do 17 rows between button holes. Being that stockinette stitch gives you 11 sts. per inch in height, I am assuming it is about 17 rows that will give me an inch in ribbing. This seems about right from my measurements. I still am weary about button holes ending up in the right place. I also have not seamed up anything that does not have matching rows on either side. I will be sewing 2-3 rows of ribbing to 1 row of stockinette stitch when done. Like I’ve said before though, you can’t let these things scare you. There is always a first time for everything!

Here pictured are some very useful things I keep close while knitting. You see here my Cavallini & Co. “Flora” journal. I have found it so handy to write down how many rib or knit rows I do so I can match up front and back pieces the same. It is also great keep a log of what increases or decreases I used on a certain pattern so I can come back to my favorites later on. I also draw diagrams to help me understand exactly what shape my knitting piece will take on when complete. Every new sweater I work on seems to have different construction. It’s some times hard to piece it together in your head. Each page I just title the name of the current project I am working on. The handy attached elastic band helps keep my page while working but keep everything closed up tight when I travel with the journal.

Also shown is this great plastic matchstick like trinket box I found at my LYS, Article Pract. The front has an image of a glamorous 1920’s lady with dramatic feather in her hair side by side with a parrot. For $4.95 how could I resist making my life that much prettier? In it I keep all my stitch markers, tip ends and needles.

Here is my next project I’m really excited about. It is from 1940’s Corticelli pattern book graciously scanned by my friend Stephanie. I have seven balls of oatmeal (earthy beige) colored cashmere to do this in. At the rate I’m knitting I think that should cover it well. I love how this sweater has lots of ribbing at the bottom to make your waist look small. The pattern on the bust is really cute and a little deco. It doesn’t really resemble anything to me (ie. leafs, wheat, fan, etc.) so I figure its just a geometric design. One thing I am omitting is a random centered stripe of the pattern down the back of the sweater. I found that a very odd placement so I am just doing the back in plain stockinette stitch. I am debating if I want to do that on the sleaves or not still. I have a ways to go and time to think. One think I’m also excited about with this sweater is picking out a set of 11 vintage buttons. I love old buttons. I started collecting some baby sized ones but need larger for this sweater. I am thinking clear etched Czech glass or perhaps jet black. Your going to have to bare with me here as this is 8 stitches per inch on a woman size sweater, not just baby. It might take me a month to complete but will be well worth it in my opinion.

Well, it’s getting there. I pretty much finished knitting the main body a week ago. I have let it sit all week. I needed good day lighting for seaming such small stitches, so today I seamed up one side. It was easy-peazy. I might work at the other seam tonight as well. I need to pick up stitches at the neck and sleave edges for the k4, p4 rib. It’s something I’m slightly dreading only becuase I’m doing it on lace and not stockinette stitch. I do hope to have it all completed by next weekend. Then I’ll model it for everyone. I confess, I have started another sweater in the mean time which I will show you soon. I have to finish the back of that to get my size 3 needles back for picking up stitches on this sweater.

This is the vintage image of the bonnet I recently completed along with the matching baby sweater I am working on now. Again I am using pink cashmere to make a matching set. The pattern has raglan sleeves, a sweater construction that is new to me. I further rationalize knitting baby clothes as a good start to learning different sweater techniques and knitting stitches in a shorter amount of time. If I mess up, less to frog! At the moment I have finished the body of the sweater. I have the sleeves and edging left to complete. I was a little confused on how the garment would come together. With the body knit in one piece, laying flat the garment looks like it has huge arm holes. Upon folding the fabric into three pieces (back, left front, right front) I now can see the diagonal edge that sleeves will be set into. Just from seeing the body of this sweater I’m baffled, babies are this tiny?! I’m anxious to see my complete set come together. Maybe a good set of weekend hours will get this item complete. Then maybe I will get back to knitting my diamond stitch pullover. I have a feeling I might get distracted though and try to make some closer matching booties to this set now that I know the scalloped edge technique.

This is the project I have had on needles since November. I am using 3ply sapphire blue cashmere that was lightly twisted for me. In the future I think I might stick to tighter twisted yarn for lace sweaters but overall I’m not unhappy with the yarn. It’s so soft and half the price of other cashmere out there on the retail market.

I have about halfway done. I stopped to knit three x-mas pressies and all the baby items you have seen here. Everything has been pretty clear. I noticed the diamond stitch pattern was typed wrong in the pattern but earlier in my pattern book it gives stitch patterns again. The pattern is knit from bottom back up through the body, over shoulders and back down the front all in one piece! When done I will only have two seams to finished and then I have to pick up stitches for the collar and sleeve edges. A funny thing about this pattern so far is that the neck area has no selvedge, it’s just raw lace edges. I did not put any in because to take out a full pattern repeat would take up allot of the small area the sleeve is knit on. I hope the pick up stitches of the collar will work out well with this area. I guess this is the problems a new knitter has. I just try to be gutsy, use my sense of logic and knit away! Being scared of your knitting only leaves it on needles longer than need be.