Tag: top down

Why all the markers?

I’m working on the back panel of the Build a Vest with all those markers in place. What are they doing down the centre? I thought you’d never ask.

The first Build a V that I worked on was the baby version.

As you can see it also starts with a front and back panel, then is worked sideways for the sleeves.

The back panel looks like this.

See that nice little pointy V at the bottom? I didn’t want that pointing at my derriere on my vest. Would you?

So … all those markers. They indicate x number of ridges as I worked down the back.

This is my Build A Bigger V cardigan, and you can see that the point has been taken away, creating a rounded bottom to the back panel. At every marker I moved the increases further away from the centre marker.

This is my finished back panel of my vest.

The centre section gets wider and wider. As I approached the bottom I started widening the centre section a little more often.

I think this would work for a triangular shawl too, if you didn’t want that sharp triangle point. What do you think?

Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-free patterns by Deb

Deb.gemmell on instagram

Markers, how I use them

I am using several markers for this project. Only one is required by the Build a Bigger V pattern. That’s the white marker in the centre. The rest help me keep track of the shaping and remind me when and where to do things.

There are 7 more markers here which are all for me. Yes, there are quite a few. Yes, they are different colours and types of markers on purpose.

Marker for Right Side of fabric: That orange marker on the right is pinned through the fabric to tell me this is the beginning of the right side row. It is especially helpful at the start of the project when there aren’t as many other things to tell me I’m on the right side. It’s a removable marker so I can move it up as I knit.

Markers for length: The orange, green, orange sequence up the middle are for counting ridges so I don’t have to keep counting from the cast on. I am placing the first orange marker after the first 2 ridges, then every 8 ridges as I continue down this front panel because something happens every 8 ridges in this particular pattern.

Markers delineate: The two metal markers on either side of the centre marker (white) show me where the middle section is. You can place markers on either side of a stitch pattern or some section you need to keep track of.

Markers – do something here: The metal markers on either side of the centre marker also help me find where I need to work increases. The instructions say to work an increase x number of stitches before the centre marker (white). I don’t have to keep looking ahead for those x number of stitches if I put a marker in. I work one increase before the metal marker, knit across the middle section to the other metal marker and work an increase after it.

Markers – pay attention: I have a lot of trouble remembering to do things at the ends of the rows. So the blue marker on the left edge is telling me to pay attention and work a decrease, duh. I know it’s supposed to be there but I have merrily knit right past it so many times, I needed a marker to remind me. It’s a rescue marker.

I have collected several different types of markers for this very purpose. They help me reduce the stress of paying attention, cut down on the amount of ripping back I have to do, and therefore, make my knitting so much more enjoyable.

Hope this is helpful, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free patterns by Deb

Deb.gemmell on instagram

Gauge-Free, Build A Vest

This vest, and the cardigan I’m modifying it from (Build a Bigger V), will be Gauge-Free. No swatch needed. No talk about gauge at all, none, throughout the entire pattern. How freeing is that?

How can it possibly work?

Start with a couple of stitches and build a triangle with increases worked on either side of the centre marker. Work until the solid edge of the triangle is the width of the Back of Neck. Mine is 8″ wide.

Width of Back of Neck is 8″.

That sets the number of stitches for the Back Panel. You need to count the number of stitches you set up with at this point but we don’t care how many stitches per inch you are getting here. Any number of stitches will work.

Now, I will keep the same stitch count as I knit the back panel.

The shaded part here is the Back Panel. The triangle begins at the Back of Neck and the Back Panel is knit down to the desired length.

The decision will be how long I want this vest to be. Lots of knitting for the next week.

Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free patterns by Deb

Deb.gemmell on instagram

Build A Vest, ready, set, go >>>

This is a photo of the Build A Bigger V cardigan before I knit the sleeves. This could be a vest as it is in this photo. It has 9″ of ease so if it was a little more fitted … it could work.

But I sort of like the idea of cutting in the armhole, for a sleeveless look (white line).

Better?

At any rate, I’ve started. This is the beginning of the Back Panel. I’m knitting in fingering weight yarn (80/20 fingering by Shelridge Yarns – colour Iris). Yes, this will be a lot of knitting but here I go.

The idea of Building a Vest using the Build a Bigger V cardigan intrigued several knitters. Thanks for voting. Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free patterns by Deb

Deb.gemmell on instagram

Is it time for a new experiment?

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/debgemmellmods

I have an idea. Uh, oh. It won’t go away.

I want to knit a vest. That’s not so weird, right? They are handy to have. Winter is coming and I want to be prepared.

I could make it in the normal vest way: start with the shoulders and knit the front to the underarm, knit the back, join in the round at the underarm, and well, you get the picture. But no, not doing that because of … the idea.

What I really want is a top down raglan …

This is the Side Pattern Vest
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/side-pattern-vest-631 by Cabin Fever,
designed by me. It’s a lovely knit in worsted weight yarn.

… where the shoulder is narrower. How can I shorten the shoulder section so that when I cast off the sleeve stitches I have what looks like a sleeveless armhole?

Yes, this is my big question. I know, I know, why bother? Sometimes a question like this grabs my attention and won’t let go so … here we go.

Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge patterns by Deb

Deb.Gemmell on instagram

Post-moving WIP#1

I’ve moved after living in the same house for 32 years. Once my two kids left home, my knitting took over. Walking into my knitting room, knowing I wouldn’t have another one in an apartment, was sad and problematic. What should I move, and what to do with the rest?

Moving some of my yarn forward was fairly easy. I had my knitting guild friends come over and take it away. My yarn now has new homes where it will be treasured.

The hard part was facing all those WIPs. OMG, there were so many. I must admit that I brought many with me. I’m going to go through them and tackle them one at a time, but not right now because I can’t face them.

First on my list is this Bonne Annee by Vera Sanon.

I even chose the same colour.

Why was it in the knitting time-out corner for years? Why was I knitting the extra small size when I need a large? Questions, questions, right?

Once I took out my ruler it was quite obvious. The gauge for the pattern was 24 sts = 10cm/4″ and I was getting 20 sts = 10 cm/4″. Wow, that throws things off just a tiny bit, ha, ha. I’m using fingering yarn but still can’t get gauge, my usual frustration, pardon me, my usual challenge (trying to change my attitude here).

Problem solving commenced and I think I have a reasonably successful body, not perfect, but finished.

My tip of the day is to work your body on two circular needles,one for the front stitches and one for the back. Each time you switch needles you knit the stitches back onto the other end of the same needle.

Here is an old Cat Bordhi video for you (somehow goats come into it, LOL): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RybPvCNfrT8.

It works great. You can pop it over your head and try it on about 20 thousand times to get the size you need. Yes, that’s how I did it.

The cables kept me going. Aren’t they great?

Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free patterns by Deb

Deb.gemmell on instagram

Done

Gauge-free and Any Gauge patterns by Deb

Yes, it’s done!

Am I happy? Yes.

What do I think about my first boxy style pullover?

It’s comfy to wear. Fourteen inches of ease might have something to do with that.

It was a lot of knitting. I was amazed when I weighed it and it only weighed 400g. It felt like it should have been more than that. The yarn is a cotton/linen blend by Sugar Bush called Cabot.

I really like the 3/4 length sleeves. Actually, what I really loved was that the sleeves where so nice and short, LOL. Maybe you can relate?

I would change a couple of things next time.

I would slope the sleeves to match the shoulder line.

I worked shaping on either side of the back panel. I like it.

Next time I would work the decreases and increases inside the pattern itself. Then the panel would have an hourglass shape. I feel like the back on these sweaters needs a little distraction from all that stockinette fabric.

I’m happy with my experiment. Will I knit another one? Maybe.

Cheers, Deb

Gauge-free and Any Gauge patterns by Deb :

Deb.gemmell on Instagram

Stages of sweater making

Gauge-free and Any Gauge patterns by Deb https://www.ravelry.com/stores/debgemmellmods

There are distinct stages in sweater knitting – places where you can take a look and feel satisfied with your progress. A good thing too because a sweater is a long project. Taking the time to sit back and congratulate  yourself makes it all worthwhile.

Getting started with all the adventure ahead of you – that’s the easy part.

There’s a point where it seems to become a sweater and not some random bit of knitting. For this pullover, it was joining it up at the bottom of the V.

Trying something new is also fun. The idea to work the steeks was not what I had planned for this construction. But why not?

Getting the sleeves done is always a  relief. Once the sleeves are there it really is a garment. These are 3/4 length so not long at all. Yay.

Now I’m coasting down to the bottom and wondering how long I really need this sweater to be. I’d like to be done. This is where I need to buckle down and keep going.

I’m so close to being finished. Now I’m looking to cast on something new. Hmmm.

Cheers,  Deb

Gauge-free and Any Gauge patterns by Deb https://www.ravelry.com/stores/debgemmellmods

Deb.Gemmell on Instagram

Did the Steeks work?

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free patterns by Deb

I know you’ve been waiting with baited breath to see if picking up around my steeked sleeve opening would hold as I knit my sleeves. You haven’t?!

Well, I was holding my breath, even as I did it. And, guess what, I found one more skein of the pink. Yay.

On the inside you can see the crochet work I did and the cut ends.

On the outside, the pick up is very neat and tidy. I picked up 3 stitches for every 4 rows.

One 3/4 length sleeve finished. I have to say that this construction sure makes short work of sleeve knitting. I love that.

As I approach the end of this large experiment I cast on for a new project. I’m holding it as a carrot in front of this sweater so that I get it done.

I can’t be the only one who does this, am I?

Cheers, Deb

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free Patterns by Deb

Deb.Gemmell on instagram

Summer knitting

I hope you are doing some summertime knitting. I am almost finished my third skein of cotton.

Hmm, it looks like it must be more yarn than that, doesn’t it? Maybe it’s the end of the 4th skein. It might have been an idea to take note of how much I had when I started. Notes?! Ha.

That’s the last of the pink, unfortunately. I’m still stash busting and using what I have on hand. I have one skein of gray to finish. So that’s next.

I’m knitting up the pink as fast as I can. I really want to pick up around my sleeves. I’m going to do some sort of short gray sleeve. Yarn is running out. Yikes.

What is your summer project?

Cheers, Deb

Gauge-free and Any Gauge patterns by Deb on ravelry.