09/20/24

I need a break from knitting lace shawls. I had my eye on this beautiful top for awhile. Several ladies from my Thursday knitting group at the Wool and Company have made it and after trying one on last night (Mary’s gorgeous top in olive green) I finally gave in and bought the same yarn. they only had 4 skeins of this color and I ordered 2 more online. I don’t think I will need 6, most likely about 5. I can always make a pair of matching socks.
Making size 5.
Using a very easy version of tubular cast-on for 1x1 ribbing found here. Using size 2.5 needles for the cast-on, not 3. I don’t want the neck opening to be too large.
Instead of plain k1p1 ribbing I am twisting the knit stitches, so it is k1tb, p1. I just like this kind of ribbing better.

To avoid twisting I usually knit the first row (in pattern) before joining in the round. The small gap is later easily fixed with the tail end of the yarn.

Using the Shadow Wrap Short Rows technique explained very well here. I made 1 extra set of short rows, that is 10 total, not 8.

Knitted 1 extra plain knit round after short rows.

For yoke increasesI am using the Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Favorite Invisible Increase.

10/16/24.
I ended up knitting rows 25-32 of the lace chart 4 times total, that is 1 more repeat than what the designer recommended for my size. I did this because my row gauge is tighter and I also wanted to add more length tot the yoke. Most of my sweaters have yokes measuring around 10”. This one is designed to have a yoke measuring 8.5”. This is simply not enough for me. I am a big girl!
After finishing the lace chart and the last increase round there should have been 8 rounds knitted even. I did 11 rounds, not 8, which also gave me a bit extra length to the yoke.
While knitting the 11 plain rounds (before separating for the sleeves and body) I also increased total of 20 stitches to compensate for my tighter gauge. These increases were placed every other row along the imaginary raglan line only on the body side.
The pattern gauge is 24 stitches to 4”, which means 6 stitches to 1”. This results in 48.1” for the sweater body after separating for the sleeves (289 stitches per pattern). My gauge is 25 stitches to 4”, which means 6.25 stitches to 1”. So 289 stitches all around would have resulted in 46.25” all around, roughly 2” less than recommended measurement, which includes approximately 4” of ease. 2” in my gauge means 12 stitches rounded down. I increased more than that (20 stitches) planning to decrease 8 of them in the corners where the body stitches meet the underarm cast-on stitches.
Total body stitch count - 301, that is 12 stitches more than the pattern calls for.
I have started on the second skein of yarn right after finishing the lace yoke. I have 3 more skeins. I am planning on working on the body till the second skein is finished and than move on to the sleeves. Once the sleeves are finished I will go back to the body. Hopefully I will have enough yarn to make this sweater long enough. I definitely want it significantly longer - probably slightly past the hip line. I also want long sleeves. I am not sure if I have enough yarn for all these changes. The store only had 4 skeins in this color. Even if I bought more elsewhere it would be impossible to match the color, since there is no dye lot, just the color name. the color is called Clay Dreaming and it is slightly variegated, just enough to add some interest and depth. In case I end by running short I could always make 3/4 sleeves instead.

Based on the measurements of my other sweaters I would like this one to be about 52” around the bottom edge and about 17” long measured from the underarm. 20” long sleeves, also measured form the underarm. About 14” circumference of the upper sleeve.

11/07/24
Started bottom ribbing. In order for the bottom edge to lie flat and the ribbing not to pull I increased the total number of stitches by about 5% (on the last row before ribbing). Doing twisted ribbing, but twisting only the knit stitches.

I increased 2 stitches on each side 6 times (12 stitches per side), spread evenly down the body. Total number of stitches before the ribbing increase - 318.

11/10/24
I just finished binding off the body. I tried several different methods and needles sizes. The best would have been the tubular, but I settled on the yarn over bind off in pattern using size 4 dpn in my right hand.
The seater measures 17” from the underarms. I am expecting it to stretch a bit, but that’s ok.

used 3 full skeins of yarn for the body. Now on to the sleeves!

12/07/24
I jus finished another project and am back to this one. Started on sleeves. Decide to make long sleeves with a 1.5” wide ribbing at the cuff. Started a new skein of yarn - 4th.

Moved 74 sleeves stitches from hold to a circular needle size 4.
Picked up 21 from the underarm. This includes 2 in each corner for decreasing (to avoid holes). 1 stitch is reserved for the very center, on both sides of which the later decreases will take place. So total number of stitches before any decreases took place - 95.
Turned the whole piece inside out o protect the outside form rough handling.
1st round - dec. 1 st. in each corner - 93 total, 19 underarm
2nd round - plain
3rd round - again dec. st. in each corner - 91 total
4 round - plain
5 round - dec. 1 st. in each corner for the last time - 89 sts. total, 15 underarm.
Following rounds - plain for 16” rows then dec 2 in the center - 1 on each side of the “seam” - 87 stitches let.

From here I had to calculate the rate of decreases for the whole sleeve. It came to be a 15 pairs of decreases spaced every 9th row.

Here is how I calculated his:

• After 3 pair of corner decreases and 1 center decrease I had 87 stitches.
• Desired sleeve length from that point to the wrist - 16” (18” total from the underarm). Subtracts the cuff - 16” - 1.5” = 14.5”
• gauge - 40 rows and 27 st = 4” x 4” meaning 10 rows x 6.75 st = 1 x 1” This gauge is little tighter than in the body of the sweater.
• Desired cuff circumference 8.5”. Meaning 8.5x 6.75= 57.4 stitches, round down to 54 to stitches at the cuffs before ribbing. -number of stitches to be decreased along the whole sleeve 87-57=30. This means 15 pairs of decreases to be done along 14.5” of sleeve before ribbing. 14.5” is 145 rows at my gauge. Rate of decreases- 145 rows/15 pairs of decreases = pair of decreases every 9.6 rows. I will round this number down to 9, since I can always make an extra pair of decrease if necessary as I go.
  It is easier to make decrease than to rip back.

Therefore, to make this clear, let me rephrase - After knitting 8 rows plain, the following 9th row will have a pair of decreases. Then the count will start again, 8 plain, 1 decrease row; for a total of 15 decrease pairs.

12/15/2024
I am almost done with the 2nd sleeve. I actually ended up with 64 stitches at the cuff. Had I followed the above calculations, the sleeves would have been too narrow. Also, most of the decreases were spaced 12 rows apart, not 9.
I can’t wait to move on to another unfinished project - a sweater that needs just sleeves. Once that one is done then I will permit myself to start a completely new sweater, most likely a cardigan.

12/16/2024
Th sweater is drying now. I took some pictures before soaking it, when still unblocked. I am marking it finished here, but will still post more photos once it dries. I lobe it! Used 4 skeins of yarn with only 13 yards left over. Still have 2 full skeins!