Starting Out: Striped Sweater Knitting Pattern

Probably like a lot of knitters, I have a big pile of random skeins of yarn left over from other knitting projects.  I've decided to pull together my skeins of dk yarn and design a striped sweater to use up some (most? all?) of my leftovers (I have more than what's pictured above).  My plan is:

1.  To design a short-sleeved striped sweater.

2.  I'm going to start the bottom as two pieces (front and back) to create slits on the sides, then join it and knit it in the round to the armpits.

3.  The stripes are going to be varied, as I have different amounts of each color, but I'll follow the pattern of one wider stripe then two thinner ones (6 rounds for the thicker stripe, two rounds for the thinner ones).

4.  I'm going to include a little pocket on the front (I think), because I've never done a pocket before.

5.  I want to incorporate these cute buttons in the sweater,  I plan to use one as a closure on my pocket, and one as a little detail on the collar.

6.  I haven't exactly figured out the sleeves yet, but they'll just be your basic short sleeve with a rib edge.

I hope blogging about this project as I go will make me start this sweater and stop just thinking about it :)  For some reason, I just can't get motivated to start.  Wish me luck!

The Final Reveal: Knitting the Perfect Cardigan

Yea, it's done!  And I love it.  As you may recall, for the past few months, I've been heavily modifying Red Heart's Alica Blue Cardigan to become my perfect cardigan.  And I quite happy with the results (though there were time I seriously doubted what I was doing).

So here's how I did it (tailored to my own measurements).  I was on gauge with the pattern, so I just changed the stitch count and size for my needs:

1.  Knit the right front, back, and left front as one piece up to the underarm.  I also wanted to lengthen the sweater to about 22" overall.

2.  I knit a 5 st garter button band on both edges as I knit the cardigan, rather than going back and adding the button band as the pattern stated.  I made my button holes at every 2 inches along my band.

3.  I needed to accommodate my larger hips, but then decrease the size down to 34" for my chest and shoulders (the smallest size in the pattern was a 36" bust).

I didn't like the 3 x 2 ribbing called for in the pattern.  Instead, I did a tighter 2 x 2 ribbing:  Using a #5 needle, I cast on 5 sts for the right button band, 60 sts for the right front, 122 sts for the back, 60 sts for the left front, and 5 sts for the left button band (total 252 sts).  Keeping the 5st button band in garter st, I knit 2 inches in k2,p2 ribbing for the bottom hem.

When my ribbing was complete, I changed to a #6 needle and began knitting in Stst (again keeping the button band in garter).  For my first row in Stst, I decreased 10 sts across the right front, 22 sts across the back, and 10 sts across the left front (total 210 sts remaining).  I like to knit my ribbing this way with more sts.  It allows more room for my hips, and the ribbing lies flat and doesn't get stretched out.

4.  Continuing in Stst, I did a series of 4 decreases on the front and back to shape the body, then I did one increase for the chest about an inch before I started the underarm shaping.  This body shaping left me with 47 sts for each front (plus the 5 st button band) and 94 sts for the back.

5.  I began the front lace detail at 12 inches from the bottom hem.  I thought I would only be able to do 4 repeats on the lace pattern, but I actually fit all five across each side.  One weird thing: the lace pattern is not symmetrical.  I don't think anyone is going to notice looking at my sweater, but if I were to knit it again, I would try swatching the lace pattern and try to reverse it for the left front side.

6.  For the arm holes, I bound off 5 sts before and after each side marker (total 10 sts for each arm hole).  Then did a series of decreases to shape the armhole:  dec 2, 2, 1, 1, 1.  I think this is slightly different than the pattern instructions, but worked great for me.

7.  I bound off the neckline pretty much as stated in the pattern, then picked up sts to do a 1 x 1 rib for the collar.

8.  I knit the sleeves in the round, CO 55 sts with a #5 dpns and knitted a k1.p1 rib for 18 rounds.  I then switched to #6 dpns and Stst.  On the first round, I decreased 10 sts (45 sts left).  I followed the increases as written in the pattern for a total of 77 by the time I reached the underarm.

When my sleeve measured 16 1/2 inches, I bound off 5sts before my marker and 5 sts after my marker (total 10 sts).  At the beginning of the next 4 rows, I bound off 2 sts (following the same sequence as the body of my sweater).  Then I started doing the decreases to shape the shoulder.  I think there's a typo in the pattern here.  For my shoulders, I knit 1, k2tog, knitted until the last 3 sts, ssk, then k1.  I did this decrease every right side row until I was left with 25 sts and my shoulder was about 7 1/2 inches from where I bound off for the underarm.  Then I bound off 2 sts at the beginning of every row for 6 rows.  Then I bound off the remaining 13 sts for the top of my shoulder.

9.  And, as I tend to do, I scoured esty for some cute vintage buttons to finish off my sweater.

I'm not sure about the white buttons on this sweater, but I do love the cute geometric design on these.

All and all, I LOVE the color and design of this sweater.  It is perfect for me.  And I got it finished before the holidays!!

Cotton Candy Cardigan: Crafting the Perfect Sweater

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/alice-blue-cardigan

My favorite type of sweater is what I like to call "a classic cardigan."  I love cardigans that have kind of a classic 1950's shape, with tight ribbing at the hem, a flattering fit, and buttoning up the front with some interesting design around a crew neckline.

I came across this free Red Heart pattern, the Alice Blue Cardigan, and thought it was almost perfect.   Just one major problem:  the pattern's smallest size is a 36" chest which is a little too big for me.  So, now I have a new project - to alter this Alice Blue Cardigan into a great fitting "classic cardigan".

  
First up:  the yarn.  I fell in love with this Jojoland Splatter Dash merino dk yarn in a beautiful variegated pink-rose-lilac color.  This yarn is a little more pricey than I usually like to pay, but I wanted a pink cardigan and I love the subtle color change of this yarn that makes it a little more sophisticated and interesting than just your basic pink.

The plan:

1.  Change the rib hem to a tighter k2, p2 ribbing.

2.  Knit this cardi in one piece to armpits, then break into front and back pieces.

3.  Change the button band to garter stitch so I can knit it along with the rest of the sweater, instead of picking up stitches when I'm done.  I like to have as little finishing as possible.

4.  Cast on for my wider hips, but then add shaping to bring the chest down to 34".

5.  To narrow the chest, I'm going to have to omit one column of lace detail on each side of this cardigan.  I'm also going to probably raise the lace detail by not starting this design until I'm past my waist shaping.

I'll be posting my mods and photos as I go.  To be honest, I haven't figured out the calculations for the lace yet, so I've got some work ahead of me.  Wish me luck!

Summer Sweater KAL: Wisterious Update

I haven't talked much about it, but I am still hard at work on my Wisterious Top for the Very Shannon Summer Sweater Knit-a-Long.  I'm actually pulling in to the home stretch - it doesn't look like much but I just have to do the sleeve edging and block it, and then I'm done!  I didn't think I was going to make the KAL deadline of Sept. 24, but I think I will pull it off :)

I've done only some minor modifications that I'll list when the top is blocked and finished.  I only have one decision left to make:  BUTTONS.  I love vintage buttons (someday I'll have to do a post about my collection of vintage buttons).  And one of the things that drew me to this knit top pattern was the cute button detail around the neckline and shoulders.

original pattern photo by Jennifer Dassau from Ravelry

So - decision time:

I have four good choices right now.  1) some little white buttons (on card) with cute detailing around the center (hard to see in photo), 2) these corally-orange buttons that I kinda really love, 3) these light blue buttons that are shiny on one side and more opaque on the other.  I could use these with either side facing up, or 4) these vintage pearl buttons with a shank that might work better with the buttonholes in my top.

I'm leaning towards at least starting out with the coral-orange buttons.  I can always change them if I don't like them later.  But I'd love to hear what YOU think?

For the Love of Vintage Buttons

My latest obsession is vintage buttons.  They come in such wonderful shapes, patterns, and colors.  Why don't they make buttons like this anymore?

It started a few years ago.  I went into a notions shop in Pittsburgh to replace some buttons on a jacket I had bought.  I left the store with the buttons I needed, plus about 20 more vintage buttons that I just had to have.
 

My favorite from this trip is a large brown and green deco button.  I have yet to use it, because I want the perfect piece for it.

I'm lucky to have both my grandmother's and my aunt's button boxes and the boxes are filled with wonderful treasures.  (I love that women had the good sense to save buttons back in the day.)  And I've put these buttons to good use.

Now I have started buying vintage buttons on the internet and its getting out of hand (ssh, don't tell my husband).  I often go searching for the right buttons to go on sweaters I'm knitting, but to be honest, I buy multiple styles of buttons for most projects. 

Some of my recent purchases are these embroidered linen buttons.  I actually found 5 of them.  I'm not sure I'll ever find something to put them on, but they're great and I love them.

And I also love these little pink flower buttons.  I bought them to put on a baby sweater, but I ended up changing my yarn and they no longer worked for the project.  Maybe next time :)

My next sweater is going to be a purple lace cardigan and I'm on the search for just the right vintage buttons (even though I haven't started the sweater yet).  Wish me luck!

P.S.  I am working on another knitting pattern and should have it posted in a couple of weeks.