Twist stitch patterns are perfect for adding into a sweater. They don’t affect your stitch count so you can just plug them anywhere you want. I put this pattern down the middle of the front of this top down pullover. I will also add this pattern to each side of the body. I might even add them into my cuffs. Why not? I just can’t get enough of them.
Twisted stitches are a two stitch cable without the cable needle. Don’t you love that!
There are parts of sweater knitting that I enjoy over others. Settling in to knit a raglan yoke is one of the most enjoyable parts of the sweater for me. I love keeping track of the increases, seeing it get bigger and bigger, wider and wider, knowing it’s going to be so great.
Both of my Family Crew Neck sweaters are progressing well. The child size 4 is way ahead.
The colouring of the yarn is a great incentive to keep going. This is Maravilla by Katia, a wool & acrylic blend.
My navy version (Shelridge Yarns, W4 worsted, navy) is coming along. The short rows are done here. I was knitting on a train trip to Ottawa. Perfect knitting conditions: travel mug of tea, audio book and ear buds, hours of quiet knitting time.
Now I’m ready to really go for it. I will be introducing a pattern into the front 20 stitches between the ends of the short rows. Fun, fun, fun. Isn’t knitting just the greatest!
This will be my first sweater of 2024 and I am so excited to get started. If you want to knit along with me, the Family Crew Neck is on ravely. I am going to make videos for most of the sections of the sweater so you can see how this pattern works. It’s an Any Gauge pattern so I don’t know what yarn or what size you are knitting, that was the challenge of writing this pattern.
I am going to knit a 4 year old size for my grandson and an adult size for myself. I had knit one for my son-in-law, my grandson (both in the photo), one for my daughter-in-law (also in photo), and one for my daughter. I didn’t knit one for myself!!! It’s obviously time.
This is a longish post. Getting started always takes a bit of time. Hang on, there are videos and photos of the Cast On for both sizes.
Here we go. Because this pattern is for Any Gauge of yarn, you do have to do some math. Sorry, but there is no avoiding it. You need your gauge (# of sts in 1″) and a couple more numbers. Nothing your calculator can’t handle.
Here is my cast on. Gauge is DK weight yarn (5.5 sts = 1″), 4 year old size with 5″ Back of Neck (BofN).
Yes, there are a lot of Front sts, that’s totally correct. The extra Front sts will form a dropped front to the crewneck.
Here is my cast on for an adult size in worsted weight yarn (gauge is 5 sts = 1″) with an 8″ Back of Neck.
And now, how can you cast on when you will be beginning with the neck band and it needs to go over your head easily? I learned this from Cat Bourdhi and now use it all the time.
It’s that time of year. I hope you are enjoying some holiday cheer. Best wishes to you and yours.
I have knitting plans, of course, for the holiday. Plans to finish a few things.
This hat, a Two Triangle Hat made out of chunky weight left-overs.
Today I am going to block this sweater. There, it’s in writing, now I have to do it. Wait, I’ll just go run water into the sink … there that’s done, now it’s going to happen. It’s one of those double stranded mohair + wool sweaters and I’m a little nervous about washing and blocking. Have you done this? Did it work out ok?
Another sweater that I started waaay back has sleeves to finish. I am knitting them 2 at a time, my new favourite way. Of course you wouldn’t know that since it’s been sitting for a while but I am looking forward to doing the sleeves.
Then there is the Christmas sock gift that I have to finish pretty smartly. These I’m knitting in the helical way with 3 colours. I am enjoying watching the colours come together.
Phew, after all of that, I might, just might, start a pullover for my grandson. I have the yarn on my desk and it is calling to me.
In January I am going to knit another vest. I have an idea, which may or may not work, but that’s the fun of it.
See you on the other side. Happy New Year, 2024, yikes!
My goal this year was to knit fingering weight garments. I’m finding it a slow go. So this is a short post to celebrate. I’m so happy to have it finished.
This is my first one. A vest version of the Build A Bigger V. There are fewer changes for the vest than I had thought at first. The biggest change is no sleeves, of course, so the final bit was knitting out to the sides to get the correct fit around the body.
It fits well, it’s light weight and did I mention, it’s Done.
I’m so excited. I just had to show you (over and over again, apparently).
Now it’s time to finish up some small things. They are soooo satisfying after finishing a bigger project.
Are you busy with small knitting or longer projects? I hope it’s going well.
I seem to be in learning mode these days. This is my default when things get tough. Elderly care is taking up a lot of my emotional bandwidth so I need something to concentrate on in small doses. The Jigsaw Blanket by Stephen West was great for this. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/jigsaw-puzzle-blanket
This pattern has lots of information about working all the shapes but does not give you row by row instructions for joining. It was fun to work on trying to transfer techniques to see if I had actually learned anything.
Not bad but I’m thinking of doing one more cushion cover to consolidate my knowledge. I have lots of partial balls left over from both projects.
It definitely feels like this year needs something new. So I have given myself a challenge: videos. The first one is purling back backwards (near the bottom of this post).
I’m ok with amateur-hour videos as I figure this out. But videos there will be. Let’s begin as I intend to continue, with my first 2023 project with videos.
I was gifted 2 large bags of fingering weight wool by my sister Lyn, of Shelridge Yarns. Yup, this is a lot of excellent wool.
It’s burning a hole in my project bag. Is this even a thing? You know what I mean, right? I need to use it, lots of it, right now!
I’ve chosen to work Stephen West’s Jigsaw Puzzle Blanket. It has a lot going for it. Two strands of fingering are held together throughout. It’s worked on nice big needles and it’s modular too, yahoo.
So far I am on my third section and I can already see that the turning, turning, turning for the garter rows is going to be a drag as this gets bigger.
Purling back backwards is coming to the rescue. You work it with the right side facing (no turning to the wrong side). It gives you the garter stitch bumps needed.
Here’s how it’s done. (You can skip to the video below if you want to.)
With yarn in front, insert the left needle into the back leg of the next stitch, from back to front.
Wrap the yarn around the front needle, counterclockwise.
Push your front needle through the stitch to the back. Purl bump made.
Do you want to see it in real time?
Make purl bumps of garter stitch made with the Right Side facing, no turning needed.
I am going to be soooooo good at this by the end!
Hope you have chosen a gorgeous new project to get you started on 2023.
Deb Gemmell: Top Down, Gauge Free and more 