knitabit

Major Progress

After cutting the steek, I picked up stitches all around the front bands and the neckline. Per Wendy's recommendation, I knit the band in the round by creating a steek to attach the two bottom edges. It makes a bit more bulk when it's finished, but a small price to pay, I thought, for not having to do fair-isle in purl stitch.

Some notes on the weekend's progress:

• At first, I tried to crochet the steeks (using the red yarn) to prevent them from unravelling, but it was way too bulky and created a waviness in the steek fabric. So I ripped out the crochet business and decided to just ignore the steeks for the time being.
• I had to adjust the number of stitches to pick up because I had lengthened the sweater. In retrospect, I think I may have picked up too many because the band around the neck edge doesn't lay all that flat. Oh well.
• The buttonholes turned out pretty well, and the buttonholes on the band actually line up with the buttonholes on the facing! I put tiny little stitches at the corner of the buttonholes to secure the lining to the band more securely. By the way, rather than casting off to form the two-stitch buttonholes, I passed stitches over instead.
• The hemmed bottom band is bulkier than I imagined it would be. Next time I do a fair isle, I'm going to look for a ribbed bottom band instead.
• I started out trying to backstitch the facings, but it was too hard to catch the stitch in the underlying fabric, so I started over again using a whip stitch. This worked much better. I used about a billion pins to make sure I didn't warp the facing but even then I had to rip back once in a while and get everything straightened out again.
• When it was all said and done, I was still worried about the steeks unravelling, so I went ahead and crocheted the steeks but this time with some fine-gauge sock yarn. That seemed to do the trick, and I was able to trim the steeks a little closer.

Of course, you can't really try on a sweater that's still got a steek in place of a sleeve, but I'm a little concerned about the fit and future wearability of this sweater. The sweater is REALLY boxy, and the v-neck shaping is pretty deep, making the sweater appear too oversized. Even Wendy's finished sweater (which she admits is at least one size too big) has this appearance. Still, I will have no regrets because this has been an incredibly fun learning experience, and the cardigan will be another valuable addition to my cabin wardrobe.

Next dilemma: buttons! Suggestions are appreciated.

Comments

Well, suggestions I don't have, being a new knitter, but, holy smokes!! I'm so impressed with this sweater!!

I bow to you, oh queen of the knitting needles! One day, if I am very good and I make the appropriate sacrifices to the knitting gods, one day I hope to be half as good!

Posted by: Kathy at November 15, 2004 04:57 PM

Karen, it's just beautiful. I hope the fit turns out tolerably well for you, because the pattern and colors are simply lovely.

My MIL uses some kind of Norwegian pewter thing for what I think of as her "ethnic" dress. It's pretty attractive and I have seen things like it at That Yarn Store Which Shall Be Nameless over in Rock City. I'll try to remember the name of the thing (I think there's a Swedish analog) and email it to you.

Posted by: Patricia Tryon at November 15, 2004 11:00 PM

I am making the Roscalie vest! I am really enjoying the pattern and am nervous about cutting the steeks. I will check back here before I take that leap.

Posted by: Melissa at November 17, 2004 07:59 PM

Ah, a trip down Roscalie lane. Thanks for the memories! Yours looks wunnerful.

Posted by: Wendy at November 18, 2004 12:23 PM

Awesome, awesome work. The IDEA of fair isle gives me agita, I'm so impressed with the intricacy of this sweater, & with the harmony of the colors you're using.

As for buttons, the Peace Fleece people sell some that are hand-painted and lovely, and since you're stopping by there already...

Good luck!

Posted by: mindy at November 19, 2004 06:04 AM