Category: Knitting projects

Knitting projects I have completed or have in progress. My thoughts and review of the pattern, yarn, and outcome. Also knitting project ideas to consider or find for free.

Re-Knitting the Autumn Alpine Neck

After the Autumn Alpine sweater was done – washed and blocked – I was not happy with the neck. It alternates with some colorwork and ribbing and for me, it ended up floppy and IMO ugly.

I suggest you DO NOT try this. It was difficult and I’m still not happy.

I began picking up stitches to rip back, but couldn’t find a good row. I began this 5 or 6 times. Unfortunately, as the sweater is knit top down, there are few places to pick up stitches from a simple knit around row. My choice of yarn was also not helpful.

Just below the colorwork knits and purls is some 1×1 ribbing. I found this video by Very Pink Knits showing how to pick up stitches to hold them while ripping back.

I did not follow this video, but I’m keeping it here because it’s useful.

I didn’t want to do this type of pick up. A simple knitting row would be best. But, beyond the neck stitches the knitting rows include increases and then short rows. In my opinion there was no good place to pick up knit stitches easily. My dark color yarn didn’t help either. My stitches were difficult to see, even on the knit rows.

I am not exaggerating when I say I tried to find a good row – picked up stitches part way around – and gave up —-So many times!

Knitting needle picking up held stitches

This was a big fat pain in my butt. I probably should have left the thing alone, and simply been unhappy, but I wanted to try. It became an obsession.

After many tries, I found my way around with yarn and completed a row of stitches. I inserted a smaller needle, and then needed to rip the collar back.

HA! That did not work at all. I couldn’t get the yarn to unravel, so I ended up having to cut the collar off —- and I tacked it down when the neck was done. This was becoming a complete disaster..!!!!!

In the photo below I had begun knitting around and around to make the rolled collar. See the old collar turned under?

I’m not going to go on and on about this because it’s too depressing. The end result is not great either and this sweater has so many bad knitting memories, I don’t know if I will ever wear it, but I do like that colorwork.

Autumn Alpine sweater pattern changed the neckline.

This one might make a nice topper over a long sleeve to wear one of the very few cold mornings we have here in Florida.

The nicest thing about this sweater is that it is now IN MY PAST, and it’s time to move on…. YAY.

Knitters welcome to continue reading

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Considering a Cable Knitting Project

Knitting a cable vest swatch for size reference and cable chart practice. The Rockhound Vest is a beautiful cabled knitting project.

Cable knitting is not something I have much experience with. I tend to buy cable patterns and then file them away thinking “maybe one day”.

The biggest cable projects I have done were hats (Skiff and Habitat). Now I am looking at knitting a vest with cables on the front and back.

The Rockhound Vest is a pattern by Wool and Pine designs. The company was offering a discount on their patterns and I thought I would see what they had to offer.

You would think that a vest would be a simple and quick knit. This one has a section of cables that comes down from the shoulders and goes down the front. Cabling takes time, but it can be so pretty.

The V-neck and armholes have to be picked up and knit after, and I’m not looking forward to that. Also, the charts look a bit intimidating.

Knitting a Cable Swatch

The Rockhound Vest pattern (link at the bottom of this page) comes with a Swatch Chart, which is a section of cable that needs to be knit, washed, blocked and measured as a swatch – both flat and in the round.

This pattern is charted, which means you must knit following a cable chart!

I decided to knit the swatch using Rauma Finull yarn because I had a skein, and I already know I love this fingering wool.

Helpful

First thing I do when knitting cables is color code them! I also write a short description of each cable next to each cable diagram. I have no idea how to read a cable stitch, so the color helps me find the description quicker.

colored pencils

Use stitch markers!!! This helped me a great deal, even though I had to keep moving some of them because the cable section would move. I made small sections on the row to prevent a lot of ripping back.

cable knitting with stitch markers
Use stitch markers to knit a flat cable swatch

Get a better cable needle!!! I was trying to knit using my old, metal cable needle and had my usual problems. The thing would slip out and leave my stitches hanging, or I had to clumsily hold it to be sure that didn’t happen.

Then, I searched for new types of cable needles. I just couldn’t understand why cable needles couldn’t work better! Low and behold… I discovered the Brittany short wooden cable needles (Amazon paid link). Amazing!

short wood cable needle
New Brittany wood cable needle – LOVE!

This set of cable needles comes in three sizes, and I used the middle size for this project, which is fingering yarn (picture above). The short, wooden needle is thinner in the center so the stitches stay put. The shortness also helps when knitting off the cable needle. This has made cabling a lot easier for me. I highly recommend them.

Swatch and Sizing

After looking over reviews, at Ravelry, written by previous knitters of this vest pattern, I see that many finished projects have turned out to be too tight. Even when a seemingly larger size was chosen, the vest seems to end up with a smaller circumference than planned. Maybe knitters did not do a swatch in the round???

I have added six extra stitches (3 on each side) to my swatch. Those stitches are not part of my gauge.

swatch rows measuring
Measuring rows
measuring swatch
Measuring stitches

Knitting a swatch is very important and swatches should be knit flat and in the round, because that is how they are knit in the pattern. I’ve only done the flat swatch. The finished swatch size will be larger than normal 4×4 inches- according to the pattern. My swatch was nearly exact, but a tiny bit larger. Going down a needle size would most likely make this too small, and having things a little larger might be good with this pattern.

If I decide to knit this pattern, I need to buy the same kind of yarn, in a different color. I may knit a swatch in the round with my new yarn and see how that turns out. It is possible that the gauge is tighter in the round. That would explain why knitters were getting tighter vests. Maybe they never checked gauge in the round.

cable swatch blocked
Blocked
Rockhound vest swatch
Swatch done and tagged

I definitely made some mistakes in this cable swatch, but it wasn’t that bad to knit. This swatch shows only part of the cable pattern which goes down the middle of the front and back. If nothing else, it was good practice at knitting from a cable chart.

See the Rockhound Vest pattern page at Ravelry.
More Knitting From Me

Knitting a New Little Crescent Shawl

I think I first saw the Interisland Shawl, and pattern information, on Instagram. The shawl caught my eye because it is small, and crescent shaped. (Link to pattern down the page.)

Usually I have more than one knitting project going at a time. Many knitters do. For me, it’s because I like one simple project and one that needs more attention. Mornings are good for knitting more complicated things. Evenings call for simple knits and purls while watching a TV show. Even though I am still working on the Rebel Cardigan, I wanted something else to do. Also, I’m attempting to use us some old yarn.

Crescent Shaped Shawls

Shawls can be knit in many ways. They can be large or small, knit in fine or heavy yarn. I prefer a crescent shape that is not very wide. The Interisland Shawl is shaped like that.

Often a shawl begins by casting on at the top center. Knitting then expands outward to create the long, curved shape. This one is knit differently. The pattern begins by knitting the border, which is a repeating lace pattern.

I have completed the lace pattern, for the border, twice – see my picture. And, I did make a goof, but I am not good at fixing lace. In fact, I rarely knit lace. It’s a bunch of yarn-overs and knit 2 togethers. I don’t find it especially fun, but it looks nice. Because it’s not a wide border, the pattern’s lace rows are manageable. I look at this knitting project as good practice. And I expect to have a wearable, lightweight scarf when done.

knitting lace
Lace edging

Knitters Need to Know

Here’s what knitters should know about this pattern.

The lacework is charted and written out line by line. I’m following the chart. After the entire lacework border is finished, all stitches will be picked up along the edge and the remainder of the shawl is knit. Short rows are involved to create the rounded shape.

The name for the shawl is explained on the designer’s pattern page. Or check out more of Donna Smith’s Shetland designs – Ravelry page.

View the Interisland Shawl pattern page.

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Cast On For the Rebel Cardigan

Some info here on beginning the Rebel cardigan. This is a top down sweater with a very unique construction at the beginning, which sets up the remainder of the knitting.

The Rebel Cardigan has been on my list of “to knit” items for a few weeks now. I had to finish knitting the Field Sweater, which I did, and immediately cast on this new pattern. (Pattern link at the bottom of this page.)

I’ve never begun a sweater like this. It’s begun in small sections, putting stitches on hold, and then knitting in another direction. It honestly looks a little weird.

Knitting the Rebel sweater
Picking up stitches
Rebel cardigan
Unique way to begin a sweater

This will be a long-sleeve sweater with an open front and no buttons or button-band to knit separately. This greatly appeals to me! I love the look of it.

Getting Started

The yarn I chose is by Knitting For Olive. I’m holding two strands, merino and mohair, together. The colors are Pea Shoots and Dusty Artichoke.

I’m knitting the Rebel sweater size 4, using needles size 6US.

Knitting for Olive yarn in green
Pea Shoots and Dusty Artichoke colors by Knitting for Olive.

The Rebel Cardigan pattern is written very well. Schematics are included so we are sure to know exactly where to begin knitting each of the sections. This is very helpful.

While knitting, we are putting stitches on hold (waste yarn), picking up stitches from edges and from waste yarn. All this is forming the collar, back, and right and left front. Soon it will all come together and make more sense, I’m sure.

Rebel cardigan knit in sections to form the collar, back and sides.

Below is my photo after all sections of the Rebel cardigan are attached. Now knitting is done back and forth – knitting on the right side and purling on the wrong side, while increases are made for the sleeves and the back / body.

knitting Rebel cardigan
All section attached

The sweater will end up with a wide 1×1 ribbing down both sides of the front. The sleeves and remainder of body are knit in smooth stockinette. It’s a pretty clever design. One reason for doing the knitting this way is to help keep the sweater sitting correctly on the shoulders, and not slipping off as some cardigans have a tendency to do.

If you are interested in knitting this unique sweater, I have provided a link to the pattern here, which goes to the designer’s Ravelry page.

Rebel Cardigan Pattern, by Ankestrick

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