a bird in the hand...

or my 5-button-dilemma…
Have you ever had someone in your life who keeps doing the same thing over and over and it kind of bugs you for whatever reason and you don’t know how to stop it? Now, this may sound petty but my friend loves to give me buttons – she travels and buys them for me as a keepsake or souvenir – and I know it’s the thought that counts but she always buys them in fives… and they are usually like 5/8 inch and I need eight or nine buttons of that size for a cardigan. My mother would say, ‘beggars can’t be choosers…’ or ’don’t look a gift horse in the mouth’ (I never really got this one) but, here I am with two perfectly nice cardigans and some perfectly nice buttons that aren’t enough for either one.
Heavy sigh…oh, how ‘bout this? I’ll use two sets of the metal-looking ones for the ‘poppy’ cardigan, alternating them so it will look like I planned it and just buy eight new ones for the ginger cardi…
and I  got my pound of yarn knit for this week!
All’s well that ends well…

what next….

All my finished things soaking in Eucalan at this minute – I feel so productive! 5 garments in 5 weeks (and that pattern!)! or, 5 lbs of yarn in 5 weeks! I need to keep this momentum! Not that I actually keep track, but the other day, just out of curiosity, I counted the number of ‘good’ cones I have (by good, I mean enough of one colour/dyelot for one garment in yarn I  want to use, in colours I like) and I have enough yarn to keep up this pace for the next 2 years! Wow! Yikes! but now what to do next?
My current list, just off the top of my head, in no particular order…
1. the good wife cardi ( from last spring, blogposts April 2014) there may be a new pattern here…
2. another two-colour ‘Omega’ – the last one turned charcoal and paperbagtan fuzzballs – lesson learned: do not use two colours of soft cotton in same garment…
3. another 1RT Raglan - I’m pretty sure I’m giving this poppy one to my s-i-l who is same size as me…her birthday shortly…
4. lace raglan like the 'comfy' remake, in Bonita mercerized cotton just because…
5. maybe some Christmas presents – I haven’t made Nathan a hoodie since his 8th birthday and he’ll be 11 in February…

to WY or CO? that is the question...

Someone had some problems last week and it set me off on another direction briefly…I do have all four garments done for Jan, but not the final wash and dry, press/steam and add buttons. I left it all to the end because of the two WCD garments – no point in laundering separately, might as well wait and do them all together – I know, I know, you’re thinking, excuses, excuses…I do think it’s valid procrastination!
So, anyway, this knitter, who shall remain nameless, (actually, I’ll call her ‘Lana’) told me she used my ‘Rich Raglan’ (Serial Stuff 2, Sep 2011) pattern and my blog from early this spring to make a 1RT (one row tuck) raglan from WCD (wool crepe deluxe) and it turned out huge! What went wrong?…she made a new swatch, drew a new schematic, blah, blah, blah and ended up with this too-big disaster and was getting pretty depressed – she felt that her machine knitting skills to this point should have been good enough to not let this happen. ‘Lana’ has made the ‘Rich Raglan’ several times and been quite successful, using the pattern yarn and substituting yarn so what gives? In analyzing her bad product, she begins to blame it on my beloved 1RT… I can’t let this happen, I feel responsible and immediately start to make a 1RT raglan, this time for myself – the last one was for my ‘little’ sister, Jan, so ‘Lana’s’ panic starts to give me doubts as well. Did that one really fit what I had planned or was I deluding myself?

I start at the beginning and make a new swatch – I don’t want any come-backs on this. I choose a different 1RT pattern from what I used in WCD previously ( from KW43, ‘caped wrapper’ – I still love this one!) and with a pretty ‘poppy’ WCD, I make the swatch, carefully adding appropriate weights so she can’t blame the problem on too much weight on the garment as opposed to the swatch. I measure it immediately off the machine and get 29 sts and 48 rows (to 10 cm/4 in.). I give it a little pressing with my steam iron which I would normally do with my knitted pieces before assembling and get 29 sts and 49 rows. I wash it, roll in a towel and then think, hummmm, let’s get this show on the road, I’ll just use the hairdryer a bit to speed up the drying ( then, I conveniently block this from my mind)…done. Measure it and now have 29 sts and 56 rows. I proceed with that and make the back. But as I’m making the back, force of habit makes me add my little ‘cheating at swatches’ (blogpost, Cheating, Apr 21, 2008) yarn marks to the centre of the piece. Back done, lightly pressed out, measure the marks and I’ve got 29 sts and 50 rows…WTH? gee, does the tuck make that much difference and should I have let it rest before steaming? It does look pretty big and what do you know – a tape measure to the side seam comes up with 38 cms instead of the desired 32 cms. Huh! Reprogram my KR11 for 50 rows and make a sleeve, adding the cheat yarn marks and what do you know, it reads 29 sts and 50 rows after I take it off the machine. The sleeve, left overnight before touching it with the iron is the exact measurement that I planned.  Make remaining pieces, reknit back all at 50 rows/10 cm. Make a new swatch and let it dry naturally – 29 sts and 50 rows. How’s that for persistence and covering all the bases!
So, I still don’t know what C – er- ‘Lana’ did wrong but this is perfect.
I realized I have changed something from my original pattern instructions and here it is – instead of taking the top of each piece off on Waste Yarn – these would end up being rehung for attaching the neckband but I’ve found it easier to Cast Off the top of each piece (after the shortrowing is done, knit 1 row over all to get rid of the wraps, then knit a loose row and chain cast off) – on fine (or dark coloured) yarn like this, it’s easier to pick up the cast-off edge than try and find all those tiny, wee stitches which sometimes escape and you later find a dropped stitch after the band is attached…anyway, this means a slight change in finishing the neckband. Make the band the same way as the pattern states:

Stockinette Band. Cast on WY and ravel cord. CAR. MC, T5, K10R. T8, K1R. T5, K10R. Hang hem and remove WY. T7, K1R. Right side of band is facing you now.

New method: Now, remove band. Hang garment neckline, right side facing, hanging both sides of cast-off stitch. Don’t worry about the seamed sts – they are cast off and inside the seam. Turn band and rehang, open sts in hooks. Bring ns out carefully, leaving sts in hooks, putting neckline behind latches. Close latches and pull through. Knit loose row and chain cast off.

Looks the same  from the outside, has the added protection of a double cast-off on the neckline and is easier! What could be better! Now I have 3 WCD garments to wash and dry together – I told you there was a valid reason to wait!

 

deadline met...

Do you know where the term 'deadline' came from? Basically, it originated in prison camps during war and referred to a physical boundary - guards would shoot any prisoner who crossed the line...
Well, gosh, so glad I'm done! It's ready!
The pattern for the RTR cardi, DONE! The last two weeks, I was pattern writing,  knitting some, pattern writing some…and then I figured I can kill two birds with one stone – to really check over the pattern and make sure it’s good, I’ll make one for Jan and that way I can have another piece of her wardrobe done and I’ll feel really good knowing the pattern has all the proper information. So, for hers, I did have 3 cones of Yeoman Yarns Cannele (which is what the pattern calls for) in a pale green – it’s called ‘sage’ – really nice and I’m sure she’ll like it – hers is the second size, but shorter (maybe I mentioned this before, tee hee, she’s under 5’ short) so I shortened the pattern by  about 2 inches and I had to use the third cone for the last 28 rows of the last front band!!!

The pattern – you can purchase it right here on the right side of the screen, there is a Paypal button  - it’s $8 and I will email the pdf to you when I get your payment (thanks!) –
Standard gauge RTR Lace Cardi: High-hip length, open front cardigan, long, set-in sleeve. Shawl collar, knit in hand transferred lace with purl stitch ridges. Back lace inset is sideways knit and A-line shaped with shortrows, softly gathered into the stockinette back yoke with reverse seaming for added detail. The front is combined with side panel, wider at hem and shaped at back side to add to the A-line. Back is slightly longer than front. Six sizes from finished bust 38 to 54”.
The midnight tweed ‘Granville’ turned out perfect – I just need to darn in ends and add the buttons – will show you some pics later in the week. Now, I have one more piece to do for Jan – I think I’ve decided to go my standard gauge version of the ‘Rib’nShrug’ in the thistle 4 ply wool – stay tuned!

 

still grinning...

I got the cutest text yesterday from sister Jan!

‘Hi there, I am curious about what seems to me to be a new fashion (crime?) here in Toronto. Today I have walked past or by at least a dozen people who have the kick pleat at the back of their skirt, dress or coat basted up. I always thought that stitching was for packing or transporting, not intended as an integral piece of the item of clothing. Isn’t it like wearing the label or price tag?’

LOL!! ‘This has long been a pet peeve of mine! You’re right, Jan! It is like leaving the tag on!’ and usually spotted on the ‘younger’ generation – LOL again, because I’m not talking just the twenty-something  - that now includes anyone under 50!!! It was something that either your mother or the sales clerk explained or, maybe the Home Ec teacher…
It is also used on pockets – a male friend has a double-breasted coat that he wore for a year before I happened to notice that his pockets were inoperable – still sewn shut with basting so the pockets didn’t gape! I always thought the sales staff should take care of this but it seems that the fashion industry has not passed this info onto the purchaser or even the sales staff!
Anyway, I have the first draft of the RTR pattern done! it’s off to my proof-knitter!  I have added a paypal button right here on the blog (at the right side) if you want to place your order, but you'll have to wait  until the end of the month to get it via email!
And I have all 5 pieces of the tweed Granville done with the new and improved 4-row instead of 6-row cables! (fist pump) I am treating myself to a day off – need to go button shopping before making the bands - other button availability will be a huge factor in the selection for the next  garment in Jan’s wardrobe…

progress report...

Seriously, I’ve been sticking to my plan – pattern write some, knit some, pattern some, knit…I’ve got the schematic done – a little intense – more complicated to size than I originally anticipated – I’m doing  6 sizes from finished 38 to 54” – the point of the original design was to be able to make a plus-sized cardigan with 3 main body pieces instead of 4 so the side panels took a little more thinking than usual…but  I do have most of the pattern written – need to go over it with a fresh eye tomorrow and do some air-knitting of the more intricate shaping.
 As for the next piece in Jan’s wardrobe, I got started on  the tweed ‘Granville’ – sometimes I wish I never talked to my mk friend – when I mentioned my plan of re-making ‘Granville’ to her, she asked if I was going to make the cables closer…what the heck did she mean? then I realized that she meant,  was I going to turn the cables closer together, like every 6 rows instead of every 8 rows?
Let me back up a bit. ‘Granville’ has columns of  braided cables up the fronts and back – and they are made over 8 sts by making a 3X2 cable on the left side at row 4, knit 6 rows, and then turn a 2X3 cable on the right side, so you are actually turning cables every 6 rows. Back to the demise of KnitStyle and the last garment I made for them and never told you about – they had a aran/cable theme for one of the story lines for #195 and my submission was a pullover featuring a yoke of some impressive (for the LK150 machine) looking cables with a outline diamond,  a 3X3 cable and a 2X2X2 braided cable on a background of purl sts. In my experiments/swatches, I found the cables to look much nicer and more rounded by turning them more frequently than I would normally do. As machine knitters, we often are looking for the easy way out and sometimes sacrifice on the finished product. Anyway, I had mentioned  this to my friend back then and darn, she must take notes when we talk because she remembered that – I wouldn’t have – I would have just read my pattern and done what I did on the original!
When she asked me, I said no, that’s way more work and maybe if I were making this for myself I’d do it.
So I started off with the sleeve and it niggled…would it make that much difference to turn them closer or did it only show up in the heavier yarn? You know me - I thought, I could do it on the sleeve – there is only one braided cable up the middle of the sleeve – I could try it and if it didn’t make much difference I could go back to the  quicker way…damn this is really nice – good thing Jan has slimmer arms that I do – I am making it in her size and her sleeve width is a full size smaller than I would make for myself…I’ve got the second sleeve made, I really like this and you know, that midnight tweed is really pretty…I may not mind an extra snug sleeve – they say a fitted sleeve makes you look slimmer….

delay tactics...

or should I say ‘wasting’ time? Actually, it’s more like doing something fun instead of the work I intend to do – you know, I really blame this habit on my Mother – when I was a kid and we had chores to do, she would make us work to, say, clean the bathroom and then we took a break and played cards before tackling the next job of cleaning a bedroom… and as the day progressed, the card-playing took up more time than the actual cleaning… Anyway, I admit that I still have a tough time buckling down to get the work done and it’s always been more appealing to do the fun stuff first.
What I should be doing ? Pattern writing – I have decided that I would offer a few patterns for sale now and again – not as structured as the ‘pattern of the month’  but just whenever I felt like it and all summer I have been meaning to write up the RTR Lace Cardi – I did re-knit it already – the yarn is Yeoman Yarns cannele (100% mercerized cotton, 245g cone) -  so, I’m putting it out there – order your yarn (knititnow.com) – you’ll need 3 cones for the 36-44 sizes (4 for the 48-54 sizes) – Sue orders on the 1st and 15th of each month, so if you get your order in for the 15th you should have it in hand by the time this pattern is ready - I promise it for the end of the month! There, a deadline! I never miss them!
So, in between little bits of pattern writing, I’m doing -  what I like best – knitting!
My sister, Jan (lives in Toronto,  has her doctorate in sociology and is very involved in women’s rights and politics) asked me to start her on a knitted wardrobe – she was here in June for 2 weeks and she specifically liked my shift dress and wants a few cardigans to go with so that she has several suitable option for most any occasion.  She already has the 1rt raglan cardi and tank (blog post March 16, 2014) in leaf green that I made for her birthday in March.

 

My basic shift dress is ‘Dress Up Day’ from Knitwords #16,  Spring 2001 – (what you may not have known - I was Lindsay’s chaperone for the ‘Canadian Search for Miss Universe’ in 2000 – Lindsay was on our cover like 20 times out of the 53 issues and, for the pageant agenda, I was supposed to have a ‘day dress’ for certain functions as well as evening wear, so that was my day dress!  You may have seen me at a seminar wearing this dress – I did alter it once – in 2006 – it had been just hanging in my closet for about a year and I realized that I felt that it was a little short – I still had the exact same yarn, so I cut it across under the bottom of the vertical dart and above the side slit, rehung it on the machine, added 60 rows and grafted it back together! Now it is just knee-length instead of above-knee, more age-appropriate!
Jan loved the idea that I can still wear it 13 years later!!! I made it with 2 necklines – a scoop neck on one side and a v-neck on the other because sometimes you feel like a vee and sometimes not – also depending on what you put with it, you have the option…mine is olive green wool crepe deluxe and of course, over the years I have made many cardigan/jackets that I can wear with it.
My plan for Jan: her  main colour is navy so the shift dress is WCD French navy. I will do: ‘Granville’ (March 15/12) in midnight tweed WCD – I made a stockinette swatch and it isn’t an exact match with the stockinette of the French navy but I’m hoping the textures of Granville will change it up enough to ‘go with’ it;
my wool version of the ‘Rib’nShrug’ from my blog April 28/13 in Thistle 4 ply wool;
and a raglan A-line in a lace pattern in a 4 ply mercerized cotton, mid/dark blue and maybe ‘Tobacco Road’ KW#53 in the same French navy WCD. I plan to have this all done for the end of September too;-)!
The most important things about making a dress that will endure the test of time – choose good yarn and a colour you will love for that long; choose a classic style that will always be in style – mine is plain, shaped sides with vertical darts front and back – or front and front, simple edges easy finishing. As you are knitting, be sure to hang yarn marks at the edges in 4”/10 cm increments – I cannot stress how much this does to help with the finishing and seaming; knit slow and steady and pay attention to your shaping methods and details. Also, I did make new swatches – after all it was 13 years of some pretty intense use on the same machine – my original was knit at T4 with a gauge of 38 sts and 47 rows – I got the same gauge at T5 with this yarn. Now, I want to point out that I’ve had this dress for 13 years and it still fits – not that I am the same size, but because it’s a very good quality yarn I can wash and reblock and resize it to fit whatever size I currently am (15 lbs plus or minus ;-) than I was in 2001)!