Category: tension square

How many pattern multiples to fit ……

by WakefulKnits, posted in tension square, Uncategorized

I’ve had ideas to design an alpaca lace vest.  I’ve knitted up my swatch in Heirloom Alpaca using a Falling Leaf lace pattern.  My thought was to have a button up vest, but the size of the multiples doesn’t make that easy.  It’s working out to 5.3cm per pattern multiple. For the five sizes I’m planning, that would give 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 multiples at the waist, and this stitch pattern doesn’t halve very well.  For the odd numbers (7 and 9), I could drop one repeat and have 3 or 4 repeats for the left and right front, then make up the dropped repeat with a 5.3cm button band.  That’s a pretty wide button band in anyone’s language.  For the odd numbers it just wouldn’t work, and I don’t want to limit it to two sizes.  That’s just not enough. But I love this stitch pattern in this yarn.  What to do?  Well, instead of making it a button up vest, I’ve decided it will be a pullover vest, with a scoop neck.  I can design another button up vest later on.

Alpaca Lace Vest swatch
Alpaca Lace Vest swatch

However, the vest will have to wait for the moment.  In the meantime, I’ve had a request for a Beatles pullover from my youngest.  I’ve found a pattern for a Beatles Needle Case on Ravelry. In my collection of magazines I have the pattern for the Quilting a la Knitting pullover, by Norah Gaughan.  This pullover is in the shape and yarn weight requested, so I’m just making it in one colour, plonking in the Beatles design at the front and changing the neckline as requested.  I find this much stocking stitch pretty boring, but I’ve found a lot of pluses.  It’s a lot faster than using a stitch pattern and I can knit for cms without having to refer to the pattern.  I’m making great headway.  At this rate I should be finished a lot sooner than I estimated, so it will hopefully get plenty of winter wear. (Southern hemisphere). 🙂  The yarn I’m using is Cleckheaton Country Aran, which is the same yarn that I used for the Kinematics Scarf, but this time in the cream colourway.

Beatles pullover
Beatles pullover

 

Easterner Cardigan nearing completion

by WakefulKnits, posted in Easterner Cardigan, Rowan Cotton Glace, sewing, tension square

I’m working on a cotton cardigan; the Easterner Cardigan. It’s in Rowan Cotton Glace 5 ply, using earthy tones and a diagonal stitch pattern. I’m using larger needles to create a more open, summery knit. I’m having my usual plant-based-fibre tension/gauge issues. The back had to be knitted twice to get the expected length. I’m waiting to have the whole garment knitted and put together before I expound my theory on gauge for cotton. Bet you’re waiting with bated breath!


Naturally I’ve run out of black yarn when there are only three more rows of it needed. I hope I can get more of the same dye lot, or that black doesn’t vary much with dye lots.

So far, we haven’t had too many hot, sweaty handed days where I don’t manage to knit. I’ve been ploughing on. I’ve been doing a little sewing as well, and have a night dress completed, but for the hem. It’s hard to see the point of buying such simple things, but it’s hard to manage time for everything that needs to be done. The pattern also includes winter pyjamas, so maybe I’ll make some of those when I need more! Thankfully no collar is involved. I find it a bit tricky to make sewn collars look good.

Fair Isle continues

by WakefulKnits, posted in Abundance pullover, Fair Isle, leafy squares mitts, tension square
I think this is a pretty good effort for one week of non-concerted effort.  A tension square was absolutely necessary, especially in helping to select colours.  I’d initially chosen yarn colours from a webpage.  When I knitted up the tension square, I could see that a couple of them didn’t have enough contrast with the main colour.  So I went for a deeper version of those colours, and they’re working out really well.
All of the fair isle patterns I’m using have an odd number of rows, so the new colour starts at one end, and finishes at the other end.  Odd numbers of rows and stitches do seem to look better in a lot of designs.  Maybe that’s a standard thing with fair isle; I don’t know.  I suppose this means the ends will be woven in evenly along both sides, but I’m finding it a bit annoying.  I was thinking that having all the ends at one side would mean I could tie them off against each other.
The rib band wants to flip up, so I’ve had to weight it down with a couple of balls of yarn for the photo.
Both the Abundance Pullover and the Leafy Squares Fingerless Mitts are coming to the end of their test phase.  I’m hoping to have more news on them soon.
Exciting news:  I’ve had a design accepted with a magazine!  I’ll have to contain my excitement until June, when it will be published.