Get me out of here!
I was going to post some things about the bulky cabled cardigan, but blogger keeps losing my blog and posts! I need to get out of here. Quick.
Any suggestions? Help?
Soooo, what was I going to say about the sweater? Oh yeah, I got a few emails and comments asking about the sizing and yarn.
Yarn and Ease
The yarn is handpaintedyarn's pure merino bulky 6ply, a yarn much thinner than what Stef used in the pattern. The pattern's gauge is 2.5 spi while mine was around 3spi (it changed a bit after washing). I knew I didn't want to double the yarn, but I also knew what fit I wanted. After looking at the number of stitches left for the body (after separating the sleeves), I knew knitting my size would leave me with four inches of ease. If I knit it at my gauge though I would get negative ease, three inches to be exact. Sounds insane, but that was perfect! I'll always tell you to go with negative ease, I'm all about a more fitted look. "But three inches is too much!" you say. The other thing I say is knit a big swatch and wash it! I knew that my sweater would grow width wise and, to a lesser degree, length wise. After all was said and done (and after adjusting for the button bands) I ended up with only one inch of negative ease. After wearing it for a week (yeah, I've been wearing it all week) it's the same size as my chest (uhh, zero ease?). I could have gone with the smaller size and been just as happy with the end result.
Length
It was all me! It was my mistake when the sweater was too short the next time, not the pattern's. I measured it while it was still on the needle and might have, possibly, maybe stretched it while measuring. Blame the knitter. Try it on as you knit! If you use this yarn, then I'll warn you that it's going to grow after washing. My sweater looked HUGE after I took it out of the water. I figured it was the combination of it being merino, garter stitch, and wet. Luckily it springs back into itself, so all was saved (and my swatch had predicted it!). The cables ended up giving me some more length after they were washed. Washed cables = less puffiness.
Buttons
I picked up the buttons at Kraemer's while visiting for Thanksgiving. Their website doesn't have much, but it's an interesting store. It's a mill that sells it's own yarn while also carrying things like Plymouth, Cherry Hill, and some other brands I don't remember at the moment. Anyway, that's where the mystery buttons are from.
I probably made no sense in this post, but that's because I'm trying to write fast so blogger doesn't lose my post (did I mention blogger sucks?). I hope this is helpful to someone out there! Feel free to ask any other questions.
Tomorrow....Hourglass!
Any suggestions? Help?
Soooo, what was I going to say about the sweater? Oh yeah, I got a few emails and comments asking about the sizing and yarn.
Yarn and Ease
The yarn is handpaintedyarn's pure merino bulky 6ply, a yarn much thinner than what Stef used in the pattern. The pattern's gauge is 2.5 spi while mine was around 3spi (it changed a bit after washing). I knew I didn't want to double the yarn, but I also knew what fit I wanted. After looking at the number of stitches left for the body (after separating the sleeves), I knew knitting my size would leave me with four inches of ease. If I knit it at my gauge though I would get negative ease, three inches to be exact. Sounds insane, but that was perfect! I'll always tell you to go with negative ease, I'm all about a more fitted look. "But three inches is too much!" you say. The other thing I say is knit a big swatch and wash it! I knew that my sweater would grow width wise and, to a lesser degree, length wise. After all was said and done (and after adjusting for the button bands) I ended up with only one inch of negative ease. After wearing it for a week (yeah, I've been wearing it all week) it's the same size as my chest (uhh, zero ease?). I could have gone with the smaller size and been just as happy with the end result.
Length
It was all me! It was my mistake when the sweater was too short the next time, not the pattern's. I measured it while it was still on the needle and might have, possibly, maybe stretched it while measuring. Blame the knitter. Try it on as you knit! If you use this yarn, then I'll warn you that it's going to grow after washing. My sweater looked HUGE after I took it out of the water. I figured it was the combination of it being merino, garter stitch, and wet. Luckily it springs back into itself, so all was saved (and my swatch had predicted it!). The cables ended up giving me some more length after they were washed. Washed cables = less puffiness.
Buttons
I picked up the buttons at Kraemer's while visiting for Thanksgiving. Their website doesn't have much, but it's an interesting store. It's a mill that sells it's own yarn while also carrying things like Plymouth, Cherry Hill, and some other brands I don't remember at the moment. Anyway, that's where the mystery buttons are from.
I probably made no sense in this post, but that's because I'm trying to write fast so blogger doesn't lose my post (did I mention blogger sucks?). I hope this is helpful to someone out there! Feel free to ask any other questions.
Tomorrow....Hourglass!
posted by yahaira at 9:06:00 PM
12 Comments:
I think your sweater looks great. How about buying webspace so you can have more freedom over your site? I'm thinking about it but then I have to change all the knitalongs I belong to. Thanks for the link to kraemers.
Ugh. Blogger. I'm amazed I can even access your site! I apparently don't have permission to view all the blogs I have in my dashboard (including my own). Weird!!!
I've been sick, so i didn't get a chance to compliment you sooner - but your bulky cabled cardi is gorgeous! It looks great with the variegated yarn.
we missed you at marie's last weekend - hope you can come to the next one!!!
-Julia
blogger has been wonky all day. (btw, reloading a page that has been forbidden will usually grant access. shouldn't have to do that, but nice to know there's a reason).
in fact a bulk of my interactions today have consisted of "blogger sucks" and variations with more or less profanity depending on what's up. it posted the same one of my posts 14 times yesterday. that was fun to delete...
i wish zero and negative ease looked better on me...
Oh my! What's keeping you from moving off blogger? You of all people can do this. Go! Go!
What a drag! These blog hosts need to get their act together.
The Hourglass is my Olympic project. :)
Blogger has been acting up a lot lately. I have no suggestions as I'm having the same trouble.
I love handpaintedyarn.com's stuff. Your fit modifications worked well! Beautiful sweater.
I love the way that the your sweater came out. The negative ease look good on you :)
There's some realtively inexpensive hosting options, and word press is free. It actually has support now too!
Yay, for negative ease. No worries on wearing your sweater all week. That's how I was with the Hourglass sweater.. =) I want to move my blog too. Let me know what info you come up with.
You are a knitting machine!!!!
Wow- you are a sweater knitting machine! Looks great! :)
and blogger does totally suck.. mine has been wonky for months. yet the wedding one is fine! ??? It is on the list of things to fix, for sure! But who to use?!
you might try wordpress (http://wordpress.com/). They now have free blog space. I use their software for my blog, but i have paid web space, so i haven't tried their service. I do know that with the newest version it is amazingly easy to import your posts AND comments.
Hope you enjoy your hourglass sweater! It is still one of my favorites to wear.
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