What do I want this cardigan to look like? That probably matters, right? For me, the challenge is the construction, but in the end the sweater has to be something you want to put on, LOL.
This is the general idea.
Time to do some swatching. Quite frankly, not my favourite activity but I persevered for several mornings, trying out some different ideas.
I did sort out what I liked and didn’t like (more in the video below). Now this cardigan is going places. It’s so much fun to knit.
Here’s how it starts in my head (read this really, really fast because that’s how it sounds to me in my head): I should give the knitter an easier version, yes, I could do that, I’ll knit a chunky version, that will be faster, fast is good, it could have a garter stitch neckband, yes, that will work, that’s easier, and where am I going to add in the extra bust stitches that I and lots of knitters need (?), where can I put them … under the last set of double ridges (?), right that would work, I could add in more double ridges and then that would give the knitters some additional control over where that last double ridge lands, yes, ok, I’ll do that on this chunky weight version, that will look great.
And then I start because how long can one listen to all that chatter and not cast on?!
And I hate it.
I’m not enjoying the knitting. I don’t like the garter neckband. I don’t like the garter buttonbands. This looks really plain to me. I had a fancier cardigan in mind, something summery, with stitch pattern panels running vertically down the fronts. The garter stitch is not doing it for me.
On the positive side, I do like the yoke with more double ridges. And I tried adding extra stitches on the Fronts for extra bust width and that worked too. So I’ll be adding those options in the Mods Pages.
And now, don’t look, it’s getting ripped out.
The good new is there is progress on the yellow cardigan. It’s bright and cheerful and a pleasure to knit.
I do have some thoughts on where I want to go from here. Some sort of panel of vertical stitches running down from the double ridges.
Here is some chat about where I am on this cardigan.
Now that the fog has cleared, I’m on to deciding on a stitch pattern. Haul out the stitch dictionaries, here I come. Cheers, Deb
I am on to a new idea: a cardigan with a square neck opening. It will be a pseudo crew neck, I guess.
I’m also experimenting with videos. There are three here. Let me know what you think. It’s so much easier for me to talk, rather than write, about a new idea. (You may have to turn the volume up. No idea how all this works yet.)
The Back of Neck is 2″ narrower than the two fronts added together, as they would be if they were buttoned up. It will be interesting to see how the neck fits.
Here is the cast on with green raglan markers in place and two yellow markers to delineate the buttonbands.
Here we go, my first try with the short rows across the back of neck. They seem to be working fine.
I did a video of a really easy way to work short rows in a ribbed neckband.
I’m excited. Are you on the edge of your seat? LOL!!! Cheers, more next time. Deb
My favourite way to begin a Top Down garment is with the ribbed neckband. I’m not enamored with picking up stitches around the neck opening and would rather just jump right in and get going.
This is going to be a new Any Gauge project: a V-neck cardigan.
The Back of Neck in this type of Top Down tends to stretch. I have been experimenting with ways to make a firm edge across the Back of the Neck on the last row of the ribbed Neckband. Here it is.
Let me know if you try this. I think it’s working for me.
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!
Progress is being made on my vest version of the Build A Bigger V cardigan, and yes I am knitting like a crazy person. The Front is knit as a pullover. Nice and easy since it’s just the Back again without the beginning triangle at the neck. Done.
Now I have to attach them together so I can knit out to the edge of my shoulder.
Both the Front and Back have a 2 stitch I-cord worked along each edge. I’m going to use those I-Cord stitches for the pick up. Hang on, it’s a tricky ride.
Ta, da. Phew, done. Not hard to do. It’s just lots and lots of stitches.
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.
Have you tried this? I don’t use a cable needle. I was going to say I don’t own one but I think I do. It’s in the container with my set of straight needles which I also don’t use. Why do I still have them? That’s a very good question. Let’s not go there today.
One of my internet friends wanted to know how I get my cables to look so neat and tidy. My first thought was that I had no idea. I just do them and they turn out that way. But then, the next day, I remembered that I don’t use a cable needle. It’s not that I didn’t know I don’t use a cable needle, that would be sort of crazy, it’s that I haven’t used one for quite a long time so it doesn’t occur to me that they are needed to work cables.
So I did a video to show you how I do it. Thanks CD for the question that prompted this. I hope this visualization helps.
Only use the tips of your needles. Push all the stitches on your needles to the tips so you can maneuver your needles without pulling any of the stitches.
Take your needles to the stitches. Load the stitches going to the Back first. Once they are on your needle, Leave Them Where They Lie, usually slightly to the back of your work. Don’t move them because they will pull the stitches that are still hanging free.
Load the stitches going to the Front.
Cross the stitches to the Right or Left and load the stitches on your right needle onto the left needle. Check that you crossed them correctly. If not take them off and start again.
Knit across the cable stitches.
It’s a little risky but so satisfying and no cable needle to lose, imagine that!
The 3-Act Play scarf begins with 3 Triangles joined-as-you-go. Why make a point of talking about any one Triangle over the other two? It’s because Triangle 3 has some differences the other two triangle don’t have. It can be knit in garter stitch but here I knit it with eyelets and colour stripes. Yes, it was an adventure.
This was the second 3-Act Play scarf I knit. I decided to add Triangle 3 to the centre colour section by knitting it in two colours, plus the eyelets just to keep the eyelet thing going over all three triangles. I wanted to see how that would play out.
I really like how it looks but it is tricky. This is the 4-Row Eyelet pattern in the Mods pages: 2 rows for the eyelets and 2 rows in garter stitch. The colour of the garter stitch rows are the most obvious when it’s done. That’s a bit of a shame since the eyelets are more decorative but that’s the way it is.
It’s tricky because the beginning of the right side rows, where each new stripe is going to begin, is in the centre at the join between Triangle 2 and Triangle 3. I did a video.
Moving foward, I’ve ordered wool to make a couple more sweaters. I wish it was here already because I want to knit 2 more sweaters before the summer comes. Wait here, I’ll just go look on the porch to see if it’s come, nope, not today.
In the meantime I’m knitting my little grandson a mini-me sweater. It’s a great way to use up all the left-over odd balls and a testknit for my pattern. Daddy’s sweater and little Max’s sweater.
Deb Gemmell: Top Down, Gauge Free and more 