i lied...

every other needle beginning

I was going to totally cheat my way through this project but couldn’t help myself. I swatched a new, quickie hem and a small sample of the vee shaping for the neckline. What can I say? Old habits die hard!
The hem – just needs to hold down the bottom of the sweater – it’s not really going to show too much, I wanted it quick and easy, not something to add after which takes time and, not too bulky and didn’t want to use the ribber.  The EON for the pickup row reduces the bulk on the joining row and helps it lay flatter.
The neckline – going for that shortrowed decrease hack, and hoping the final cast-off edge will suffice with no further added finishing required. Again, quick and easy!


swatch 1

Swatch 1.  20-0-20 ns. Start off every other needle. Cast on waste yarn and ravel cord. Main yarn, T5, K1R. Bring all ns to work, K10R. Hang loops from first row on every other needle and remove waste. T6 (main tension), K10R. Here’s the vee part. CAR. Set to hold. Bring left of 0 to HP. Knit, wrap, knit (KWK). Hold 1 st to right of held sts, KWK 10X. Cancel hold, K1R. CAL. Bring all right of 0 to HP, set to hold. KWK. Hold [1 st, KWK, 2 sts, KWK] 5X (this will make a wider, shorter slope), ending CAL. Cancel hold and K1R. Unravel the last 10 sts at right so the yarn is on the last decreased stitch at right.  Looping yarn on next stitch at right, manually knit loose row over all previously held sts, making slightly larger loose sts at right of 0 and then a bit smaller for the ones at left of 0. Chain off. Finish each side as you would for shoulders or whatever – it’s just a swatch and you're practising the techniques!
Swatch 2. 25-0-25 ns – make this one bigger so it’s easier to distinguish one swatch

swatch 2

from the other when using the same colour. Start off every other needle. Cast on waste yarn and ravel cord. Main yarn, T2, K1R. Bring all ns to work, T5 (MT-1) K12R.
Hang loops from first row on every other needle and remove waste. T7, K1R. T6 (main tension), K10R.  The vee part. CAR. Set to hold. Bring left of 0 to HP. Knit, wrap, knit (KWK). Hold 1 st to right of held sts, KWK 10X. CAR. Return these 10 ns back to UWP and K1R. Manually knit large loose sts on these 10 sts and chain off. Complete right shoulder as desired. CAR only left of 0 remain in work. K1R. At right, hold [1 st, KWK, 2 sts, KWK] 5X (this will make a wider, shorter slope), ending CAL. Cancel hold and K1R. Manually knit loose row over all previously held sts, making them a bit smaller (this side doesn't need to drop as far because of the number of rows) than the right side. Chain off these and finish left shoulder.
Thread a blocking rod through the hem, tug it lengthwise to set the stitches and steam/press both swatches.
MAO analysis: I like the hem on the second swatch, it lays just a little nicer. For the neckline, I could live with either one but am sort of favouring the first one with the continuous line of chained off stitches. On to the real thing!