Made with reclaimed yarn / ripped back from another project

Preliminary Thoughts:

• The project page indicates that this jumper has built in ease and provides a bust measurement that isn’t the finished/final dimension. This is an approach that I really don’t understand. I should be able to see - before purchasing a pattern - how much ease has been added into each size. I had to buy the pattern to gain access to the final measurements (and to confirm that I would have the right amout of yarn).

• Size S is a 34” bust (as shown on the pattern page) but, with built in ease, the finished measurement is 37.25”. This is the size I’ve opted to knit, even though I considered making the M before I understood the actual measurements. Note that it looks like this pattern is drafted with long armscyes - and mine are short. (Update: The armscye is not, see more below.)

• Armscye alteration is facilitated because the pattern indicates all of the stitch counts in detail, for every row/round in every size. So you don’t have to worry about figuring all of the numbers as you work AND if you opt to lengthen or shorten the yoke (after establishing the saddle shoulder), you should be able to do this by moving the increase rows/rounds and/or removing unnecessary rows/rounds (all of which are visible in a table).

• Keep in mind that row gauge is key when working the contiguous method - esp when it comes to establishing the width (length?) of the shoulder. So I ensured that I got row gauge.

• Pattern Format:This pattern is very intense to read - and not because it’s unclear. I imagine, in an effort to keep it to 14 pgs, a lot of info has been included on every page. It’s too busy but the intel is spot on (except for the neckband grafting section, which is robust, to its credit). Just expect to spend a good hour reading through it and figuring it out. FWIW, I prefer a pattern that provides all of this intel than one that doesn’t. The reality is that the design is simple but the finishing adds to the complexity of things. And this sort of sleeve construction takes a bit more mental energy, for me, than others. It’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into this design.

The Knitting:

• This pattern isn’t easy at the start because constructing a contiguous yoke is fussy. Add in the integrated neckband and it’s a lot of stuff happening at once. It is indicated on the pattern page that this is an intermediate/advanced design and I agree.

• One thing to note is that an icord is integrated into the band edging, to make it tidy and pretty. While I always love this look, making it happen does require a bit of focus because, if it messes up, it’s hard to ladder down and to reattach the stitches in the same/correct order. This tutorial is helpful; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWYlvcQJ5Sw. (Oh, and this is yet another new tutorial by the same podcaster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otro0Gt_K7I&list=WL&a... that I haven’t yet watched…) Fortunately the icord is done when the V neck is joined.

• There is a detailed schematic BUT the one dimension it doesn’t provide is the top of shoulder width (which is pretty key given that this method mimics a set in sleeve). There’s also a tutorial for grafting the neck band at the base of the V. It takes 20 steps and 2 pages to explain.

• This V construction is one that I’ve done before (with no instructions) and I didn’t love the outcome - or the process. So I’m hoping that these instructions are all that.

• Another project page provides this link (which may be helpful in BO the vneck stitches): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaBwcX8estY

• Truthfully, the grafted V neck is not my fave look but I’m out of alternative patterns to make with this yarn given all of the factors that go into choosing a garment. I don’t dislike the appearance of this sort of neckband when cleanly worked, so I’m going to keep on. But I’m going to finish the neckband before working the body and sleeves, to confirm that it looks adequate before continuing.

• About the Vneck Grafting: OK - so this is the pattern dealbreaker, IMO, and what makes this an intermediate-advanced undertaking. If this part of the sweater doesn’t look good it will be the first thing anyone notices because it’s front and centre.

• If you are not an experienced knitter who can read your work and/or have had experience grafting live stitches to picked up bars AND stitches in rib/icord, think carefully before knitting this - esp if you’re a perfectionist. I’m pretty comfortable with this technique conceptually and I’m not adequately happy with my result. Initially, I worked this grafting 3x (stopped at that point because I was afraid of injuring a very delicate yarn that will start to felt and look worse). Update: Despite a couple of blockings, I decided to rip this back and give it one more go. I think the error that I made initially is in the bars that I picked up. I don’t think that the pattern photos or instructions explain this well enough but perhaps it’s just me… At any rate, in the event that this clarifies things for someone else, pick up into the bars in the knit stitch column that’s closest to the left front, but is still in the left ribbed neckband. That’s how you avoid highlighting all of the left front neck increases. Unfortunately, those inc strands are very noticeable in my work now that I’ve removed the graft from that column (esp after blocking 2x). I really hope that another block will reset this part of the knit.

• IMO, the 2 pages of photos and instruction, while robust, don’t really tell you everything you need to know as clearly as is necessary. If you don’t know how to pull the yarn through the live stitch, once removed from the needle, the instructions won’t guide you. They suggest picking up all of the bars (on the side without live stitches) and then show photos wherein all bars aren’t picked up - and really, this grafting is easier to work without putting those bars on a needle at the start/ just picking them up one at a time (IMO). I also think there should be instructions about how to stabilize the bound off (left) neckline against the right neckline before grafting. My take is that this technique requires a video for further explanation. FWIW, I looked up all kinds of videos before starting, to see if I could find anything just like it (I couldn’t) but watching videos about grafting in rib reminded me about how to read the stitches.

• One other thing: before starting the neck graft, I’d work to cinch the probably loose stitches at the join the front neck and subsequent few rounds because it will have stretched out, like a ladder, over the first few rounds of the body, even if you’re careful to be firm while knitting it. The best way to fix this, after the fact, is by redistributing the yarn through about 10 st on either side of each strand of the stretched vertical stitches. For me the loose stitch ladder was about 5 rounds in length. I even blocked my bodice before grafting, and it did nothing to cinch the fabric at that join. I think it’s a structural component.

• About the Short Rows: The short rows are explained in a way I’ve not seen before. After reviewing this forum explanation (https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/lamaisonrililie-stuff/425...), the instructions were clearer:

“The short rows are over the sleeve. So you knit the sleeve stitches, turn, go back, turn at the start of the sleeve and knit all the way to the end of the other sleeve and turn there, knit to the start of that sleeve and turn and go round again. It may seem strange to you, but it actually helps create a bit more space and a more rounded curve to the shoulder, so the sweater fits better there and doesn’t slip off the shoulders either.”

• Fortunately, I got it figured out thanks to the input provided above. I definitely think that, even if the short rows have been correctly explained in the pattern, those instructions aren’t overly clear without additional context.

• While working the yoke, somehow I didn’t change the sleeve increase positioning (to first stitch after / before the sleeve marker vs the second stitch that was instructed during the contiguous increase segment). Sigh. I only realized this when the front and back increase segment started. So… because I’d prefer not to lose hours of work for something that doesn’t actually look bad, I’ve opted to call it a design feature. This means that my front and back incs are done as instructed - one stitch before the sleeve markers BUT my sleeve stitches happen 2 st from those markers. This doesn’t influence my stitch counts, just the look of the vertical sleeve “seam” (and truly, to what extent I can’t even tell because none of the photos of the garment, marketing or otherwise, show a clear enough photo of the front seam). Having said this - I don’t think it looks inherently wrong and it will potentially not even be noticed once the fabric is blocked. At least I have worked this “mistake” consistently. It just bugs me to have done this because I didn’t catch a key piece of intel. There really is a lot going on in this pattern at the start of the yoke.

• About the Armscye Depth: I decided that I wanted the armscye depth to be shorter than the size 3 instructs (by 4 rows / aligned with size 2) but that’s because I didn’t realize that a portion of the shoulder width is included in the armscye depth dimension. This 2” is subtracted from the 9” indicated as the armscye depth for the size 3. The schematic doesn’t clarify this… For ref: the armscye depth from shoulder tip is actually 7”, not 9”. It would have been helpful for the schematic to address this - and really, the instructions clarify just about everything so I’m surprised that this wasn’t included.

• Alas, because I banked on having to shorten the armscye, I’d worked the last 2 neck increases early (on rows 64 and 72) and then, in the end, wound up knitting those 4 rows I’d intended to remove. FWIW, the early incs don’t observably impact the shape of the neckline.

• IMO, the marketing photos make the armscye look long but really, the fit is just very oversized on the model.

• I blocked this a second time, after joining in the round, to confirm that there would be enough depth in the armsyce (which was measuring 7”, usually just fine for me). Thing is that contiguous yoke/sleeve shaping works differently than others - it’s its own thing, after all. At this point, I was worried because the whole upper yoke popped up when I lifted my arms - kind of like the issue I tend to have with a round yoke. Having blocked the armscye to about 7.75” without issue, I decided to keep on. There’s more than enough space and I did believe that the weight of the sleeves and body would stop the sweater popping up with arms raised. (This is a really light-weight fabric.) If it doesn’t, then I have to consider that this version of the contiguous method - and I know there are a few of them - might not be for me. Update: As I’ve continued to knit the body, the shoulders and armscye depth have moved into place and I think that the yoke fit is great.

• I’ve decided that I want to knit a longer version of this sweater than instructed. Pattern indicates 11.25” from the underarm to hem. I want to knit 14.25” total.

• Math - Decreases on Body: As of 40R after joining the body, I’ve knitted ~4.5” (preblocked). I want to work an additional 9.75” before binding off the hem. The hem should be 2.5” deep so, if I subtract that from the remaining depth, I have 7.25” of depth over which to work the body decreases.

• Five decrease rounds are recommended at 4st per or 20st in total. My starting stitch count is 220st or 38” at 23st/4” gauge. Having said this the fabric is very drapey and not particularly firm. Moreover, I want to have some ease, if not a tremendous amount. I think I’ll decrease 4x over the 7.25” (which is ~65R at 36st/4” gauge). So, for math ease, I’ll work 64R, 4 of which will be evenly dispersed dec rounds, one after every 20R. The first dec round is on R41 of the body, the next decrease on R62, the third on R83 and the 4th on R104. The last one should happen just before I start knitting the hem, or on R105. Note: I might change the span between dec rounds, if required, to optimally align final length with decreases.

• I’m not sure if I’ll want to go down 2 needle sizes to knit the hem ribbing. I may opt for one size instead, if I decide I want a bit more circ… Update: I worked 2 of the 4 decreases and determined that my preferred circumference is at 212st. I opted to use a 3.25 mm needle for the hem ribbing, one size smaller than the main needle size.

Sleeves:

• I am getting a stitch gauge of 23st in 4” so the sleeve is the dimension instructed for the upper arm - 11.5”. I’ve decided that - even though this yarn is drapey - I want a bit more room, given that my upper arm is 11.5”.

• I’ve decided to work the long sleeve version.

• Here’s how I cast on for the sleeves: Put stitches back on needle, picked up 6 stitches on either side of the centre underarm, decreased one stitch on the first round. This left me with 70st or 12” of circumference. I worked this on both sleeves, at the start, putting one sleeve on hold to pick up after working the first sleeve. I wanted to get the cast on situation organized so that I wouldn’t have to do too much thinking when I started the second sleeve. If, when working the first sleeve, I feel that decreases are warranted before getting to the elbow, I’ll work those.

• Having said what I did in the para above, I don’t want something very oversized in the sleeve. In the end, I opted to just stay at 70st until I’d knitted ~14” from the cast on of the sleeves - that was 65R to get to 2” below elbow and then another 55R to get to wrist. Note that on R55, I changed from a 3.5mm needle to a 3.25mm needle (just before beginning the ribbing), I did the following decrease to get from 70 to 38st:

K1, (K2tog) x 13, (k2tog, K1) x 5, (K2tog) x 13, k2tog

I used a knitting calculator to ensure even decreasing…

• I then worked 3R on the 3.25mm needle before realizing that I needed to switch to a smaller needle still. I thought I’d switched from a 3.25mm to a 3mm but I actually picked up a 2.75mm needle. It seemed to work well. I like to push up my sleeves so I really don’t want flimsy ribbing.

• Preblocked I worked 13.5” of length on the sleeves (120R) and 3” (28R) on the cuff. The cuff is snug so I anticipate that it may shorten to about 2.5” when stretched (which is why I’ve opted not to BO until after blocking). Pattern recommends total length of the sleeve should be 13.5” but my armscye is more fitted than the one in the marketing photos. Another reason my version might need to be longer is that I’ve opted not to make the long sleeve particularly wide and I’ve kept it at a constant (narrower than instructed) width to the final cuff decrease. As a result, they won’t pouf as much over the wrist. I’m going to gain that pouf, to a milder extent, by utilizing the drape of a slightly longer sleeve above the cuff.

• Note: The pattern recs a BO in pattern. I considered doing an Italian bind off but a few things changed my mind. 1. This yarn is very drapey and the hem needed a bit of structure. 2. If I decide to frog this someday (and I really don’t intend to based on the loveliness of the FO, though one can never tell…) I want a bind off that will be easy to undo. I used the same BO on the sleeve cuffs for consistency. Depending on how these fit, I may opt to do an Italian bind off for a bit of extra stretch. But for now, I like the end result.

Final Thoughts:

• This pattern gets off to a start that requires focus but it’s quite enjoyable to knit - esp with the (reclaimed) Woolfolk SNO. Lord, this yarn is as soft as a bunny sitting on a cloud (even though I know it will pill horrendously, which is why I’m glad for sweater shavers). The pattern drafting is well done, IMO. This is complex shaping that looks simple, elegant and intentional in the finished object.

• The entire sweater took 245g of yarn. That’s RTW sweater weight, which is what I prefer.

• I don’t know that I’d make it again because I don’t like the neckline grafting (the finished look, the technique, the instructions) Obvs, this is a pivotal visual element of this piece. Having said this, the yoke fit is so elegant that I might be motivated make it again with a different neckline.

• Given how many increases are worked, each row, while kniting the yoke, I recommend making this with a yarn that doesn’t show every little blip. The Woolfolk used here is beautiful but so soft, delicate and light in colour.

• I really don’t know how I got gauge with my yarn (a fingering-weight) on 3.5mm (main/body needle) vs suggested 4mm. It’s equally surprising that I used a needle 3 sizes smaller / 2.75mm (vs the 2 sizes smaller than larger needle that is recommended) to do the cuff ribbing.

• I’d probably maintain 40st at the cuff next time or go up to a 3mm needle, at least pre blocking, given that they are as snug as I’d prefer, though I know that they will relax with blocking and that I can work an italian (i.e. stretchy) bind off. As of now, for consistency, I’ve bound them off in pattern…Update: While the sleeve cuffs are fine when being worn, putting them over my hands was a bit fussy. As such, I opted to redo with Italian BO and there is better stretch.

• One other thing, for the first time, I decided to try knitting the ribbing (cuff and hem) inside out, because ribbing does tend to look slightly tidier than when I knit it on the front facing side. To do this, I simply flipped the sleeve inside out, made a double stitch out of the first stitch, and then worked opposite the direction that I’d worked on the front side. I completed the DS on the second round. Working the first round with a GSR means that there’s no hole despite a reversal in the direction of knitting. Seemed to do the trick, even though it took a bit of extra effort.

• Having said this, once blocked, my ribbing looks pretty indistinguishable from inside and outside. And this approach gave me a bit of extra work when I bound off because I don’t like the look of the WS of the BO in pattern. So I had to BO on the right side which left me with a round that wasn’t attached in the round. I finessed it but I think making this mod will depend on many factors. This isn’t going to be my new approach.

• This is one of those projects that really does benefit from mid-knit blocking(s) and trying on frequently. I’ve use my silicone cording a dozen times in one way or another. Obvs, YMMV and if you really know your yarn and feel quite familiar with the continguous method, this might not be as necessary. I def skew towards trying as I go. But that’s cuz I’ve regretted not doing it too many times. I want to wear this thing routinely or there’s no point in having it in my closet.

• Cost of Yarn: I appear to have got 15 skeins for 250 bucks CDN , according to my stash page. (I bought them at diff times…). So this cost about 85 CDN. Insanely good deal, even if this yarn is not the best colour for me. At the time, I liked it too much to think about my compatibility with the (gorgeous) shades…

• CG needle intel: For future reference, because I forget this too often: The needle size that I always want to use - that Chiaogoo doesn’t provide in its interchangeable needle kits but DOES provide as a fixed needle or as an interchangeable bought separately - is 3mm or US2.5. I currently have 2 of these - one CG fixed needle/32”cable, Nova Platina short interchangeables (which I use once in a blue moon) and Karbonz interchangeables (and I just don’t love the join or the cables that Knitpro provides). I need a few more CGs because I always seem to get gauge using 3mm when the pattern suggests 2.75mm or 3.25mm (the sizes that I have zillions of already).

Preblocked Dimensions (cuff and hems still on barber cords till after blocking):

Bust circ: 39”
Hip rib circ: 30” unstretched
Bicep circ: 11”
Cuff circ rib: 5” unstretched
Armscye length (starts at vertical seam, not tip of shoulder): 7.5”
Full length (back neck to hem, at base of neckband where it meets the body / does not include neckband): 22”
Underarm-Cuff length: 16”
Cuff length: 3” unstretched (may be lengthened after blocking)
Underarm to hem: 15”
Hem length: 2.5”
Top of shoulder width (from inner edge of neckband / does not include neckband): 2.25”
Neck opening width (from interior neckband to interior neckband): 6”
Neck depth: 7.25” to the base of the neckline neckband (not including the length of back neckband) Note that it’s 6” deep not incl the top/back of the neckband, in terms of open depth, or 6.75” including the back neckband.

Post-blocked Dimensions (cuff and hems still on barber cords till after blocking):

Bust circ: 38”
Hip rib circ: 33” unstretched
Bicep circ: 11”
Cuff circ rib: 5.5” unstretched
Armscye length (starts at vertical seam, not tip of shoulder): 7”
Full length (back neck to hem, at base of neckband where it meets the body / does not include neckband): 21.5”
Underarm-Cuff length: 17”
Cuff length: 2.75” unstretched (didn’t lengthen)
Underarm to hem: 14.75”
Hem length: 2.25”
Top of shoulder width (from inner edge of neckband / does not include neckband): 2.25”
Neck opening width (from interior neckband to interior neckband): 6”
Neck depth: 7.5” to the base of the neckline neckband (not including the length of back neckband) Note that it’s still 6” deep not incl the top/back of the neckband, in terms of open depth, or 6.75” including the back neckband.

Pattern Options Considered:

• Worked the upper yoke of the Rockhound Pullover - Note - this pattern is NOT for a beginner - but my gauge was quite off and there was no way I’d be able to adjust the width of the shoulder (shoulder tip to neck) without having to rewrite the cable charts. That wasn’t going to happen so this is a pass.

• Worked the upper yoke on Traveler’s Sweater but my row gauge was too short and I don’t have enough experience with contiguous knitting (or energy) to try and alter it. I also feel that the neck construction isn’t great (it’s very open as is so often the case with contiguous patterns). This is a pass.

• Swatched to see if I could make Shifted by Justyna L but there is no way to get that gauge with this yarn (as I suspected)… So this is a pass.

• Could make a hat, neck and mitts set - perhaps use the Lucy Cape as the neck cover. Remember though that this yarn pills like a bitch and doesn’t work optimally with mitts. Also, the colour isn’t fantastic next to my face. So I’m going to pass on this one.

Gauge Swatches:

Preblocked Gauge US4 Stockinette: 24st and 34R in 4”
Postblocked Gauge US4 Stockinette: 23st and 36R in 4”

Preblocked Gauge US5 Stockinette: 26st and 34R in 4”
Post blocked Gauge US 5 Stockinette: 22.5st and 36R in 4”

Preblocked Gauge US 6 Stockinette: 24st and 32R in 4”
Post blocked Gauge US 6 Stockinette: 22 st and 34R in 4”

The US6 fabric is too open. I wouldn’t want to knit this yarn or Tynd on anything larger than a US5.