Made with reclaimed yarn / ripped back from another project

• So this is my 5th time making this chic and practical design. I’m working with a reclaimed yarn combo (formerly a Love Note sweater that I never wore).

• I’ve finally added short rows to raise the back neck and reduce horizontal pulling on the front at the collarbone (see details below). I always wondered why this pattern didn’t come with short rows. I now suspect it’s cuz they’re fussy as hell, if only for a few rows. It def takes the pattern from “very doable for newer knitters” to “yeah, that took some concentration”.

• About the Yarn Combo: I liked knitting with it last time and it’s equally soft this time. But ripping it back the Love Note was a misery and I know it didn’t do anything to preserve the quality of brushed cashmere on its core. I wouldn’t recommend reusing this if it can be avoided but I wasn’t going to let it sit around unworn and I think it’ll be fine. I probably wouldn’t work with brushed cashmere again because I find that fuzzy fluffy look just interferes with stitch definition and it looks messy. It’s not my preferred fabric. Let’s just say that this very expensive yarn combo doesn’t look expensive at this point.

• About Original Gauge on US8: Every time I make this I seem to be off gauge or working with interesting yarn choices that require me to make up my own size. Effectively I always make the poncho shorter than instructed and using a slimmer yarn. So I start with the Size 3 cast to get to a Size 1 circumference but I go my own way. What I can say is that, pre-blocking, this yarn produces a smaller circ (by 1st per inch) than my fave version. The row gauge is the same (but VERY diff than the pattern’s - 28st per 4” vs 21st per 4”. But this yarn combo is very different than the Woolfolk FAR I used to make my fave TCZ. Update: See more below for the gauge of the fabric on US7 and US6.

• The first try - US8: On remeasuring my original TCZ (the one I’ve worn to bits), it’s clear that that yarn is much more robust (if lightweight for a worsted-weight yarn) than this combo. The gauge is 16st/4”, not the post-blocked 17 I get with the Luna/Fuwa combo on a US8… I’m going to have to keep this in mind as I’m increasing. This yarn really does relax on being blocked - going from 19st to 17st in 4”. I hope that it also blooms again. Spoiler alert: It bloomed but not enough to make me happy.

• The second try - US7: So I ripped back to just after the short row section, which I didn’t want to redo, using a US7. Before ripping back, I noted that I was aiming to have a 14.5” radius (or 29” circ) as of about 3” below the centre front neckline. I front loaded a couple more increase rounds (R1 from the pattern) immediately after the short rows, which also worked increases on each row, before following the instructions (R1 followed by R2). After an inch of work, I reblocked it to confirm I’d like the fabric. Alas, it was still too open for my liking and, it’s not like my gauge changed notably, the fabric just became a bit firmer because it was less open than when I knitted it on the US8.**

• FWIW, on this second try, using US7, I did not made a gauge swatch. I worked under the assumption, based on how this yarn has swatched on 3 previous occasions, that a US7 gauge would have a gauge of 18st and 30R in 4” post blocking. As I did end up blocking the garment again, after knitting an inch with the US7, on measuring it seemed that my gauge was still at 17st, if a firmer version thereof (and I sense it would have snugged up to 18st after more rounds were worked because the swatch was being influenced by the US8 fabric directly above).

• The third try - US 6: So, my third try I realized that I’d need to take it back to the studs (or to the end of the collar ribbing/just before starting the body) because I really didn’t like the openness of the stitches worked during the short row segment, on the front body.

• My final effort with this yarn/project combo is to work with a US6 on the body. I believe that I will have enough yarn - I’ve made another version of TCZ using Cardiff Cashmere (which was probably less robust than the combo I’m working with now) and it took under 650y.

• I’m just going to knit to see how I like the preblocked fabric. If I don’t, this yarn will go back in the box. If I do, I’ll block it after working to an inch below the end of the short row segment, to get a sense of actual blocked gauge. Update: I’m going to continue given that I now like the fabric and the short rows look much better having been worked at a firmer gauge.

• As of knitting the short rows the pre-blocked gauge is 20st and 32R in 4” (unsurprising). And this yarn will likely grow horizontally to about 19st. Of course I’m measuring on an inch of fabric on the back body so things may change but I’m going to keep on for the moment. Update: I did block the fabric when I got to 70st on front and back. The fit is working well but I note that I’m only 3” below the neckline and the circ is closer to 30”. My post-blocked gauge on US6 is 18.5-19st and 32R in 4”. Having said this, I’m not worried about fit. I’ll just keep making increases until I get to the circ of full bust plus arms or approx 50”-52” circ. This is equivalent to about 96st or 42 more st on each front and back - estimating 9/112/9/112 (254st total).

• Presuming that the row gauge stays at 8.5R per inch, if I have to work 4.5” more to get to the desired 29” of circ, that means I have 38R over which to get from 9/50/9/50 (118st) to 9/68/9/68 (total 154st at 4.75st per inch). I can do this with no issue by working according to the instructions (R1 inc / R2 plain). Update: I checked gauge again when I got to 138st or 60 st on each front and back and I am only at 2.25” of depth. So far, I think that’s fine but we’ll see, when we get to 4.5’ of depth, how the upper yoke fits…

How I worked this version in the end:

• CO 88st, worked 2” (18R) - on US8 (I didn’t feel like fully ripping back, even as my needle sizes on the body decreased. Given that it’s twisted rib and I don’t like tight turtle necks, this is fine for me.)

• Switched to US6 and set up round as indicated in pattern - shoulders = 9st each, Front 35st, Back 35st (88st)

• I then worked 8 german short rows. At this point I had increased by 9st on each front and back (went from 35st to 50st on each or 106st). Details are below.

• I then started working the 2-round repeat. I measured as I went, trying it on, to confirm that I was on the right track, ensuring that the fit was right in the shoulders at 4”/20R below collar. It was, so I kept on until I reached full bust at ~52” (torso plus arms circ): 9/116/9/116 or 242st.

• Then I knitted for 4” straight. I could have gone as long as 5” but I was concerned about having enough yarn.

• At that point I split the hem. Since I had an even number of stitches on the needles (or an odd number on each half body, once I’d split), I had to k2tog (or p2tog) the 2 st next to the shoulder segment to have the right stitch count - an even number knitted flat. To maintain proportions with the upper bodice, and to manage yarn, I knitted the front ribbing to ~3.75” and the back ribbing to 4.75” (preblocked measurements).

• BO in pattern - yes, it’s weird BO twisted knits but it stops the hem from flaring, esp if you work the rib in the same needle size as the body.

How I added short rows:

• The Context: My goal was to work GSRs such that the first one on each side of the shoulder ribbing would be the fourth stitch from the marker delineating the shoulders from the fronts. Given that increases happened at the same time, I just got to the 4th st from the marker and turned/worked the DS. Because my intent was to knit 2st further for each additional short row, I wanted to have enough space on the front body that the DSs on either side wouldn’t go past the centre front, the limiter for each.

• The GSR Set Up: Because the BOR is just before the start of the right shoulder ribbing, and I’d need to work a short row DS one stitch in from that marker, I moved the BOR marker 2 stitches to the right (further away from the right shoulder ribbing). Then I knitted as instructed to the 4th stitch on the right front, turned/DS (short row 1 RS), purled all the way to the 4th st on the left front and then turned/DS (short row 2, WS) to start the next 2 short rows (short rows 3 RS and 4 WS). Those second short rows were made 2st further than the original DSs, and after working the DSs. While doing this I worked increases at the same time, on both RS and WS. I then repeated the second set of short rows (3 and 4) 2 more times (short rows 5-8). In total, this created 8 short rows.

• Twisted Rib when working short rows: Another consideration, when working short rows in this pattern, is that you’ll need to invert the twisted rib on the WS. What I mean is that, on the RS the pattern instructs to rib as follows: K1tbl, P1. So on the WS short rows, you’ll need to K1, P1tbl.

• About the increases while working short rows: To add short rows, I’ll have to work the increases at the same time as working the short rows and those increases are different than instructed when worked on the wrong side. What I mean is, I’ll want to mimic the instructed RS increases - MIL (first), MIR (second), MIL (third), MIR (fourth) - on the WS. This means that for the short row segment, increases will be worked on both the wrong and right sides. I though of doing them only on the right side but I didn’t know if that would work. I don’t recall having worked short rows wherein the incs are only on the RS, though I may have done it many times and just forgotten… Given that my brain was doing a lot of things simultaneously, I decided to go with this approach.

• To keep things straight, I put a pink marker before an MIL and a blue marker before an M1R.

• It’s important to ensure that the increases go in the same direction on the wrong side as they do on the right side. M1L is mirrored on WS by M1RP and M1R is mirrored on WS by M1LP. So on the WS, when I came to the stitch before a pink marker I worked M1RP and when I came to the stitch before a blue marker, I worked an M1LP.

• Note that I moved my BOR marker back from right before the right shoulder ribbing to 2 stitches before the right shoulder ribbing because, given all the short rows and increasing, my round increases begin on the right back body, one stitch before the first blue (MIR) marker. As such, during the short row segment, my first increase in the round was an M1R, not an M1L (as instructed), which maintained the increase pattern. At the end of the short rows, I moved the BOR marker back to the right shoulder / where the instructions advise it should be and then started working the increases with the MIL being the first inc of the round.

• My brain doesn’t quite get this but, after making the very first DS, once I turned to work the WS, I did not work an increase on the WS as I got to the first marker (front side one stitch before right shoulder). In all the other instances I did work on the incs on WS and RS. But doing it this way left me with the same number of stitches on the front and back at the end of the short row segment - 9/50/9/50. And it meant that I could put the marker back where it started, at the right shoulder to maintain the original round.

Final Thoughts:

• I can’t compare this version to the Wooolfolk FAR one because the FAR has totally different properties including a structural density that this combo doesn’t have. The fabric that this garment makes is much more open and airy. At least pre blocking, this yarn looks worn out. Natch, ripping back the first project made with it did not help.

• I am really glad that I sorted out the short row situation because it improves the fit. Having now included them, I would not knit this object again without including short rows. There is far less pulling at the collar bone and, much like when knitting a top down raglan jumper in the round, the short rows really position the shoulders where they should be and reduce the structural propensity to have the front garment pull towards the neck. Next time I’d likely work 2 additional short rows (10 in total). I understand that including them in this pattern makes the knitting more complicated (though not for very long). I also appreciate a well-written free pattern as it comes. But if you’re on the fence and you’re willing to do a bit of math, just work a few short rows.

• How to make this with Lighter-Weight Yarn: Don’t recommend working on anything slimmer than light DK-weight and this tends to work best using a yarn with good stitch definition, that fills in the spaces between stitches. Based on previous versions, I think it’s safe to say that I can make this poncho at a gauge of 20st and 32R in 4” out of 550 - 600y of lofty, light-DK yarn or less lofty medium-DK yarn. I wouldn’t go with a gauge using DK-ish yarn that’s larger than 20st in 4”. CO at 88st in US7 (35st on each front and back body). Work 8-10 short rows (after which you have 50st on each front and back body). Raglan inc every other round (work R1 and R2 as instructed) to 242st US6. Knit straight for ~4”. Split for hem. Work hem at same needle size as body, US6 (unless fabric tells you otherwise). Make front ribbing ~4” deep and back ribbing ~5.5” deep.

• Cost: 172 CDN - too expensive given how the yarn has adapted to being reknitted and reblocked/washed multiple times.

Pre-blocked Dimensions:

Neck circ: 17” (a bit roomier than desired)
Neck depth: 2” (could make slightly longer next time)
Length from base of neck ribbing to hem front body: 14.75”
Length from base of neck ribbing to hem back body: 16”
Rib depth front body: 3.75”
Rib depth back body: 5”
Circ at base of neckband: 20”
Circ 4” below base of neckband (approx shoulder circ): 34”
Widest circ: 44” (but hard to tell because the hem cinches things in
Length from widest circ to hem (back body): 9”

Post-blocked Dimensions:

Neck circ: 15” (this def snugged up, for which I’m glad)
Neck depth: 2.25” (grew a smidge)
Length from base of neck ribbing to hem front body: 14.5”
Length from base of neck ribbing to hem back body: 15.5”
Rib depth front body: 3.5”
Rib depth back body: 4.5”
Circ at base of neckband: 20”
Circ 4” below base of neckband (approx shoulder circ): 35”
Widest circ: 49” (but hard to tell because the hem cinches things in
Length from widest circ to hem (back body): 8.5”

Gauge Swatching:

US6 Preblocked Gauge: 20st and 32R in 4”
US6 Post-blocked Gauge: 19st and 34R in 4”

US8 Preblocked Gauge: 19st and 26R in 4”

The fabric is very open and it doesn’t have a lot of recovery. Not sure if it’s too open given that it’s also a very light shade. Note also that it doesn’t have great recovery. So I don’t want to make this bigger than it needs to be or it might seem flimsy. And I don’t want to make it too small, either, or it might loose it’s shape under the tension of wear. Intriguing.

US8 Post-blocked Gauge: 17st and 28R in 4”

The blocked swatch has more recovery than it did before blocking. It’s still a light spring but I’m glad to see that it’s got a bit of structural integrity.

This is the same gauge I got working my first (and fave) TCZ - and I really like the fit of that one, though I might change things up slightly here. I am dealing with a very different yarn construction - 2 laceweight yarns, one with brushed cashmere and a 2-ply BFL, the other a Woolfolk chainette yarn made of extremely fine merino that feels more like cashmere than the cashmere strand. The colour is also odd. It’s a very brown pink - I guess peachy.

In some ways I love it. In others I find it a bit floral (in an ancient rose blush tone) which isn’t really my thing, even though I can appreciate it.

Gauge from when I used the yarn originally:

Gauge Swatches
Pre-blocked US9: 18st and 24R in 4”
Post-blocked US9: 16st and 25R in 4”

Pre-blocked US10: 17st and 21R in 4”
Post-blocked US10: 15st and 24R in 4”