lauralkeet's 2020 Knitfest

In 2020 I'll continue working on the The Knitting Guild Association Master Handknitter Certification program. I had originally hoped to finish Level 2 by the end of 2019 but I'm going to need a little more time. I hope to start the third and final level soon after, but I think I'll spend time strengthening certain skills first.

Besides the certification program I always have at least one other project on the needles. In 2019 I knit a ton of socks. In 2020 I hope to get back into knitting sweaters or other garments.

I hope you'll stop in from time to time and see what I'm up to!

This is pretty much the only thing I'm working on at the moment. Yep, another sock! This time I'm keeping it simple. With this self-striping yarn I found that any sort of stitch pattern just gets lost in the stripes, so other than the ribbing at the top of the leg, these socks will be worked in plain old stockinette stitch. They should knit up quickly that way, too!

I really like the colors in those socks, Laural. Saw your family picture on the 75 group - good looking family. I probably won't finish anything, either, so maybe I'll spend this evening setting my thread up too.

Oh, yes, lovely colors. And you have plans (does not surprise me at all :-)

>3 dudes22: Thanks Betty. I look forward to following your 2020 thread!

>4 avaland: Plans. I can't help myself!!

ok - I owe you an apology. I've been calling you Laural instead of Laura. You could have pointed that out to me. I even went to your profile and was still getting it wrong. I blame old age....

>6 dudes22: really? Somehow I didn't even notice!

My last name is Lindsay so "laural" is my first name plus initial. And "lauralkeet" is a play on the bird, "lorikeet," because I'm a bit of a bird nerd.

So that's my LT handle etymology LOL!

Here's some great news to kick off my knitting year: I have passed Level 2 of the Master Hand Knitting program!

Back in September I received feedback on my initial submission, and I sent my resubmission in just after Christmas. There was one piece of work in particular that I wasn't happy with, but decided I'd rather have feedback and another resubmission than take a stab in the dark. But hey, it passed, so it's all good!

I'm going to take a short break before starting Level 3. I'm doing a Ravelry Knitalong where I'll learn how to design a sweater, which is a skill required for Level 3.

Congratulations on passing level 2, Laura. It’s probably even nicer as it was a surprise.

>8 lauralkeet: Congratulations indeed!

That's just great, Laura. Wonderful New Year's present.

Congratulations, Laura! A great way to start the new year on a high note.

>8 lauralkeet: Wow! Congrats!! I'm so impressed with how you're making your way through that program. I think I would get very impatient and angry and not make it very far. Ha!

Thank you Colleen, Lynda, Betty, Julia, and Amber! I really appreciate the support and encouragement in this group. I was surprised both that my work was accepted and that I heard back so quickly. I thought it would be a few weeks, and that I wouldn't know the results until my work was returned to me. It was really nice of the reviewer to send me an email to let me know. Yesterday was also 2 years to the day that I started Level 1 of the program, which feels oddly neat, tidy, and satisfying.

I've been playing around with ideas for the sweater I'm designing for the Knitalong (KAL) and will try to post about the design process as well as the "making" part.

Congratulations, Laura! Your work is beautiful, and you are dedicated enough, certainly.

>15 sallypursell: Aww, that's very kind. Thank you!

Sweater KAL - Initial Thoughts

I mentioned in >8 lauralkeet: that I'm going to do a Ravelry sweater knitalong (KAL) taught by Suzanne Bryan, a master knitter with an excellent YouTube site and an active Ravelry group.

Participants in the KAL will design and knit a bottom up sweater (pullover or cardigan) knit in pieces (front, back, sleeves). The style will be drop shoulder with or without saddle shoulders. On Jan 15 Suzanne will release a pattern that we can work from. As I understand it, the pattern provides a framework and is not very prescriptive, allowing for plenty of creative license. In the meantime she has suggested we think about things like the weight of yarn to use and any stitch patterns, such as cables, lace, colorwork, etc.

This KAL came along at just the right time, when I was looking to learn design and itching to knit a sweater for fun. While researching and writing a report on the History of Knitting for Level 2 of the Masters program, I became rather smitten with Gansey sweaters worn by fishermen in Scotland and England:



Fisher Ganseys are an “ancestor” of modern Aran knitting, originating in 19th century fishing villages, from Cornwall in the south to Scotland and the Shetland islands in the north, and were worn by fishermen as they worked. They were typically knit in a single color. The Scottish fishing fleet had a tremendous influence on gansey pattern development, spreading designs as the fleet moved south, following the herring into England. Many villages developed their own “signature” design. However, Scottish patterns were generally more intricate than the English. Cornwall, for example, had a strong contract knitting industry, and their ganseys were often just a simple fisherman’s rib. Scottish gansey patterns typically covered the entire sweater with motifs such as diamonds, chevrons, herringbones, and rope cables.

Most ganseys have a plain section at the bottom and a patterned section at the top. The length of each section varies depending on how ornate the patterns are. I plan to follow this formula and design my own patterned section. I have a couple of useful reference books to guide me: Traditional Knitting, by Michael Pearson, which is mostly about the history but has lots of photos and rudimentary pattern guidance, and Knitting Ganseys, by Beth Brown-Reinsel, recently published in a new edition and full of design guidance as well as several complete sweater patterns. Here's one of hers I especially like, called Cordova:



Next step: swatching to measure gauge and experiment with stitch patterns. I've ordered one skein of the type of yarn I think I'd like to use, and sketched out some potential stitch patterns.

What a great project, Laura. I can’t wait to see your progress.

Very interesting. Quite a difference between those two pictures. Although it seems unlikely, how will you know that the pattern you've "invented" hasn't been done before?

What else do you need to do for Part 3?

ETA: You've probably already told us when you originally told us about it, but I've forgotten.

Thanks Colleen & Betty. You're right, Betty, about the difference between the two photos. I see the second photo as a modern take on a traditional design. The 19th century sweaters were truly working garments, worn out on the boats in all conditions. They weren't meant to be attractive. Or feminine! These days we can incorporate some of the traditional techniques and stitch patterns to create prettier garments.

Just to clarify, this Gansey sweater is not part of the Masters program, but will be valuable experience to prepare me for a significant part of Level 3. The final level of the program requires the following:
2 Reports
2 Book Reviews
2 Magazine Reviews
19 Swatches
20 Questions
2 Projects:One hat and one sweater. Both must be self-designed and knit. One must be in traditional Aran style and the other in traditional Fair Isle style.

The reports typically require research and, if they are like the ones in Levels 1 & 2, should be about 4 pages long. Not too bad. And I find reviews pretty easy to do thanks to book reviews on LT. The swatches will demonstrate various techniques, and the questions will demonstrate knowledge related to those techniques.I was thinking today that I might start Level 3 sooner than I originally thought, working on the reports and reviews first while I'm in the early stages of the Gansey sweater. Still, I've given myself the month of January as a break from the program just because I think I need it.

ETA: I just realized I didn't answer your question about how will I know a pattern hasn't been invented before? And I guess the answer is, I won't. I'm hoping -- for both this and the designs required for Level 3 -- that the possibilities are so numerous that this is unlikely to happen. For my Gansey project, I am forcing myself not to look at Beth Brown-Reinsel's sweater patterns too closely, although there's one element in Cordova that I think I'll use.

Laura, I am knitting a Gansey myself just now. I have a different colorway for the yarn I used for my granddaughter's sweater, and I thought, although I know single colors are traditional, that it would be fun to knit in this yarn.

>21 sallypursell: ooh, I like that yarn! I see no reason not to break with tradition. That will be very pretty. Are you knitting this for yourself or someone else?

>21 sallypursell: - whatever that ombre look is (I'm assuming it's just the way the yarn knits up) I think it would make for an interesting look for a Gansey. (maybe it's not really ombre, but that's what I'm calling it.)

>20 lauralkeet: - Do you get to pick the books and magazine articles or are they "assigned" (either by topic? or author? or technique?) For someone who's not a knitter anymore, I know I'm displaying a great interest in this process.

>22 lauralkeet: >23 dudes22: I thought I would knit it for myself for a change. It has been over 30 years since I knitted something like that.

The yarn is Knit Picks yarn called Chroma, in a fingering weight, and this colorname is Sandpiper. It is 70% superwash wool, and 30% nylon if I remember correctly. I knitted it doubled for my grandaughter' s sweater, in two colorways Pegasus and Lupine as the main color.

>23 dudes22: I don't mind answering your questions Betty! I don't know the specific details of Level 3 yet. Once I actually enroll in Level 3 I will receive the instructions packet where everything is laid out. But I can tell you how it worked for Levels 1 & 2, and I suspect Level 3 will be similar.

For the written reports we are given a topic area (Level 1: care and blocking of hand knits, Level 2: history of knitting) and some guidance on major areas that should be addressed. Level 1 did not require any reviews; Level 2 required four book reviews: two design books, and two technique books. Participants choose the books themselves. So my guess is with Level 3, I'll need to review certain type(s) of books and magazines.

>24 sallypursell: Ooh, I like KnitPicks yarns and I've eyed Chroma before. I can't wait to see how your sweater turns out.

Interesting.

>17 lauralkeet: I've knitted several ganseys myself and have designed the patterned top section in some of them. I'm a big fan of this type of sweater. Looking forward to seeing how yours works out.

Will you be knitting the sleeves from the body out?

Looks like some great projects you have going!

>27 SassyLassy: This sweater will not be "authentic" in terms of its construction, since traditional Ganseys were knit in the round. I *think* the sleeves are knit as separate pieces and then joined to the arms before seaming. I'll know for sure once the KAL begins.

>28 thornton37814: Thanks Lori!

>29 lauralkeet: Interesting. My impression of ganseys is that they are knitted in the round to the arms, where gussets are made and then front and back are knitted separated from there on. The sleeves are then knitted down from the sides to the wrists in the round, making it easier to repair frayed cuffs on a working garment by merely unravelling whatever is damaged, and knitting it up anew. It seems to me I also have some mentions of them being knit from the neck down, for the same reason, so that the bottom can be repaired, but I would have to check for that.

Do you prefer knitting in the round or constructing individual pieces? I know that's kind of a broad question, as it depends on the garment, but usually people prefer one way or another, sort of like the preference in cardigans for raglan or inset sleeves.

>30 SassyLassy: I agree with your impressions of Ganseys. It may be more accurate to say I'll be knitting a Gansey-style sweater for this KAL, since the construction is different.

As for personal preference, knitting in the round is easier and of course you avoid dealing with seams. I used to approach seams with a certain amount of trepidation, but Level 2 of the MHK program focused heavily on seams and I am more comfortable with them now. I honestly am not sure I have a preference at the moment!

>31 lauralkeet: Mine is also not a gansey, and really not even a gansey-stlye sweater. It's too different, and thee upper front is much simpler than most ganseys. Oh, well, it's a sort-of gansey to me.

laurel, I wanted to put a smocked garment on here. Is that okay? It's not knitted, but I'd like to show it. My daughter wore it 35 years ago, and I made it for her. This year my granddaughter wore it for Christmas.

Of course, it sounds like a beautiful heirloom.

This is my granddaughter Lyra in the dress I made for my own daughter 35 years ago. It is just a little too big for her, hence the wrinkles in the yoke.
I don't know if you can see the snow I embroidered on every tree limb, and on every limb of the evergreens. There are two trees of each type. The snowmen have mufflers (scarves) on, with fringe that was free of the dress and would move. The only sign of the passage of time is that the middle section of the smocking no longer lies as regularly as it used to. I think it could be fixed.


I should have added a little story. I took my daughter to the mall to get her portrait taken with Santa, and a lady came up to us and offered me $125 dollars, and a new dress for my daughter to go home in if I would sell her the dress. I let my daughter choose. I think she was four or five. I told her that this much money would buy a lot of toys and candy, but then she wouldn't have the dress, and I asked her which she would rather have. She chose the dress, dear girl.

That dress is absolutely beautiful. I love the details with the snowman, the tree, the snow ... and oh my what a story to go with it. Very special.

That's really very cute. And so lucky you saved it.

Laura - (re: book club picks discussion on your 75 thread) - I think it's hard when hosting book club to decide whether to pick a book you've read so you have an idea whether people will like it or choose something you haven't read and don't know if people will like. This just happened when the host recommended a book a friend thought she should read and almost everyone didn't like it. I usually pick a book I've read and would recommend even if I have to re-read it. That said - I still think we should stretch our reading to things we might not usually read.

(I don't usually comment on your 75 thread since I'm not a member of the group unless I'm taking a book bullet)

Hi Betty, I agree with you about the dilemma when nominating books for book club. I have typically nominated books I've already read, as with Homegoing, but I'm in another book club where I've nominated two books I want to read. Those choices were informed by end-of-year lists and LT recommendations; the latter are especially reliable.

You are welcome to comment on my 75 Books thread anytime!!

Congrats on passing level 2 of your knitting program! A plain stockinette project is kind of my favorite. Keeps the hands busy but the brain free to listen to a book or watch TV (even with subtitles).

>31 lauralkeet: >40 mabith: Mabith shamed me with her polite behavior. I, too, should have congratulated you! I know you deserve it.

>40 mabith: Thank you! I will be starting Level 3 soon.

>41 sallypursell: Oh goodness, it's no problem at all! But thank you 😊

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Sorry for the delayed responses. We have been on a Caribbean cruise this week and I've been lurking more than posting here.Today we will travel from San Juan home to Philly. The cruise was great but it will also be nice to be home.

Time for a little update ...

While on our cruise I finished one pair of socks and started another.



These are knit with a self-striping yarn in plain old stockinette stitch. The knitting itself was kind of boring, but I like the stripes a lot and they fit well. The first time I wore them they became a conversation starter. I was wearing ballet flats, so they were very visible, but I just love it when that happens.



I bought this gradient yarn in Vienna last year. The top of the sock (ribbing) is at the bottom of the photo. The leg and foot are done in a stitch pattern and I like the way it's turning out.

BUT ... I'm moving slowly on these socks because:

* I've been immersed in designing the Gansey sweater mentioned in >17 lauralkeet:. Lots of swatching is required to determine gauge, choose stitch patterns, and then make sure those patterns all come together nicely in the patterned area in the upper part of the sweater. And then I'll finally be ready to cast on. No share-worthy photos yet, but rest assured I'll post them when I can.

* I started Level 3 of the Master Hand Knitting program. I figured I could begin with the written work while I was getting started on the Gansey sweater. I have to write two book reviews and two magazine reviews (500-1000 words each), and two reports each 1500-2000 words, one on Fiber and one on Traditional Knitting Techniques.

The socks will be a Knitting Group and TV-watching project for a while.

>43 lauralkeet: - I like the way your socks came out and I like the new sock yarn too. So they're not too bulky to wear with ballet flats? I would think they might bunch.

>44 dudes22: they're fine, Betty. Probably because the yarn is fingering weight (a very light weight). Heavier yarns would yield something thicker (like men's socks or hiking socks), which would definitely not work with the flats.

I *love* the socks!! I have a pair of mary janes that I like to wear with the pairs of self-striping socks I've knitted because it *does* lead to conversations. Several times already at the library I've had fun chats with patrons about knitting because of it.

I've just frogged a sock that I was working on - new pattern that I just couldn't get my head around. I want to find a toe-up sock pattern that I like and can actually figure out, but I'm not having much success...

>43 lauralkeet: It's amazing how close to being identical they are! Another lovely pair of socks.

btw, since you have passed some of your Master Knitter levels have you run into circumstances where your expertise has helped others? And are you at all thinking about teaching?

>47 avaland: - Good question!

Amber, I’ve never tried toe-up socks. For no good reason, it just happens that every pattern I’ve wanted to knit has been top down. I wish you luck!

Lois & Betty, I’ve definitely been in situations, usually in my knitting group, where I’ve been able to share my knowledge. Just informally in conversation about particular techniques. For some reason I feel very self conscious about it and afraid of coming across as a know it all.

The woman leading the sweater KAL has been a Master Knitter for some time and has made a real name for herself as an instructor. I’m really impressed by it but don’t have ambitions. I’d consider a more low-key gig, like doing something with small groups locally.

For me the program has been primarily about the learning experience. I signed up for Level 3 now because I realized that I have 2 years to complete it, and 2 years this month until a “milestone” birthday. It would be cool to finish by the time that birthday comes around. And then I’ll figure out how to put my certification into action!

>43 lauralkeet: I really like those sock yarns, too. I'm passionately fond of fingering-weight yarns, especially self-striping yarns.

>50 sallypursell: me too, Sally! Anytime I visit a new yarn shop I end up leaving with sock yarn. Part of the reason is that I want to by something but if I don't have a project in mind, I'm reluctant to buy large quantities of a yarn. But also, sock yarns are very hard to resist.

>51 lauralkeet: So pretty! And it's a mystery to see how they will turn out when knitted up.

I am finally ready to cast on for the back of my Gansey Sweater. There were several things I had to do first (I've been keeping notes for future reference):

1. Research and choose yarn. Buy at least a small quantity for swatching.
2. Develop high-level design (type of sweater, stitch patterns, etc.)
3. Take relevant body measurements and transfer onto schematic
Swatch for gauge & needle size with preliminary swatch, then final (4”) gauge swatch
4. Determine # sts to cast on based on measurements & gauge, and any shaping at waist or bust.
5. Design stitch patterns (gansey, cable, lace, etc.) and verify by swatching. First individual patterns, and then a full-width swatch.
6. Estimate yarn requirements and obtain remaining yarn if necessary.
7. Finalize front and back pattern design (# vertical stitch pattern repeats, etc.)

The sweater begins with 1.25" of garter stitch at the bottom, followed by 6.25" of plain stockinette stitch, a "definition ridge" marking the start of the patterned area, and then the stitch patterns (see photo in >17 lauralkeet: for help visualizing this). Below is my full-width swatch showing the definition ridge and stitch patterns. These will go across the body, both front and back. The color is a little less bright than shown here:



I want the definition ridge to fall a bit below the bustline, and the stitch patterns will repeat 4 times up the back. On the front I need to allow for the neckline. After puzzling over this for a while, I think the front will work with one less full repeat than the back. Then, around the neckline I will knit just the bricks & chevrons. Fingers crossed.

I'm using new-to-me cast on method common to traditional Ganseys, which is taking some practice. Hope to be off and running on the back section soon.

Wow! That's great! And a lot of work. I like the color. I'll be waiting to see how it goes. Do you have to tell them all the steps you went through or just give them the sweater - and the directions, I assume?

>54 dudes22: Betty, I'm doing this sweater as a knit-along with a Ravelry group, to learn and practice before designing a sweater for Level 3. So there are no formal requirements but I'm taking notes so I don't forget how I approached this.

That said, for Level 3 you submit the sweater and a written pattern. The pattern is written for the size of sweater made; I don't have to figure out instructions for multiple sizes, thank god.

I love the patterns that you designed, Laura! I'm glad you don't have to work out patterns for multiple sizes — that seems rather daunting, to say the least. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress on the KAL sweater as you go.

Thanks Julia. I started actually knitting the back section last night. I knit a few rows, found something I didn't like the look of in the first row, decided I could live with it, knit a few more rows, and then decided nope, I can't live with it so I started over. I still managed to get a few rows done before bedtime and it looks much better. I hate having to restart a project but I just couldn't "un-see" the mistake, and would have to live with it forever.

It's only recently that I've come to appreciate that starting over can make the entire project more enjoyable. I feel happier about the results and I think it also makes me more attentive to avoiding mistakes as I move forward. Of course it's much easier to start over when you've only knit a few rows.

I'm making progress on the back section of my Gansey Sweater. I have one more repeat of the 30-row "star and chevrons" section to go.



The front will look just like the back. I still need to design the sleeves at a detailed level, but they will have a cuff, a plain area, a definition ridge, and a pattern area using similar motifs as the body.

>58 lauralkeet: I've just finished the back on my almost-gansey. I screwed up so much beginning the back that I pulled it out twice--this time the mistakes aren't bad enough to bother me.

That's really looking good, Laura. I love the color.

>48 dudes22: Oh, that's gorgeous! The color was indeed a great choice.

>59 sallypursell: I had a couple of false starts on mine, too. I was using a new cast on method and it took a while to get the hang of it.

>60 dudes22:, >61 avaland: Thanks Betty & Lois. I don't know if you remember the argyle sock I had to do for the Master Hand Knitting program, but my sweater yarn is from the same company (Quince & Co), and while it's a heavier weight yarn it comes in many of the same colorways. I really liked the "Fjord" blue I used for the sock and when I saw it was available in the weight needed for the sweater, I knew I had to have it. It's such a basic color but something about it just works.

The gansey is really coming along well - it looks great so far. I particularly like the pattern on the edges (bricks?).

And I love your thread topper photo - that is just the perfect yarn storage.

>63 PawsforThought: Hi Paws! Thanks for the very kind compliments on my Gansey. Yes, those are bricks on the edges, it's kind of a "filler" pattern on the body, that I thought would work well at the edges where the back and front come together. I'm still thinking about how to use the patterns on the sleeves and shoulder saddle. One idea is to use a lot of bricks surrounding a central motif.

Also, I'm glad you like the thread topper. It's not my photo, but I found it somewhere and it gave me lots of nice yarn-goodness feelings.

>64 lauralkeet: I think bricks and a central motif would work well - I guess the most obvious would be the star/poinsettia.

>65 PawsforThought: Good idea. I need to pull out my schematic drawing, re-check some measurements, and then chart out the pattern.

Do the girls knit? Just wondering if there will be a knitfest going down at your house now.

>67 avaland: Lois, my older daughter Kate knits in fact, it was her learning to knit that inspired me to learn. In the past couple of years she's been doing other creative things (ceramics) but recently when the studio was required to close she pulled out some unfinished projects. And now there's an order of sock yarn on the way ...

>68 lauralkeet: Excellent!

I've finished both the front and back of my sweater. The front was challenging because the pattern had to play nicely with the neck shaping. I hadn't thought this through early enough and it looked like I was going to have too much plain space between the top star and the neckline. Someone in the Ravelry group suggested replicating the triangles & garter stitch motif that falls just below the bust, by working triangles at the neckline and then working the collar in garter stitch. I loved this idea! You can see the triangles in the photo below; the collar will be added after the sweater is seamed.

That's looking really nice, Laura. A lot of work which explains why you haven't been posting much. I love the color.

Thank you Betty! Each section took me about a month. Some of that is because I'm also working on the Master Hand Knitting program (which isn't very photo-worthy at this point). And then of course books and life intervene LOL.

And you did it with a houseful of family during a pandemic!

>73 avaland: Ha. Yes! But knitting is helping to keep me sane.

You're so fast! I knit while my husband watches action movies. You must knit all the time.

Not quite all the time ... sometimes I read instead LOL.

I knit in front of the TV most evenings (especially now, when we are not going out at all), and I usually find time during the day to knit as well. I admit to giving yarn and books priority over most other things, like cleaning the bathrooms.

>76 lauralkeet: So that's your secret--TV! I don't know why, but I have never gotten the TV habit. I have liked, and watched, a few shows, and I have nothing against TV. For some reason, though, I am just not interested in most TV.

I never want to spend a long time knitting. I prefer to pick it up in short spurts. But I get there eventually.

My sleeves are done and I’m ready for seams. So close now … after seaming I'll just need to add a neckband.



Here’s an “aerial view” showing how the pieces fit together. My table wasn’t large enough to lay out both sleeves.

Took me a minute, but I get it now. Wow - so close. Is that the last thing you have to do to submit your stuff for part 3?

>79 dudes22: Actually this sweater is a "dry run" for the Level 3 sweater, to learn how to design and knit a garment from scratch without the pressure of having to submit it for review. For Level 3, I have finished most of the swatches and written work so I'm almost ready to begin the "design and knit" portion: a Fair Isle hat and an Aran sweater. This sweater project has been a real confidence-booster for tackling these two projects.

>80 lauralkeet: I love knitting cables. If I can find it I can show you a sweater I designed for my husband, which got packed away when we moved last time, and not found for years.

Will you be using portions of this one for the design or are you planning to design something else?

>78 lauralkeet: It looks wonderful! And I just can't get over how fast you are.

>82 dudes22: Betty, I'm thinking I might use the same construction -- the drop shoulder sleeves with saddles -- rather than a traditional set-in sleeve. I need to use 4 different cables and include bobbles (!!) so I will need to play around with stitch pattern combinations as I did for this sweater. I'm looking forward to that part.

>83 sallypursell: thanks Sally! Admittedly I have more time on my hands these days. It shows both in my knitting and the number of books I'm reading.

I finished the sweater this weekend! I learned a ton about design and there were definitely some "lessons learned" that I will do differently next time. But on the whole, I am very pleased with the results and will wear this sweater often come autumn. Below, some photos. The lighting makes such a difference in how the color appears in the photo, and I am not expert enough to tweak them all to be consistent. So, here you go:

Here's a view from the front:


A close-up of the sleeve pattern


And the happy knitter 😀

That's really nice, Laura. A three-color sweater. The pattern are wonderful. Especially the sleeves - you should get lots of compliments.

That's a terrific-looking sweater, whatever color it really is! As Betty said, the pattern is wonderful and I am so impressed that you made it up yourself. I am struggling to follow a pattern chart to make a dishcloth currently, so I realize I am probably easily amazed on this point. :-)

Thanks Betty & Julia. It was a fun challenge. Now if I could only figure out how to get the "true" color in my photos! This blue in particular seems to photograph differently every single time.

That is so wonderful! Well done!!

So, which photo has the most accurate color?

Thanks Amber. I'm super, super happy with it. And I'd say the "true" color is somewhere in between the "bright" photo of the full sweater, and the "dark" photo of me wearing it. The sleeve photo is close, but looks flat. Argh.

I thought I'd post a little update on my Master Hand Knitting work. I have finished the Level 3 written work (reports and reviews), and all nineteen swatches. This level also requires two projects, both original designs: a Fair Isle hat, and an Aran sweater. After finishing my sweater, I feel like I have the head space to start thinking about these. I'm starting with the hat and will post more about it when my thoughts turn into something concrete.

In Levels 1 & 2, the swatches were mostly demonstrating techniques like increases, decreases, seams, buttonholes, etc. Level 3 includes some of that, and also a collection of more interesting & fun stitch patterns. So, here are a few of those: Entrelac, Smocking Stitch, Elongated Stitch, Bavarian Traveling Stitches, and Lace Doily.

>91 lauralkeet: Two of those look like very elegant crochet work. The one on the bottom, second place, astonishes me to think that it's knitted.

I wish I were younger, and my hands in better condition.

Those are really nice, Laura. That doily is really very fine. Is it yarn or more of a thread like crochet thread but knit?

Well done in the jumper - it looks lovely!

And I really like the swatches in different patterns - if it were me, I'd be tempted to make more and make a quilt or cushion cover of something out of it.

Ooh, lots of good questions!

Lynda, are you referring to the doily? On my iPad the images are in three rows (2, 2, and 1) so I'm not sure which one you meant.

Betty, except for the doily, the swatches were knit in worsted weight yarn which is a medium weight. The doily was done in fingering weight yarn, which is a lighter weight but still yarn not thread.

Paws, I understand that temptation. The Bavarian Traveling Stitches particularly interested me and would be fun to do in blocks to make a blanket or something.

All of the swatches are knitted, but extra credit points to those who spotted crochet! The doily was knit from the center out, and finished with an edge done in crochet. I've only dabbled in crochet so I was a little worried about that part, but fortunately it wasn't terribly difficult.

I hate doing bobbles, and I don't think they look that good, either. It is a wonder to me that they are so popular.

I've done all those types of stitches at one time or another, and I am very fond of knitting lace. In fact, it is a favorite of mine. Did you like any of the swatches more than some others?

Your pullover is very flattering, and I'd be proud of it if I were you. Congratulations! on finishing it.

So I'm guessing double pointed needles for the doily. But oh how tiny they must be. Even with a circular needle it must be hard not to stretch it too much. I know you blocked it, but still....

>97 sallypursell: I'm not looking forward to bobbles, but I plan to do the bare minimum required! As for favorites, I'll start by saying I was not a huge fan of Entrelac, at least for garments. It just looks kind of 1970s to me. It would make a nice pillow though. I was intrigued by the Bavarian Traveling Stitches, mostly because they are similar to cables which I love. But hoo boy, they are challenging because you have to work cable-type stitches on wrong side rows, but in a way that makes them appear as if you worked them on the right side. I had a very hard time figuring this out and fortunately found a reference that provided instructions for how to work each stitch on the wrong side.

>98 dudes22: Yes Betty, I used dpns for almost all of the doily. I switched to a 16" circ for the last two or three rounds. I was worried about stretching but the dpns were filling up and that was worrying, too.

I also had to buy some tiny crochet hooks because the two that I had were too large. I honestly had no idea what size would be best so I bought a small assortment.

>96 lauralkeet: I was indeed referring to the doily (which is the last entry in the list, I believe). I'm also happy to hear that the edging was true crochet, done with a crochet hook, because I was wracking my brain to understand how it was possible to do it by knitting.

I'd also thought that the item which would be third on the list; probably leading the second row, if you were doing 2, 2, 1, rather than the 3, 2 that I see.

Lovely work on all of them, in any case.

>100 Lyndatrue: ahhh, that one is elongated stitch in a pattern called "seafoam". The elongated stitches are created by wrapping yarn around the needle multiple times, and then releasing those wraps on the following row. The other stitches you see are the bumps from purl stitches.

>91 lauralkeet: Those swatches are wonderful!

>102 avaland: Thanks Lois. Those were some of the more interesting ones, and more fun to knit as well.

I've been working on a summer top. Pattern photos:


Front | Back

The top is knit in the round from the bottom up. This means it's a single piece until the armholes, when you work the front and back separately, and then join the shoulders together at the end. Mine is a rose color, in a linen yarn.

I think I've done all of those except for the entrelac, which I find boring to work. I think I like to play with trying out stitches rather than making garments. I just can't get over how much you get done!

That is a really pretty color! Although I think I would tempted to wear the sweater backwards. :)

>104 lauralkeet: That is a lovely color but looks more purple than rose in the photo. A linen yarn. Hm. Won't it still be rather warm?

That's really pretty. It's showing more lavender to me too, but that's ok - I still like it. I'm curious too - linen yarn? What's it feel like?

>105 sallypursell: I like to play with trying out stitches
I have a new appreciation for that, Sally. It's kind of fun to swatch something and see how it looks. Especially since I'm not very good at visualizing from a chart.

>106 genesisdiem: I think I would be tempted to wear the sweater backwards
That's an option. The pattern includes a set of photos with the V-neck and center lace in front. I'm pretty sure I'll wear it with the V in back, but I'll try it on both ways and see which one I like best. Although I'm small busted, I think it's probably best to commit to one way or the other.

>107 avaland: Actually Lois, plant fibers like linen, cotton, and bamboo are the most common fibers for warm weather knits. They are generally more breathable than wool, alpaca, etc.

And I have a helluva time with color accuracy in my photos. Sometimes I edit the photo to make it better, but I didn't do that for the one above. I do see a bit of purple/mauve in it, but it's definitely more on the rose side. Here's the yarn company's photo:

Are you guys ok? I heard there's flash flooding in Phillie.

>110 dudes22: We are fine! There was a flash flood warning but we just had heavy rain (and really, it just seemed like a long-overdue rainfall). Your message prompted me to check the news and hoo boy, it looks like other areas were much harder hit. I'll have to read more, but anyway we were not affected.

YEAH!

Also, I meant to say, it was very kind of you to reach out. ❤️

I thought about you yesterday, too, when I saw the weather.com alert about Philadelphia. I'm so glad to see that you're okay!

Yep, all is well Amber. I was getting weather alerts on my phone most of the afternoon but what was actually happening in our area didn't look that unusual. It's weird that not very far away the effects were much worse.

Here's my summer top, just off the needles!



I'm also working on a Fair Isle Hat for the Master Hand Knitting program. My first attempt was a good exercise, but was too long and one of my colors didn't play nicely with the others. I made some adjustments to the design and swapped out the "bad" color, and the second hat is looking better so far. I won't post a photo until it's finished, so for now here's a sneak peek at the color scheme:

I like that color scheme very much!

>117 rosalita: Thanks Julia. Purple is my favorite color, can you tell?!

>116 lauralkeet: Well done on the top! I can only hope I'll one day have the skills for something like that.

And I love the colour scheme too, I'm very fond of "berry colours" and those feel like a bowl of blueberries and blackberries.

>16 lauralkeet: - That's really very nice, Laura. And the colors for the hat are great, too!

>116 lauralkeet: That is an awesome sweater!!

Thanks everyone!

I finished my Fair Isle hat, one of two required projects for the Master Hand Knitting program (the other is an Aran sweater, both have to be original designs). The Fair Isle motifs came from a book, and the book's author actually showed those two motifs together which I liked. I had to figure out how to fit this into the dimensions of a standard hat, and had to design both the brim and the crown. The latter was a challenge. Because the hat gets smaller as you work towards the top, you can't really use traditional Fair Isle motifs in that area and have to figure out something else. I chose to "mirror" the look of the ribbing.

I am taking a short break before starting the sweater design. I haven't felt terribly inspired, but I've started flipping through books for ideas. Sooner or later that will trigger the urge to get pencil and paper and start sketching possibilities.

That's a really nice hat, Laura. I think using the ribbing on the crown was a good idea - but I'm not the judge. Weren't you using the sweater design in #85 for your sweater? Decided you didn't like it?

Thanks Betty. I did the Gansey sweater for the experience, and because I wanted to knit those Gansey style stitch patterns. But it doesn't meet the program's requirements for the Aran sweater:
* A minimum of 4 different cables
* Bobbles
* A background stitch for the cables, such as reverse stockinette
* A "filler" stitch that is not garter, reverse stockinette, or stockinette.

I will, however, use the same basic construction as my Gansey -- the sort of boxy shape with a drop shoulder and saddles. And probably a crew neck, but I could go with a turtle (or mock-turtle) neck, or a rolled neck.

An Aran sweater typically has a prominent central cable surrounded by other cables and filler stitches, like this design by Alice Starmore, who is more or less the queen of Aran knitting:



I'll probably start by deciding on a central motif and go from there.

I guess I misunderstood originally. I thought a Gansey sweater was what you had to design. I get it now. (Nice neckline on that sweater)

>123 lauralkeet: I love that hat!!

>127 genesisdiem: Thank you!!

>123 lauralkeet: I love that hat!

>123 lauralkeet: That's a super pretty hat - I'm craving a similar one now!

And I look forward to seeing how your Aran sweater comes out. I want to learn cables to I can make an Aran for myself - they are some of the coziest-looking things on Earth.

Thank you, Julia & Paws!

>130 PawsforThought: You should definitely learn cables! They are fun and create such interesting designs in the fabric. My first cable project was this scarf. The pattern, Irish Hiking Scarf, was great for learning because you just keep knitting the same 8 rows over and over until done.

>131 lauralkeet: I'm definitely planning to! That pattern looks good.

That hat is amazing, Laura! Well done, you!

Very nice!

Thanks Amber & Lois!

As usual, beautiful work! The tension in your fair isle work is outstanding. That's something I need more practice on.

I have designed and knit most of an Aran sweater. Then I had a Fibromyalgia flare, and lost the sleeve pattern somehow. It is still unfinished, and I am quite abashed about it. I am still in awe as to how much work you get done.

Thank you Sally, I really appreciate it!

It's been 10 days since I finished that hat and I've done very little knitting. I have a sock project on the needles that I pick up from time to time. I've done absolutely nothing on the Aran sweater. I don't know why, but I just haven't been inspired or motivated. I guess I'm in a bit of a slump. Like a reading slump, I'm sure it will pass, but it's unusual so it feels weird.

Have you looked through the cables in one of Barbara Walker's compendia? I found those inspiring. I particularly liked the two trees twisted together near the end of the book. I might try to find that.

Well that's a brilliant idea, Sally! I was flipping through two other resources this afternoon: Alice Starmore's Aran Knitting and Norah Gaughan's Knitted Cable Sourcebook. I have the first of Walker's "treasury" books and I had totally forgotten about it!!

Do you have these books in your library? I'm wondering if this sweater project is a good excuse to buy the third volume, Charted Knitting Designs.

>138 sallypursell: I do have all of them, although I can't find one of them. I like Charted Knitting Designs but I don't find it as useful as the others.

Go ahead and buy it--Barbara Walker believes in your ability to design knitwear. I learned a tremendous amount from the first one, especially.

>137 lauralkeet: The sleeves on my unfinished cable sweater had Traveling Stitches defining the edges as the sleeve increased in width. I really like those, too. You wouldn't believe how many pages of graph paper my original pattern took.

>140 sallypursell: It's helpful to have your opinion on the third book, Sally. I'm going to spend some time with the first book first, since I already have it.

>141 sallypursell: that sounds challenging!

Oh dear, I've been neglecting my thread. I also haven't made much progress on ... well, anything.

I made one sock in Nordic motifs:



Instep & cuff | Sole

I was pleased with my colorwork (tension, etc. look good), but there are a couple of issues. There are gaps in the heel from the short rows, which I could probably improve on a second sock. And I don’t really like the fit. I would prefer a longer leg, and the pattern could easily be modified for that. But even if I wanted to start over and correct these issues, the sock would be too long for my foot once I work the toe, and there’s no way to shorten the instep pattern.

With all these issues I wasn't excited about working a second sock, so I decided to call it quits and chalk this up to a good exercise in stranded color work.

I've been working on a simpler sock to use up some stash yarn, and recently bought yarn for a sweater. And I've been taking a break from the Master Hand Knitting program, but am feeling ready to dive back in and start designing my Aran sweater.

I love that one on the left! Ooo, the design of the sweater will be fun!

Thanks Lois. The one on the left with the bird motif is what you'd see on the instep (top of foot). The other is the sole, and as you can probably tell is the same pattern as on the leg cuff. I really like the design, it just didn't work for me.

I've started swatching potential cable patterns for my sweater. Starting to get my mojo back!

I love the color of those socks and I like both patterns. I think fall is a great time to start getting back to projects. I have a ton of things I want to do and my reading is suffering because of that. I'm still reading only my second book this month although I need to start my book club book for next month's read also. I can usually get at least an hour in sitting on the porch with my coffee after I walk(while my husband is walking with the guys), but it's been quite chilly here in the mornings so no sitting out this week.

It's been chilly here too Betty. We've been doing outdoor workouts offered by our gym, and let's just say we've had to work a little harder the past few days in order to stay warm. It's really not bad once you get moving but I wouldn't want to be sitting on my porch in the morning. Brr! It's supposed to be warmer the next few days, but I know these temps will return soon.

I walk with a couple of other ladies at 6:15 and yesterday the temp was in the 30s so I put on ear muffs and gloves. The morning temps are supposed to go up again into the 50s so maybe just a light sweatshirt. But, it's true, they will return.

All quiet over here. I can't believe you aren't knitting....

Oops, thanks for the prompt Lois!

I've been working on the design of the Aran sweater for Master Hand Knitter certification. This has involved swatching tons of different cable patterns, playing with them to see which ones go together best, and then fitting them to the body and sleeve dimensions. I'm making good progress, although there's nothing to photograph yet.

I'm also working on a much more straightforward sweater which is seamless and uses several basic stitch patterns (garter stitch, seed stitch, moss stitch). Here's a pattern photo and my work-in-progress.



The contrasting color at the top is just waste yarn, holding the stitches so I can come back and add a neckband at the end.

>150 lauralkeet: Oh, that’s lovely! I really like it when something’s been made using basic knitting patterns but the way it’s been used makes it look like it’s much more difficult. It’s a real skill to come up with that.

That's really pretty, Laura. Nice casual sweater. And a great color.

>151 PawsforThought: that's what I love about the pattern as well. And I really should give credit to the designer here. The pattern is "Purl Strings" by Heidi Kirrmaier, available on Ravelry.

>152 dudes22: thank you Betty. I'm looking forward to wearing this one, you're right it's a nice everyday kind of sweater. It's also a great project to work on while watching TV, especially now that the yoke is done. The rest of the body is in 12-row segments: 2 rows of seed stitch, 10 of stockinette. Easy peasy,

Sheesh. I had such a hard time falling asleep last night, because my mind was whirring over a design problem with the cable layout for my Aran sweater. I finally fell asleep but when the cat woke me up before my alarm, my thoughts instantly went back to the sweater. But this time, a solution presented itself almost immediately and it's one of those "think outside the box" sort of ideas. I need to sketch it out and do some math, but it just might work.

It's fascinating how our brains process things.

>150 lauralkeet: Oh, that's lovely!

>153 lauralkeet: Thanks for providing the pattern name and designer. I’m going to bookmark it for future reference.

And now my brain has decided to play “2 rows of seed stitch, 10 of stockinette” on repeat, in a song-song. Brains are weird.

>155 scaifea: I know, right?! It almost made up the all the tossing and turning.

>156 PawsforThought: You're welcome. Not so sure about that song, though. 😀

>150 lauralkeet: That sweater is indeed lovely. Will it be for you or one of the girls?

It's fascinating how our brains process things. I'm pretty sure your brain is far more orderly in its processing than mine is :-)

Thanks Lois, the sweater is for me. And my brain didn't feel very orderly when it was on midnight overdrive!

Oh, lovely work. I can't wait to see your design choices.

I'll be sure to post photos once I start knitting, Sally.

I've been seeing some interesting stitches videos on Pintrest lately with both knit and crochet. And a couple on different ways to stitch pieces together that I'm going to show a friend next time I see her.

Wow, three weeks have gone by and no knitting postings. Everything okay? Needles still whirring away?

Thanks for checking in, Lois!

On the plus side, the needles are indeed whirring away on my Purl Strings sweater (>150 lauralkeet:). I've finished the body and one sleeve, the second sleeve is in progress, and then I will only need to work the neckband. It shouldn't be long now.

My Aran sweater is moving at a glacial pace. This is the most challenging thing I've ever attempted. By the end of October I had settled on the cable patterns for the back and front sections (and probably the sleeves, but I can finalize that later). I have spent the last three weeks working out something called cable compensation. Short version: cables require more stitches than plain fabric or ribbing, so after working the ribbing at the bottom of the sweater, you need to increase the stitch count in order to have enough stitches for all the cables. Each cable can require a different number of increases, and it's important to choose the right type of increase that will look best in the fabric. Which, again, can vary from one motif to the next. Oof.

I thought I had this all figured out last week, so I cast on the back section of the sweater. I took my time working those increases, checking everything carefully as I went. Yesterday I was ready to knit the first actual cable pattern row, and midway through I realized the row was one stitch too short. The increases also looked kind of messy, which could have been due to a number of factors.

After a meltdown followed by a good night's sleep, I took another look at my plan for those increases and made some adjustments. I'm ready for a second try.

Aren't you glad you asked?! 😀

Well you get lots of credit for sticking with it. Also, sometimes a good foot stomping helps.

Yup, I would have had a meltdown at that point also. Probably good you took a break. It’s going to be a masterpiece, you know, and I also know you will keep at it until you conquer it 🧶

Betty & Lois, thanks for the encouragement. Yesterday I was able to reach out by email to the committee member who is my primary contact for the Masters Program, and share my experience and frustration. She had a couple of suggestions, but mostly she was just a calming voice assuring me that my feelings were not unusual and the challenges I was facing are common ones and, unlike most of the Masters Program, it's an area where there are few books or online references to turn to.

I also know you will keep at it until you conquer it
Yesterday, I did say to myself, "why am I doing this?" And "you know, you don't HAVE to do this."

But on my good days, I like a puzzle. Today I cast on again and knit the ribbing, so I'm ready to have another crack at those compensating increases.

Ooof. I'm sorry for the frustrations and I'm so impressed with your stick-to-it-iveness! I decided to add a cable to a sock pattern, finished up one of the socks, tried to try it on, and, yeah. I didn't compensate for the cables and it was like a Cinderella's stepsisters reenactment. I was *so* frustrated and upset. And I admit that I don't have the patience to redo and I threw the stupid thing away. Gah.

>169 lauralkeet: aw man, that would be so disappointing, Amber. I would have thrown it away, too. Before the Masters Program, I was completely unaware of cable compensation as a "thing." When the topic was introduced, I remembered knitting cable sweaters from patterns that included a "setup row" to make all the increases. Aha! I finally understood what that was all about. In Level 2 of the program I had to demonstrate compensation in a small swatch. Designing it into a sweater is a completely different kettle of fish.

>164 lauralkeet: I'm so impressed by your persistence! Knitting is such a foreign thing for my brain. Crochet was hard enough to learn.

>170 lesmel: Thank you! I tried my hand at crochet as a kid but never really got into it. Knitting just clicked, if you'll excuse the pun.

>164 lauralkeet: Sympathize with the cable designing process. I have done a couple of designs, but for me the mathematical work was figuring out how to get those increases in the setup row to work with the cables in the ribbing, especially when carrying up or expanding on those cables. Lots of graph paper used there!

Hope that second try works out.

>170 lesmel: >171 lauralkeet: I am absolutely clueless at crochet.

>172 SassyLassy: yes, I think that's what I'm finding most challenging right now also. I know how many increases I need and have tried to place them in the row so as to align well with the cable pattern above, but am not sure how they (and the cables) will look next to the ribbing (I'm not extending any cables down into the ribbing).

As for my second attempt, I've knit the ribbing and the increase row. I need to knit several rows of the cable patterns to get a feel for the overall look.

Okay, I am officially an idiot.

I took another shot at the back section of my sweater, and as I got into the cable patterns it just seemed like the piece was too narrow. I knit about 12 rows, enough to get a good look at the cable patterns themselves, and then, with the piece still on the needles, I pinned it out on blocking pads so I could simulate its width when blocked and evaluate the cables.

Sure enough, it wasn't wide enough by about an inch. I pulled out my notes to go over my design process and damn if it didn't all come down to math. I had used measurements from my pattern swatches to add up the width of each segment of the body. Somehow despite using a calculator I got the wrong answer. ARGH!

Surprisingly, this did not trigger a meltdown as in >164 lauralkeet:. I think it's because the problem was easily diagnosed and I know to how to "fix" it (i.e.; don't be an idiot). Also, even if the width had been correct there are some issues I need to resolve. The ribbing is far too narrow, a case of using a "rule of thumb" that didn't work for this garment. And ... well ... I have to admit that once I saw all of my cable patterns together in one piece it looked way too busy. It's a good practice to swatch the full width of the cable area, and I hadn't done that -- I had just laid swatches side by side.

So I'm going back to the design drawing board to replace some of my cable motifs with better ones. At some point I'll probably repeat the exercise I just did: knit ribbing and several rows of cables and then evaluate. With any luck it will end up being more than just a swatch and I'll knit the full back.

----

In other news, I finished my Purl Strings Sweater and am really happy with it. It was a really satisfying project, just the thing I need alongside the challenges of my Aran sweater. It's blocking now, so I'll post photos when it's dry.

You have a lot of patience doing this. You could put it in a spreadsheet and let the computer do the adding. Looking forward to seeing it at the end.

>174 lauralkeet: Ooo, sorry about the shortage, but you sound as if you have everything well in hand. And glad you averted a meltdown. However, you might lay off that idiot thing ;-) What if you imagined doing the sweater in the opposite direction from cables to the ribbing...would it make it easier to sort out it out?

Looking forward to the photos of the Purl String sweater. Your work is so lovely and perfectly made.

>175 dudes22: I think I just need to be more careful, Betty. The math was only a sum of about 5 numbers.

>176 avaland: Thanks Lois. I think I know what I need to do about the ribbing issue, if that's what you're getting at. And I'll try to be kinder to myself!

>174 lauralkeet: This is probably a sign that I'm a bad person, but it makes me feel a little better about how dumb I can be with my projects to know that someone with your level of skill and talent sometimes thinks she's a dummy, too. I definitely don't have your level of patience, though - there would certainly have been a meltdown if it were me.

When I have math that needs to be done for a project, I always have Astrophysicist Husband check it for me. He comes in handy on occasion.

>178 scaifea: Amber, you are so sweet. Dummies unite!
I all crafters experience "dummy errors" from time to time. We are all human after all. My husband, who is a woodworker not an astrophysicist, was very sympathetic about this recent mishap. Bless his heart.

----
I spent some time yesterday looking at cable motifs. Keep in mind that the motifs need to fit evenly in the vertical space as well as the horizontal. My largest motif, which I want to use on the center front, is 24 rows high. The other cables in the design need to be 6, 8, or 12 rows high so that an even multiple will fit within those 24 rows and when you get to the end, you don't have partial motifs hanging out there. I had been looking primarily at 12-row patterns and on this latest pass didn't see anything I liked. AThen I remembered that 8 goes into 24 (again, math!!) which opened up a whole new bunch of possibilities. I need to do some swatching today, but I *think* I might have found a combination that I like even more than what I had before.

Go, girl!

I have to say I am so happy with this Purl Strings sweater. It was fun to knit, not too difficult, and the yarn is a lusciously soft merino wool. It is sooo comfy. The first photo is more true to color, but the second photo is a better view of the stitch patterns.

>181 lauralkeet: Oh, that is so lovely! I want to make one like that.

>181 lauralkeet: - That is really nice. And I like green and it fits you so nice.

>182 PawsforThought: go for it, Paws!

>183 dudes22: Thank you Betty. The green was a conscious decision to mix up my wardrobe. I love earth tones but tend to gravitate toward gray/blue/purple/pink. I'm really happy with this one.

---

This project is also a testament to the importance of blocking knitted pieces. Blocking involves soaking the piece in water for about 20 minutes, gently squeezing most of the water out, and then pinning the garment out on blocking mats to dry. When I tried the sweater on before blocking, it felt a bit snug. Wool will stretch when wet, which can lead to disasters, but in this case I was able to use that property to my advantage. When pinning the sweater to the mat I made sure it matched the finished measurements provided on the pattern for chest circumference, body length, arm circumference, and sleeve length. After blocking, the sweater had just the right amount of roominess. I was pretty psyched.

>184 lauralkeet: Merino stretches more than regular wool, doesn't it? I think that's been a topic of discussion a few times in one of my FB knitting groups.

Okay, so you wait and block after stitching the pieces together? Or do you do both? Or was this a no-seams type of pattern? Also, I *love* it! The pattern, the yarn, the color - everything! Well done!

>185 PawsforThought: I'm not sure whether merino is inherently stretchier, but I know that superwash wool tends to stretch more than regular wool and a lot of merino seems to come in superwash.

>186 scaifea: Amber, this sweater was knit in the round so it's all one piece, no seams (yay!). When I knit sweaters in pieces I block before seaming, and pin the pieces to match the measurements on the pattern schematic. If I have any doubts about fit, I have some little clips that I use to put the pieces together so I can sort of try it on.

>187 lauralkeet: Maybe that's it, the superwash.

Did you have any issues with the pattern becoming warped when knitting in the round? I haven't come across that problem myself but I've seen quite a lot of people complaining about that.

I have not experienced any issues related to knitting in the round vs. flat, other than that one's gauge can differ because, in the round, you are knitting all right-side rows. What sort of warping have you heard about?

>189 lauralkeet: Patterns becoming slightly diagonal instead of straight, because there are no edges to straighten them up". It's apparently fairly common with Icelandic-style yoke sweaters.

>190 PawsforThought: It's apparently fairly common with Icelandic-style yoke sweaters.
Would you believe I'm about to start an Icelandic-style yoke sweater, knit in the round? Now I'm very curious to see what happens!

>191 lauralkeet: Oooh! Exciting! I have a few patterns that I'm keen to try out and will hopefully get around to in the new year.

>191 lauralkeet: I was hanging out in my FB groups this morning and was reminded of something re warping. It's specifically single ply yarn in the round that is in danger of warping.

>193 PawsforThought: ah, that's good to know. Thanks!

I had a lovely yarn shop experience this week.



A few years ago my daughter went to Iceland and brought me two skeins of navy wool. At the time I had no idea what to do about it, but the Master Hand Knitting program has piqued my interest in ethnic knitting traditions so I finally decided to make an Icelandic sweater. The pattern pictured above calls for 5 skeins of the main color, 2 of another, and 1 of a third. I thought I'd use gray for the main color, then navy and white. I had a little difficulty finding what I wanted and ended up buying white from one of my usual online sources, and gray from River Colors Studio in northeastern Ohio, a shop Ravelry suggested as a source.

The yarn arrived and I loved the way the gray and navy looked together. But the white was more of a cream than a bright white and it just didn't work. I went back to River Colors Studio's website, and found two potential colors in stock: "light denim heather" and "denim heather." But which one to choose?

I decided to call them for advice and spoke to a lovely woman who confirmed my hunch that the lighter denim color was too light and offered to send me a photo of the three colors together. And she sent it in both color and B&W so I could see the contrast! It was sooo helpful and of course I ordered a skein.

Also, fun fact: she explained why these yarns were a bit hard to find. For reasons she cannot explain, they have seen high demand for it this year. And apparently Iceland isn't exporting their wool right now due to Covid. So US suppliers are selling out of colors and unable to replenish. Wow. I feel fortunate to have found a color combo that works.

That's very interesting.

>195 lauralkeet: I would guess the high demand is people stuck at home and discovering they need a hobby. That's what happened with flour and yeast.

>195 lauralkeet: Oh, lovely! Is that an Ístex pattern? I recognise the style of the image and text - they're very popular in knitting circles over here. I have the Afmæli pattern which I will one day try to make. Riddari seems to be the most popular, at least from what I can tell.

Sounds about right regarding the non-export but I wonder if they've made an exception for the EU (or just the Nordic countries) because we don't seem to have any particular shortages of Icelandic wool here. It's sale season so a lot of companies are running out of colours, but I haven't seen anything particular about Ístex.

Happy to hear you had such a good yarn shop experience - yarn people seem to be generally nice (though sadly the owner of the combined yarn and lingerie (yes, really) shop in town isn't the best).

>197 lesmel: Yes, I'm sure that has something to do with it. Her comments about increased demand were specific to knitting with this type of wool vs. knitting in general, which I found interesting.

>198 PawsforThought: Ha! I knew you would chime in here, Paws. Yes, it's an Istex pattern: Tiglar, by Védís Jónsdóttir, published in Istex Lopi #29 (find it on Ravelry here). The Istex pattern collections are also surprisingly hard to come by here. I found several designs I liked created by US designers in the Icelandic style, but I found myself obsessing on finding the "real thing." I was really happy to find a design I liked that I could purchase as an individual pattern.

You are probably right about the export situation. And I agree completely about yarn shops being filled with nice people (had to laugh at yarn & lingerie though). But I suppose there are always exceptions. There is a shop here in Philadelphia which I have no desire to visit based on comments from my knitting group and nearly everyone else I've met who has been there. Apparently the inventory is fabulous but the owner is arrogant and unhelpful. Sheesh.

---

In other news, the latest iteration of my Aran sweater design just might be a winner. I knit a full-width swatch made up of about 1" of ribbing and 16 rows of cables. I need to block and measure it to see if any adjustments are needed, but in general I like what I see. Huzzah!

I meant to add earlier that I remember my mother made a few sweaters in patterns like that.

Glad your design is coming along.

>199 lauralkeet: Ha! I'm predictable!
Sorry to hear about the Icelandic patterns being difficult to come by, that's a real shame. I can get most if not all the Ístex patterns (although only about a dozen seem available for single-design purchase). Järbo (Swedish yarn producer and distributor) have some of them available for free downloads, including the Afmæli one I've got.
If you decide you want to try one that isn't available in English, I can try my hand at translating from Swedish. I have professional experience in translating, albeit I mainly did travel articles and not knitting instructions.

And yay! On your Aran design (probably) working out! Very exciting - I look forward to seeing it.

>200 dudes22: They are fairly classic designs I think, Betty.

>201 PawsforThought: Thanks Paws, for the offer to translate! That's very kind of you. I just spent a few pleasant minutes perusing the Järbo website. And I found the Afmæli pattern on Ravelry, as a free download nonetheless! That's a very nice design -- I've added it to my queue so I don't lose sight of it.

ETA: Järbo has an extensive free pattern archive on Ravelry. I'm like a kid in a candy store.

>199 lauralkeet: Now, that is interesting that demand was for a very specific type of wool. I wonder if some celebrity was all "I learned to knit with this specific wool!!" and then the next thing you know 89 million people wanted THAT wool only.

>203 lesmel: that's an interesting and plausible theory.

>202 lauralkeet: Ooh, I'm glad you liked the Järbo website. I've found a lot of nice things there. If you're not already familiar, the Drops website (garnstudio) is also excellent and has thousands of free patterns. They're available in almost countless numbers of languages, too. They have some very good instruction videos for different techniques, which is very helpful when - like myself - you're not familiar with fancy knitting things and just the basics.

>203 lesmel: Icelandic knitting seems to be one of the current trends in knitting. In my FB knitting groups, Icelandic styles and "hönsestrikk" (a kind of crazy knit where you mix colours and patterns) are by far the most talked about and created things.

>203 lesmel: - That actually makes a lot of sense. It's not like it's TP that everyone wants.

>195 lauralkeet: Unfortunately your image has disappeared. I love Icelandic yarn, have used it for many sweaters. The patterns seemed to go out of favour for awhile, but now thanks to all the new designers, not just for Lopi, they seem to be coming back.

No problem getting Lopi yarn in Canada. Maybe it is just a US thing?

>207 SassyLassy: I uploaded the image to my LT junk drawer. Can you see it now?

>208 lauralkeet: Yes - thanks.

I've actually made this sweater in medium blue with white and a deeper blue, but not yet navy, for contrast colours. I've also made it in a very similar pattern with light grey main body, and rose and white contrast, and then in medium brown main colour, with tan and deep brown contrast. These were all requests from different people, their colour selections.

Then there's Lopi Light - have you ever tried that? It's great for indoors.

So good to have the B&W colour photo for contrast, as well as a colour one for ideas. I like the idea of the denim heather!

I can see it.

>209 SassyLassy: those color selections sound really nice. I especially like the gray and rose combination, but of course I was looking to use the navy already in my stash. Great ideas for my next sweater though.

>199 lauralkeet: Congrats on the successful pattern. That's a great way to end the year!

I brought yarn home from Iceland too (ages ago) but never did anything with it.

>212 avaland: I brought yarn home Iceland too (ages ago) but never did anything with it.

Well Lois, you may have a money maker on your hands, if the information about limited supply is to be believed. 😀

>213 lauralkeet: I'm fairly certain I passed the skeins on to my SIL but now I'll have to look around and see :-)

Inspired by Lois' year-end recap, I took a look at my 2020 knitting. I didn't set very many goals for myself, other than continuing to work on the Master Hand Knitting Program. In >1 lauralkeet:, I wrote:

In 2019 I knit a ton of socks. In 2020 I hope to get back into knitting sweaters or other garments.

Ravelry data proves this out, more or less. I finished just 8 projects this year vs. 14 in 2019 (7 of which were socks). In 2020, I finished Level 2 of the Master Hand Knitting program, a hat for Level 3, 3 pairs of socks (the third pair just yesterday!), 2 sweaters, and a summer top.

The latest pair of socks are currently blocking; photos coming soon. And of course there will be a 2021 thread! I have really enjoyed the camaraderie in this group and the opportunity to see several different fiber crafts in action.

Best wishes to everyone this holiday season.

Nice year-end recap, Laura! I'm impressed with how many folks did so much crafting this year; I'm blaming Covid Brain, mask making, and my change in status from Lady of Leisure to Job-Having Lady again for my dismal craft production.

Thanks Amber. The only real surprise for me is that I thought I might have finished *more* projects than the year before, because of staying home so much.

Becoming a Job-Having Lady would absolutely have an impact! But don't sell yourself short: I think you can count mask-making as craft production.

>217 lauralkeet: Oh sure, masks count, but they took away from original plans, I guess. Not that I had a ton of plans. But still.

Yes, nice re-cap. I think you've done a lot! And you've conquered that big "problem" with the cables & ribbing! As a goal-oriented sort of person, can we assume there will be optimistic goals for 2021

>218 scaifea: oh, I get it. *shakes fist at pandemic for foiling Amber's plans*

>219 avaland: Hmm, I'm not sure, Lois. Other than the Masters program, I'll probably just knit whatever strikes my fancy. I know that's wildly out of character LOL. But then I used to be a very structured, goal-oriented reader, taking on lots of reading challenges and such. I stopped setting reading goals a couple of years ago and just read whatever I feel like reading. I guess I'm doing the same with my knitting.

I'm still pretty much a structured reader. By doing the category group, It tends to lead me to choosing books that will fit. Plus I still have so many unread books in my house that I feel guilty reading a brand new book, so I'm always behind the latest and greatest. Maybe I'll try less sleep. ;)

I'm structured in the sense that I track information about my reading in a spreadsheet: the books I've read, # pages, ratings, author's gender, whether it was part of a series, whether it was a library book or not, etc. The spreadsheet also notes if it was a book already on the shelves, or something borrowed or purchased more spur-of-the-moment. I try to balance those two categories, but usually the spur-of-the-moment reads outnumber the others. That was true this year, but I was closer to being balanced than ever before. That's all due to the pandemic, because reading books I already owned was just so much easier.

>220 lauralkeet: I think that's good. A bit of balance. I'm a fairly free-range reader these days, but I have a few projects in mind for 2021.

>222 lauralkeet: I get the desire to do that (having given birth to another who thinks like that).

>222 lauralkeet: - Do you keep one big one or break it down by year? And what's your main break? Author, I assume?

Betty, my spreadsheet is an annual thing. In the main sheet each row is a book, with columns for month read, pages, rating, and the other categories I mentioned above. On another sheet I have some calculations/stats like the number of books read in a month, or the total number of books by male and female authors.

I like spreadsheets. 😀

Me too.