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.

Sweaters in the Works (WIPs)

Knitting sweaters and planning the next pattern. I always have more wool and ideas than time.

Sweaters knit using fingering weight yarn, or DK, generally take a while to finish. It’s a lot of little stitches to create a sweater for my size.

So, let’s start with my favorite WIP. The Field Sweater is pretty awesome. The yarn I chose is super soft and lovely and the fit is great. As of this post, it is not finished. I have the body left to knit. I changed the pattern for the sleeves to make them looser.

I love the neckline and love the fabric of the merino and mohair (both from Knitting for Olive). I can tell it will end up being a favorite.

Update: I have finished knitting Field – see the post here.

Field sweater knitting
Merino & Mohair
knitting Field pullover
Loose sleeve
right sleeve knit on Field sweater
One sleeve down

I’m also knitting the Autumn Alpine sweater and this one is giving me a hard time. I guess it’s time to quit using patterns by this designer. For me, it’s always trouble getting the size right, or there is something about the pattern I end up not liking.

Autumn Alpine sweater
Corrugated ribbing
knitting Autumn Alpine
Rib colors match flowers

I began with a smaller size as I had planned to make this for someone else. Then, I didn’t really like the colors so I expanded the body to make it fit me. That really isn’t going to work – I don’t think. The neck is tight, and could get better after a wash and blocking, but overall, this is not a sweater I really love.

To end the knit quickly, I plan to do short, or 3/4 sleeves. The colorwork was fun (one of the reasons I chose this pattern) but I need to steer clear of this designer. She is very popular, and I am not putting her down, just saying that (for me) I have difficulties. She has some wonderful patterns and great designs, they just don’t work for my preferred style and sizing.

Update: I have finished knitting Autumn Alpine.

Looking Ahead

It’s easy to get bored with knitting a pattern. When the knitting takes weeks, or months, to complete, the mind begins to think about all those other colors and yarns, stashed in the back bedroom, just waiting to be used.

Sleeves and bodies are especially tough when the knitting is simple round and round and round. When I’m in love with the project, I can stay strong and get the task finished. The sweater will be a wonderful accomplishment. But, when the tedious knitting will end up with a project that is not such a favorite, it’s tough to continue.

I do plan to finish both of these sweaters before beginning another. Yes! I can do it (and I did finish them before beginning Rebel).

Yarn Stashed for the Project Queue

The new yarn in my queue is just dying to become something wonderful. I have more Knitting For Olive merino and mohair in pretty green. (The company is based in Denmark, but the yarn can be found at other places. They do offer free shipping from Denmark on a first order.) I chose green mainly because I have almost nothing to wear that is green. Also, you don’t see so many green sweaters being knit. So, it’s a bit unique.

Knitting for olive Yarn

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

The merino is “Pea Shoots” and the mohair is “Dusty Artichoke” and they will be held together to knit the Rebel Cardigan (link goes to the Ravelry page), by Ankestrick.

I tried a new online yarn shop to buy the mohair. The Starlight Knitting Society had a good price, and free shipping (although I don’t think it’s always free), so I chose my six skeins and had the yarn in no time. In fact, I had ordered one extra, which they ended up not having. I was contacted, and refunded, and all was good. It was a good price for this yarn, and with free shipping, I was very happy.

Harrisville Designs Highland

These Highland cones almost didn’t get to me. I had also ordered a book from Harrisville Designs, which ended up being out of stock. The order was placed around Christmas, so I figured it would take time. As weeks went by, I decided to check on the order and sure enough, the yarn was never shipped! It was all good, as customer service got it out right away.

Highland wool on cones
Highland cones in color Suede

The yarn is Highland wool, on a cone, in color “Suede”. I seem to have a thing for neutrals, on the brown-gray side! I had to put in a search for the cones on the site (they don’t seem to pop up otherwise) and was happy to find lots of color choices.

Cones contain approx. 450 yards x 3 = 1350 yards of worsted weight yarn. Cones (as of this writing) are $25.50 each and Harrisville Designs offers Free Shipping over $75… so that was wonderful as well!

What will I knit with my Suede cones? I’m considering the Clotilde Cardigan for this yarn. I may change my mind by the time I am free from WIPs…!! I had also thought about using my Alafosslopi for the Clotilde. So, we’ll see.

Purl soho’s Good Wool

Good Wool is from Purl Soho. These skeins are very squishy soft and I can’t wait to use them for something. The wool is undyed and this color is called “Hickory Nut”. Yup, it’s light brown! Haha… I will end up with a lot of neutral sweaters I think.

good wool by purl soho
Good wool

Keep reading my knitting stories…

Crescent-shaped Shawls to Knit

One of the first things I knit was a shawl. A shawl can be a very easy project and might be perfect for a beginner knitter to make.

Shawls can be knit in various ways to make a variety of shapes. Most are triangular, rectangular, or crescent shaped. They can be knit from the top down, end to end, or a combination.

Crescent, or Half Moon Shawl Patterns

Because I live in the sub-tropics, I never wear any type of shawl. They can be fun to knit though. My favorite shape is the crescent. A crescent shawl can also be called a “half moon” or “half pi” or “pi shawl”.

Occasionally I come across a nice crescent shawl that I might want to knit one day. A smaller size shawl can often be knit using one (decent size) skein of yarn. That makes them cheap to knit, as opposed to a sweater project. It also gives a beginner knitter some practice on easier stitches, as well as practice reading a pattern.

I have not yet knit any of these patterns, but they are in my list of faves. Choose a wool yarn of some type and use the shawl like a scarf. All links go to the designers Ravelry page where the pattern is sold.

  • Interisland Shawl, by Donna Smith. Knit in fingering weight yarn, this one has a lace edge that is knit first. Very pretty. Yardage: 437-470 yds / 400 – 430 m
  • Dutch Tulips, by Alina Appasova is listed as “crescent” but it is kinda triangular too. I like it, so I am including it here. This one is done in various stitches including slipped stitches. Sounds interesting. 2 colors, 800 yards?
  • The Lone Skein Shawl, by Joji Locatelli, needs 440 yards (402m) so takes one large skein. It is crescent, but asymmetrical (one side is longer).
  • Slumber Shawl, by West Knits, has been a long time favorite. It is listed as a triangle, but is basically rounded with a wavy edge. It is listed in Stephen West’s Beginner Friendly Patterns.

Shawls I Have Knit – Mostly NOT Crescents

The Spindrift Shawl, by Helen Stewart – link is to her pattern page at Ravelry – was a free pattern (and still is if you sign up for the workshop) and the first shawl I made. It happened to be crescent shaped.

When I began knitting I went for yarn colors that seemed fun to use. Now I am more discerning about yarn type, and colors that I would actually wear! The shape is more important too.

All of the shawls pictured here (except for Vine Pops) were very simple to knit. Vine Pops was a MKAL (mystery knit-along) and I can’t even believe I stuck it out and finished. I was new to knitting, and the shawl had lots of lace. I’ve since decided that I do not like KALs.

Spindrift shawl and Meadow Moon sweater
Spindrift pattern (see link above)
Hidden Gems shawl knitting
Hidden Gems
no fuss shade loving shawl
No-fuss Shade Loving Shawl
Moon sisters shawl knitting
Moon Sisters
Knitting Bay's Edge shawl
Bay’s Edge pattern
MKAL finished shawl
MKAL – had no name – ended up Vine Pops
Dewdrops shawl
Dewdrops pattern
knitting sun-kissed shawl
Sun Kissed shawl
colorful scrappy bias shawl
Scrappy Bias shawl

The block of photos above shows all my finished shawls. I have worn exactly NONE of them!

All, except for Spindrift, are angular. When I was ready to take a trip to New Hampshire, I wanted a little wrap for my neck, and knitted the Railings pattern by Janina Kallio. It was a little crescent-shaped shawl and I added some mohair. Using mohair was a mistake, because the fuzz near my face was not good. But, I did wear it during my trip and it provided nice warmth, as intended. It’s a sweet little shawl pattern.

Knitting the Railings crescent shawl
Railings crescent shaped scarf tied around my neck
Railings crescent scarf in gray showing the pattern

Maybe I need to write a page about knitting little travel scarves.

ball of yarn divider
Keep reading all the knitting stories…

Autumn Alpine Sweater Size and Measurements

As usual, sweaters I knit by this designer end up long and big. After finishing the colorwork yoke of Autumn Alpine, I am looking at some options as I move forward.

The Autumn Alpine sweater pattern is offered by Caitlin Hunter of Boyland Knitworks. It is knit in a fingering weight yarn and has a floral, colorwork yoke.

Initially I purchased the pattern with plans to knit this one for my daughter. I chose the smaller size 2 for that reason. For some reason, although I do make a gauge swatch always, sweater projects from this designer always come out very big in the end.

I admit right off that I did not do a colorwork swatch for this pattern, only the stockinette stitch, but I did add a few rows of color. From experience, I go up a needle size for colorwork. As I knit this yoke, I kept thinking that it was getting quite long. Now that I am finished (with the yoke) and can measure it, the length to the split for body and sleeves is nearly 11 inches and not 8 as the chart on the schematic page of the pattern. (No measurement of the yoke is mentioned in the actual pattern pages, but I should have looked at that schematic page.)

Knitting Autumn Alpine sweater
autumn Alpine colorwork sweater
knitting colorwork Autumn Alpine pattern
Yoke finished

Am I going to end up with a droopy, oversize sweater once again? My Easy V sweater, by this same designer also came out long and large.

The Dilemma

Here is my problem. Normal stockinette swatched comes out right on target for size. I know that my stranded colorwork will be a bit tighter and the only option is to knit it with a larger needle or chance having it pucker when transitioning to plain stockinette on the finished garment.

A larger needle will also add length and apparently this is what is happening. Therefore, what can be done? I’m not a super experienced knitter when it comes to making my own gauge changes to a pattern…. so….I must go down a sweater size. Fortunately for me, I had begun knitting a smaller size anyway. Ordinarily I would knit a size 3 or 4 for myself, but I am following directions for a size 2. It is the shortest of the yoke charts and still came out very long. 

Purchase: Autumn Alpine Sweater Pattern Page

Stitch Counts Comparison to Other Patterns For Body Width

Now that the body and sleeves have been split, I want to know if there are enough stitches to go around me comfortably. For this, I dug out two sweater patterns that I’ve already used. They are by designer Jennifer Steingass. I compared the stitch counts on the bodies to the stitch count I have for this knit.

My Autumn Alpine body stitch count is 240 (for the size 2). Goldenfern body stitch count is 252, and that sweater is plenty wide on me. Meadow Moon stitch count is 238 and fits me fine. 

All sweaters are knit using a size 4 needle, but I knit various sizes of each pattern. If you notice, the small size 2 of the Autumn Alpine is close in number to the stitch count for Meadow Moon. It stands to reason that this current pattern will be large enough around for me. BUT, I used a different type of yarn.

The Yarn

I used Rauma Finnul yarn for both Steingass patterns. I love Rauma (and I love Jennifer Steingass patterns too). I’d have to say that Rauma yarn is one of my favorite yarns to date. I have lots of yarn yet to try, but both sweaters knit with Rauma came out soft and comfy and great looking.

Sonder Yarn Sunday Morning French press color
Color “French Press”

This time I am knitting with Sonder Yarn company’s 4 ply. I bought it during a big sale and wanted to try it due to the gorgeous colors. This chocolate brown I am using (color way French Press) is pretty, but the yarn is alternating thick and thin, at times becoming very thin.  Also, I’ve already had three knots in my first yarn skein. Even so, it is very pretty, and washes to become nice and soft.

knitting colorwork Autumn Alpine pattern
Yoke finished

My color choices for the yoke are less than wonderful. It will be fine for me, but I would definitely have changed some things. I won’t rip this out, and consider it to be a bit bohemian and unique. I do love the examples (knit by others) where all one color, or close colors, were used for the colorwork.

Considerations

After browsing through the finished knits on the Alpine Autumn projects pages at Ravelry, I see that many sweaters seem oversize when worn. Helpful: **One knitter posted that she split for the sleeves before finishing the yoke patterning. This is a great idea if you want to figure out matching sleeves to yoke patterning.

Finishing Up The Sweater

In the end, I chose to do a corrugated rib on the body. Then I knit short sleeves to make this sweater more of a layering piece. I feel relief at getting this project off the needles. Currently it is drying and then I plan to see how it fits.

sweater knitting
Short sleeve version

Fixing the Neck

I plant to pick up stitches around the bottom of the neck ribbing and then remove the current stitches. It doesn’t work for me.

Layered
Yoke colors
Yoke and Neckline
seed stitch at sides of autumn alpine
My addition of seed stitch at sides to widen the body
autumn alpine sweater
small green yarn

More stories About Knitting…

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Sweater Knitting Projects in the Queue For 2024

Planning some new knitting projects for the upcoming new year. I’m still on the sweater knitting spree and these four patterns will be challenging in their own way for me.

As we close out 2023, I’ve been gathering some sweater knitting projects to complete in 2024.

Ravelry has a “queue” area for us and although I have not used it much, I’m beginning to. When one project is not enough (always) it’s nice to have an accessible list of knitting patterns to view. Find it in the “My Notebook” dropdown, if you are logged into Ravelry.

How to Use the Ravelry Queue

The queue section is meant to hold favorite patterns to knit soon. They can be listed in order of importance with information and ideas for the project. Any pattern found on Ravelry can be added to the queue from the pattern page, purchased or not. 

Each pattern added will list the suggested yarn with a space for the knitter to list the yarn that will be used. I find this helpful if I am buying yarn on sale (yay for year-end sales!) and need to match it up with my intended patterns. Also include any notes in a separate space.

Four Sweater Patterns in My Queue

This is my tentative list, in order of current interest, of patterns that have caught my eye over the last couple of months. Each section contains a link to the pattern page.

Number One

The first pattern in my queue is the Autumn Alpine colorwork yoke pullover by Boyland Knitworks / Caitlin Hunter. After knitting the Eva Cardigan in all one color, I had a hankering for some stranded colorwork. This project is in the works already. I’m knitting it along with my gold Calliope.

autumn Alpine colorwork sweater
Sonder Yarn Sunday Morning French press color
Color “French Press”
Knitting Autumn Alpine sweater

View the Autumn Alpine Pattern Page

Number Two

The pattern in the second position in my queue is the Rebel Cardigan, pattern by Ankestrick. It is a buttonless sweater with a unique shoulder construction. A worsted or DK yarn is used, or hold two yarns together for the gauge. I’m not sure yet which yarn I will use for this one.

View the Rebel Cardigan Pattern Page

Number Three

The third pattern in my list is the Sunday Cardigan by PetiteKnit. I chose this one while searching for a use for my Alafosslopi yarn. This sweater is knit top-down with wide ribbing at the yoke area. It calls for a bulky yarn, or combination of yarns to equal bulky. There is a button band but it is “knit simultaneously with the rest of the cardigan” so there is no picking up of stitches for the band… hurray!

View the Sunday Cardigan Pattern

Number Four

The last sweater in my queue is something completely different. The Clotilde Cardigan, by Pernille Larsen / Knitting for Olive, is knit in worsted weight yarn and is a lace pattern. 

This one will be a challenge for me, as I almost never knit any type of lace. The pattern is charted only. The sweater is really beautiful and I hope it’s something I can manage. The New Year should bring a challenge, right?

See the Clotilde Cardigan Pattern

More to come, including new yarns purchased for these patterns. Have you found any good yarn sales this December? Do you have some knitting patterns ready to go in January? I love to hear from fellow knitters, so please say hello.

Cat drawing (minus the tree which was added by me):Image by Richard Duijnstee from Pixabay
Find more knitting stories here: