What a delightful sweater idea Sandi! And the swatch perfectly matches the image. Have loads of fun knitting it up. I am doing second samples of my pattern and itching to cast on a new design or something for myself. And thank you, adding those books to my queue. :)
I hate knitting second samples of a design. After knitting it once, I want to move on to the next thing. I prefer to pay a sample knitter—I get a fresh set of eyes on the pattern, and I don't get bored with the repetition.
One of my goals is to write patterns that are fun/meaningful to repeat. FWIW I guess I am testing out that aspect by knitting it again :)) But seriously, I wish I get the confidence to hire a sample knitter sometime.
Thanks for making me laugh this morning! Knitting a sweater is nothing to be afraid of - certainly not on the level of sharks or plane crashes. When you're ready to take the plunge, know you have plenty of support here.
There are many patterns for sweaters knit seamlessly. A top-down raglan sweater knit in the round can easily be accomplished with no seams at all.
BUT...seams are often the key to a sweater that fits well over time. Shoulder seams and side seams become the stable framework for the sweater and keep it from drooping and stretching out of shape. Go ahead and make a seamless sweater for your first time, but seaming isn't difficult (time consuming, yes; difficult, no). Adding seaming to your skill set will open up a new world of knitting possibilities.
Knit some narrow swatches & learn how to sew them together using mattress stitch. It’s slightly different depending on your stitch pattern (ie garter, stockinette). No pressure when it’s not on a garment! There’s a cool start & end to mattress stitch called the “figure eight” that makes both ends neat & tidy. For learning, use two contrasting colors so you can really see the seaming yarn well. Many patterns don’t compensate for the 2 extra rows needed for mattress stitch, but you can easily add it in. Can you tell I just made myself learn all of this? I Dreaded the finishing of garments - now I don’t mind (but tbh I Still procrastinate haha!) This year is my year how to knit garments that I will Wear. I’ve finished one, & have more going.
What great advice! I'm one of those knitters who loves to knit but hates having to put all the pieces together because I never feel particularly good at it. Practicing on swatches, especially those with different stitch patterns, sounds like a great way to build confidence.
Fantastic advice all around! And I love your learning goal for this year. Too many people waste time and money knitting things they never wear (not to mention the sense of disappointment as each garment is completed) instead of acquiring the skills and knowledge to make truly wearable garments.
IMHO, blocking, finishing, and seaming a sweater are the knitter's opportunity to make the end result really professional looking, as opposed to the "loving hands homemade" result we dread. It's worth learning how to do it well, and I love the suggestion above to make some narrow swatches and practice seaming them.
You inspired me! So glad I found you again. Embarking on a cardigan inspired by this color way. Found in my stash: Madelinetosh Pashmina in Barbara Deserved Better and Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Dewberry. Switch images to follow.
Sandi, Such lovely plans for creating the sweater that will be right for you! This is what being a knitter can lead to. And I love that you are sharing how it is done! I am with you about switching from garter to reverse stockinette to make for a more comfortable everyday sweater. Your swatches are looking beautiful!
Happy to say that I have started the light-weight merino variegated burgundy crochet cardigan. It is being crocheted vertically starting at one front panel opening and continued around the back and across the other front panel. There will be a crochet edging and side seam pockets as well as sleeves. So I will be at this baby for a good long time. It is perfect for listening to good audio books!
By the way, I recently finished listening to The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff. Roughly, it's a story of female agents dispatched to France as couriers and radio operators during WWII. It's based on true events, but much of it is fiction. There are three narrators, all of them very good at evoking the personality of the character. It's not a dramatization; rather, the narrators alternate chapters. I really enjoyed it and got a lot of knitting down thanks to the audiobook :-)
Gosh, I love the colors you're using. As others have noted, your sweater is going to beat out J. Jill's. I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of all-over garter or reverse stockinette stitch, but your finished sweater might change my mind. And thanks for the idea of knitting inside out. Purling slows me down too.
All over garter stitch often feels too bulky for my taste, but reverse stockinette stitch is often a good way to blur the color changes in a variegated or hand-dyed yarn.
So interesting that you saw the opportunity to make your own yarn by combining 2 strands of fingering yarn. I love the colors you chose as I am also a big fan of pink.
Along those lines I have been experimenting with using 2 strands of fingering yarn to make interesting color combinations for the last 6 months. It's fun to see the effect of the two different colors as you work.
It's interesting to combine different textures as well as different colors. Mohair, in particular, always surprises me. Even a fine lace-weight mohair will be the dominant color in the combination, because the long fibers create a halo on the surface of the fabric. You have to look through that halo to see the other yarn, so the color of the mohair has a disproportionate impact.
Sandi, your marl sweater sounds glorious! I look forward to seeing it come together when time allows. Much as I'm a fan of J Jill's pieces, yours sounds infinitely nicer.
What a delightful sweater idea Sandi! And the swatch perfectly matches the image. Have loads of fun knitting it up. I am doing second samples of my pattern and itching to cast on a new design or something for myself. And thank you, adding those books to my queue. :)
I hate knitting second samples of a design. After knitting it once, I want to move on to the next thing. I prefer to pay a sample knitter—I get a fresh set of eyes on the pattern, and I don't get bored with the repetition.
One of my goals is to write patterns that are fun/meaningful to repeat. FWIW I guess I am testing out that aspect by knitting it again :)) But seriously, I wish I get the confidence to hire a sample knitter sometime.
My biggest fears: Sharks, plane crashes + knitting a sweater.
Thanks for making me laugh this morning! Knitting a sweater is nothing to be afraid of - certainly not on the level of sharks or plane crashes. When you're ready to take the plunge, know you have plenty of support here.
Thank you! I can knit a lot of things but sweaters intimidate me. I think it’s the seaming and sewing that makes me wary. 🙂
There are many patterns for sweaters knit seamlessly. A top-down raglan sweater knit in the round can easily be accomplished with no seams at all.
BUT...seams are often the key to a sweater that fits well over time. Shoulder seams and side seams become the stable framework for the sweater and keep it from drooping and stretching out of shape. Go ahead and make a seamless sweater for your first time, but seaming isn't difficult (time consuming, yes; difficult, no). Adding seaming to your skill set will open up a new world of knitting possibilities.
Knit some narrow swatches & learn how to sew them together using mattress stitch. It’s slightly different depending on your stitch pattern (ie garter, stockinette). No pressure when it’s not on a garment! There’s a cool start & end to mattress stitch called the “figure eight” that makes both ends neat & tidy. For learning, use two contrasting colors so you can really see the seaming yarn well. Many patterns don’t compensate for the 2 extra rows needed for mattress stitch, but you can easily add it in. Can you tell I just made myself learn all of this? I Dreaded the finishing of garments - now I don’t mind (but tbh I Still procrastinate haha!) This year is my year how to knit garments that I will Wear. I’ve finished one, & have more going.
This is brilliant. Thank you!
What great advice! I'm one of those knitters who loves to knit but hates having to put all the pieces together because I never feel particularly good at it. Practicing on swatches, especially those with different stitch patterns, sounds like a great way to build confidence.
Fantastic advice all around! And I love your learning goal for this year. Too many people waste time and money knitting things they never wear (not to mention the sense of disappointment as each garment is completed) instead of acquiring the skills and knowledge to make truly wearable garments.
IMHO, blocking, finishing, and seaming a sweater are the knitter's opportunity to make the end result really professional looking, as opposed to the "loving hands homemade" result we dread. It's worth learning how to do it well, and I love the suggestion above to make some narrow swatches and practice seaming them.
You inspired me! So glad I found you again. Embarking on a cardigan inspired by this color way. Found in my stash: Madelinetosh Pashmina in Barbara Deserved Better and Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Dewberry. Switch images to follow.
Sounds lovely?
Sandi, Such lovely plans for creating the sweater that will be right for you! This is what being a knitter can lead to. And I love that you are sharing how it is done! I am with you about switching from garter to reverse stockinette to make for a more comfortable everyday sweater. Your swatches are looking beautiful!
Happy to say that I have started the light-weight merino variegated burgundy crochet cardigan. It is being crocheted vertically starting at one front panel opening and continued around the back and across the other front panel. There will be a crochet edging and side seam pockets as well as sleeves. So I will be at this baby for a good long time. It is perfect for listening to good audio books!
Your crochet cardigan sounds beautiful! And I just love a cardi with pockets.
By the way, I recently finished listening to The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff. Roughly, it's a story of female agents dispatched to France as couriers and radio operators during WWII. It's based on true events, but much of it is fiction. There are three narrators, all of them very good at evoking the personality of the character. It's not a dramatization; rather, the narrators alternate chapters. I really enjoyed it and got a lot of knitting down thanks to the audiobook :-)
Thanks for the recommendation! Adding this one to my queue.
Gosh, I love the colors you're using. As others have noted, your sweater is going to beat out J. Jill's. I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of all-over garter or reverse stockinette stitch, but your finished sweater might change my mind. And thanks for the idea of knitting inside out. Purling slows me down too.
All over garter stitch often feels too bulky for my taste, but reverse stockinette stitch is often a good way to blur the color changes in a variegated or hand-dyed yarn.
So interesting that you saw the opportunity to make your own yarn by combining 2 strands of fingering yarn. I love the colors you chose as I am also a big fan of pink.
Along those lines I have been experimenting with using 2 strands of fingering yarn to make interesting color combinations for the last 6 months. It's fun to see the effect of the two different colors as you work.
Can't wait to see your sweater!
It's interesting to combine different textures as well as different colors. Mohair, in particular, always surprises me. Even a fine lace-weight mohair will be the dominant color in the combination, because the long fibers create a halo on the surface of the fabric. You have to look through that halo to see the other yarn, so the color of the mohair has a disproportionate impact.
I will try adding lace weight mohair, such a great idea. Probably the only way I'll ever receive a "halo" .
🤣
Sandi, your marl sweater sounds glorious! I look forward to seeing it come together when time allows. Much as I'm a fan of J Jill's pieces, yours sounds infinitely nicer.
Thanks Julie! I'm looking forward to knitting it, and the anticipation will push me to zoom through the commissioned projects in my queue.