TEST KNIT!

I enjoy Ultra Alpaca as an inexpensive, consistent warm worsted. I would class it as a lighter worsted because it is more squishy than others.

The UA has halo and this is a darker color, but I’ve done a cabled hat with it and thought that looked good. We shall see!

Doing the wider and taller version.

CAST-ON Method:
. JSSCO aka Jeny’s Stretchy Slipknot CO

WEIGHING AS I GO
. So I had good intentions of weighing as I went, but got caught up in one of my favorite tv shows (Shetland). Oops.

CABLES
. I used needle-less method for the 2:1 cables
… I believe Staci Perry might have a tutorial video?
… I just pinch the base of the stitches, then use my needle tips to rearrange the order.

. 2:1:2 LCP cable is tricky! Combo method
… use dpn/cable needle to hold first 2 knit stitches in front
… then pinch off the purl stitch, and slip the next 2 knit stitches onto the right needle tip
… carefully, slip that purl stitch onto right needle next
… transfer the 2 knit sts on dpn over to left needle
… then transfer the other 3 sts onto left needle
… it’s tight, so I use the needle tips - my ChiaoGoo sharp tips really help.
… I like having them rearranged, all together on the left needle before knitting them in order. I’m finding that the rightmost sts have less gap before them.

LEGGY LOU
. I got the book ‘Patty Lyons Knitting Bag of Tricks’ out of the library and thought it would be a great resource, so I bought it.

. She explains why some people get a larger knit stitch to the right of a purl stitch, and has a little trick to correcting or minimizing the effect. I’m giving it a try on this piece.
… It has taken some practice to get used to the different hand movement and moving it into more of an automatic action.

. Except I may have overdone it. I was doing this method on the first purl after a knit. I don’t think it needs to be done after a single knit stitch - those are looking a little blown out.

. I think the overall texture is much more defined. If I were to try this again, I think I might do it with US 7s, to see if the fabric is a little less stiff but still good definition.

Adapted from my first version notes:
. For some reason, on my left-leaning cables, the knit stitches get blown out. Especially on that 2:1:2 cable.
… The other tricksy I do is after I knit the last two sts, I take my needle tip and give the left leg of the first knit stitch (on the right) a tug upward. That leg tends to disappear because the leftmost knit stitch gets stretched out so much from the distance it has to span.
… I think I will try googling this too and see if there is a different, more efficient trick to correct it. If you have recommendations, please Comment!

BIND-OFF Method:
. Lori’s Twisty BO - I use a shorter length dpn
. This edge is a little looser than the CO edge

DIMENSIONS - Unblocked
. 11” high x 24.5” circumference (center)

DIMENSIONS - Blocked
. 11.75” high x 23.5” circumference