Category: Knitting

If at First You Don’t Succeed

Beginning to knit a new sweater pattern called Blueberry Vodka Lemonade, but I messed up and must begin again. It happens.

The motto, “If at first you don’t succeed, try try again” is one I have in mind after casting on for a new sweater, knitting a bunch, and then goofing up badly. I was so looking forward to knitting this new sweater, but I’m not as good a knitter as I had hoped! After knitting all the way through the entire neck ribbing of a new sweater pattern…. I ripped the whole thing out.

It was totally my fault and not the pattern. In fact, this pattern is written better than any I think I have ever knit. Everything is explained in detail, with stitch counts, measurements, etc. to help the knitter. I’ve never knit a pattern by this designer (info below) but wow, I’m impressed…!

sweater neckband
Starting over

I will be starting again, but it is disappointing to get so far and then mess up. I had no hopes of going back and picking up the rib stitches because the yarn is black and difficult for me to see. It’s part of knitting life to make mistakes… it’s how we learn to fix them, or learn to deal with inevitable re-starts.

The Pattern

This new sweater pattern is named Blueberry Vodka Lemonade and is a design by Thea Colman, who is also known as Baby Cocktails in the knitting world. I love the look of this pullover knit in raglan style, with split hem, and 3/4 sleeves. My last project (the Lakeland Tee) also had a split hem, and I really like the look.

The Yarns I Chose

I searched for a while before I settled on two yarn types I wanted to try. I’ve never used either before.

First, a beautiful black, fingering yarn by Sandnes Garn: Tynn Peer Gynt, which comes from Norway. It is really lovely.

The gorgeous turquoise blue yarn is color “Peacock” and is Shetland wool from Harrisville Designs. Another beautiful yarn, which is spun in New Hampshire. I have visited Harrisville Designs, as I lived in NH for many years.

The Shetland seems a bit heavier for a fingering weight. On the other hand the Peer Gynt seems pretty thin.

skeins of wool yarn Shetland by Harrisville Designs, color Peacock and black Sandnes Garn Peer Gynt.
New yarn order

The Swatches

Because the pattern calls for a size 5 needle for the main part of the knitting, I did two different swatches with that size. Both were too large. So, I knit up a shorter swatch with the black yarn using a size 4 needle. It was perfect. Usually I knit a larger swatch but I didn’t want to use up the yarn.

(I had to wind the Shetland, by hand over my knees, and it was very easy to do so.). The black yarn does not need winding. I pulled from the outside.

Knitting swatches drying
Swatches

Messing Up and Making Changes

I want to follow this pattern as it is written, so I used a needle one size larger for the neckband. I knit all the way through the set up row – for the raglan and then my issues began.

When I re-knit this, and I will soon, I plan to switch to the smaller (main) needle on that “knit around one row”. I found it difficult to switch needles while knitting short rows and making the lacy parts at the raglan. I kept getting confused as to which needle I should be using. This is probably just me and my inexperience.. AND the fact that I did something really stupid. When I made the short row turn, I began following the wrong part of the directions (mark your place !!!! – I’m yelling at myself here).

Once I did it incorrectly – with the yarn overs and such, I totally could not go back without making a mess. AND that dark yarn didn’t help … so difficult to see.

Before I gave myself some kind of stroke, I just pulled the needles out and said, “Oh well, I guess I’ll start over”. Keep calm and carry on… and all that. I’ll cast on again later today.

If you plan to knit this sweater, you will need to be good at yarn overs (YO) as that is how the open holes along the sleeves will be made. Purl Soho has a nice, short, to-the-point video to help with that. See it here if you need help: https://youtu.be/n6Bpde5wihE

cat and yarn image

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Knitting the Lakeland Tee in Isager Palet

Knitting a summer tee pattern called “Lakeland” and using cotton yarn from Isager called “Palet”. This is my review.

I am finally knitting the Lakeland tee pattern (link to pattern at bottom of page) with short sleeves and a slight v-neck. This wonderful, easy pattern comes from designer Heidi Kirrmaier (link goes to her Ravelry pattern page). The Lakeland sample is knit in big blocks of color, but color choice is up to the knitter. Some knitters have done the top in one solid color. Others have used variegated yarn, or created stripes.

Isager Palet Cotton Yarn

Also, I am using a yarn I have never used before. Isager Palet is a cotton yarn with a flat strand and comes in variegated colors. I am using Ocean blue (5 skeins) as my main color and plan to use brown – color “Dunes” (1 skein) – further down the body for thin stripes.

Isager cotton Palet yarn
Isager Palet is a flat, cotton yarn

The Knitting Pattern

The pattern for the Lakeland top is very easy to follow. I have just separated the body and sleeves and will now continue down the body and add some brown color at some point.

The pattern begins with some back and forth, flat, knitting which raises the back of the top (there are no short rows), shapes the neck edge and marks out the sleeve areas. All directions are very easy to read and understand. I used four different color markers as the pattern suggested, which was helpful.

All increases made at the edges of the neck should be done carefully and correctly because this part of the top will be very noticeable when worn.

I’m going to do something different for the sleeves and make them shorter.

knitting Lakeland pattern tee
The Lakeland tee, knit with Isager Palet yarn.

Knitting With Isager Yarn

I began knitting this top using metal needles and it made the Isager Palet too slippery. I changed to wooden needles and was happier. The yarn is very easy to knit with. I also went up a needle size, and my stitch gauge was exact, but the rows were short.

The fabric created by the Palet yarn is very nice. It is light, and will probably be fairly cool and comfy in the Florida heat. And let me tell you, it’s been hot!

One thing that I’m having trouble with is the way this yarn comes off the skein. If I pull from the outside, I tend to get a bunch of strands that fall off the skein and get tangled. If I pull from the inside, I can’t find the end easily, and there is a tangled mess. So, I’m not sure which is best.

I’m more used to using wool, and changing colors and skeins is a bit weird with this yarn. It seems like it won’t stay put when “tucked in”, but I guess it will.

Creating the Stripes

About five inches down the body I began to add stripes. I am doing two rows of “Dune” brown, and then seven rows of “Ocean” blue. I really didn’t know how I would do the stripes. All I knew for sure was that I wanted them to begin below the boob line. I’m carrying the brown by catching it on each blue row so I don’t have to break it every time.

thin stripes knitting Lakeland tee
Lakeland pattern – beginning stripes on lower body

The body rib is 2×2 with a split hem. This means that one half of the hem is knit first, then the other half will be knit to leave a split at each side. I like this look, but have never done it. I’m using a size 4 needle – one size smaller than the 5 used for the main part of the tee. The pattern directions were a little confusing here, when they say to go down one size, but the US sizes listed are 4 and 2. I used a size 5 for the main part of the sweater, then a size 4 for the ribbing.

Needle Problems

Unfortunately, I discovered that the Lykke blue needles that I bought were too rough to use! I ended up using the Chiao Goo metal needle for the ribbing. But, even after sanding down the Lykke needle (for the price this should not be a thing), it measures larger than a size 4! Hmmmm… I bought it on Amazon, so maybe it is not a real Lykke (Amazon is not to be trusted at times). I’ve never had problems before, but this was very disappointing.

2x2 ribbing split hem knitting
Doing the ribbing on Lakeland

July 4th… Happy Independence Day my fellow Americans! Yesterday I tried on my Lakeland tee, once the ribbing section (half of it) was done. The garment fits perfectly! This is exciting, and makes me want to finish up my project.

  • Corrugated ribbing on sleeve
  • corrugated ribbing on sleeve
    Corrugated rib on sleeve
  • Lakeland tee knitting
  • Lakeland tee knitting
    One sleeve finished
Lakeland tee hand knit
Lakeland Tee finished!

In The End…

Great pattern. I may use it to knit this top again using a wool yarn and making long sleeves. I love the shallow, v-neck. I’m not crazy about this yarn – for a shirt. The yarn color selection is a bit bland, and the end product is too heavy for wearing in summer in Florida. I wish I had NOT changed the sleeves and simply made them shorter.

Lakeland Tee Pattern Page

wearing the Lakeland tee hand knit

I already have a new sweater knitting project in the queue – this time back to using wool. The yarn order is in and the Blueberry Vodka Lemonade pattern is purchased!

cats and yarn

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Ribbed Watch Cap Alternating Two Colors Invisibly

Starting a new little hat knitting project which is great for long car rides.

We were going camping. I needed a simple and small, knitting project for the two hour ride. I decided to use up some stash yarn and knit one more watch cap.

This pattern I used, for the third time, is the Ribbed Watch Cap and Beanie by Churchmouse Yarn & Teas. See the link to the pattern at the end of this page.

Because a small, size one needle is used, and there are many rows of 1×1 rib (knit one, purl one) this project can be a bit tedious, but it is just the thing for keeping hands busy. The completed hat is wonderfully wearable too.

two color ribbed watch cap knitting project
“Saffron” Yummy 2-ply by Miss Babs & “Turtle Haven” from Four Purls are the colors

All I needed was some fingering yarn – found easily in my stash. I chose orange and a variegated blue, both are fingering weight and Superwash merino. I’ve had these balls for a while.

Once again I did the Old Norwegian cast-on and not the involved tubular cast-on suggested in the pattern. I needed to get this project started because it was the day before my camping trip. I kept the cast on easy.

Making the Yarn Change Invisible

This time I am using two different yarn colors and changing color on each row. I am using the “yarn forward” (YouTube video), by Elizabeth Smith Knits. I learned this skein / color change hack when alternating skeins for the Arco Iris sweater. It is very simple to do and leaves no weird little squiggles when changing yarn – which is very important on this hat because it is knit on the wrong side and turned inside out when finished! This yarn change is invisible on both sides.

Photos below show both sides of the hat where I am changing yarns at the BOR marker.

invisible yarn color change each row
The yarn forward color change leaves no trace!

Camping Knit

Our campsite was on an island, and our site was directly on the saltwater river. Here I am doing some early morning knitting at the waters edge. Coffee, water view and knitting. What could be better?

Knitting the watch cap
Knitting at the edge of the river.

I know this will be an ongoing project that may take a while to finish, which is fine. Using two colors makes the knitting a bit more fun. I’m thinking that two very similar colors would work well. Maybe next time!

My hat will end up looking like this one.

Slouchy hat knitting is done
Slouchy Watchcap in blue

Get the pattern: The Ribbed Watch Cap and Beanie

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Knitting Cobblestone Cardigan #2 in Blue

Making changes for my second knit of the Cobblestone Cardigan by Brooklyn Tweed.

My daughter gave me yarn (a gift certificate) a while ago and I purchased six skeins of Soft Donegal yarn in dark blue (worsted weight). I’ve been keeping an eye out for the perfect cardigan to knit using this pretty yarn.

While I added to my list of possible cardigans, and found lots of new patterns I might knit one day, nothing seemed right for this yarn. I nearly chose the Truss pattern (link goes to Ravelry), but ended up wanting a lighter color for that pattern. I did buy the pattern and plan to make it one day.

A Re-knit With Changes

My first Cobblestone is a sweater I wear a lot. In fact I was wearing it the morning I began writing this post. Mainly, I love it because it’s a cardigan, which I prefer. Unfortunately, I’m not a great cardigan knitter because I hate picking up stitches and cardigans generally need a button band. It is picked up after the sweater is knit.

This pattern, by Jared Flood (link to pattern below), knits the button band right along with the sweater knit. There is no need to pick up stitches. I totally screwed up my Carbeth cardigan because of the button band, and that has scared me away from knitting them. Just like knitting the Oxbow pattern has scared me away from textured sweaters. One day I will be brave enough to not let those things stop me, but this time I want an easy cardigan.

knitting Cobblestone in blue
Cobblestone in blue without the garter top section.

Big change number one is that I will not be doing the garter stitch section at the top of Cobblestone. I really don’t like it, so my sweater will be more plain.

I had some trouble and had to add a lifeline and rip back a few rows. The buttonhole in the pattern is a very simple one, and I am doing something a little more substantial, like the one shown in Suzanne Bryan’s video here. Then, I messed it up and couldn’t fix it, so I had to take out entire rows!

fixing knitting mistakes
Lifeline and ripping back in knitting

The sleeves are being knit before the body is finished. I am afraid of being short on yarn and would rather have long enough sleeves! In fact, it’s a good idea to do this when knitting a sweater IMO. (I ended up having plenty of yarn.)

The cuffs were done a bit differently because I wanted something tighter.

Buy the Cobblestone Cardigan Pattern here

Sleeve Bind Off – New!

I followed a video by the Chili Dog when binding off. The Invisible Rib Bind Off. It is done with a tapestry needle. It didn’t seem to make that much difference with this type of yarn, but it’s a nice bind off.

The original cuff from the pattern is just a garter stitch rib. I decreased to do a regular ribbed cuff. It ended up being a little tighter than I would like, but it’s okay. I decreased to 36 stitches and 40 may have been better.

Twisted rib cuff on Cobblestone
invisible rib bind off
Invisible rib bind off
Sleeve knitted on Cobblestone
One sleeve finished

Soft Donegal Yarn

Soft Donegal is a yarn I have used before. My first experience was when I knit Kate’s Poncho for my daughter. For some reason the pattern is no longer available. This tweed yarn has a similar feel as Brooklyn Tweed’s Shelter, but I’m hoping it will hold up better. The Shelter is looking very worn. It is dry and light and mine came directly from the shop in Ireland. It is available at shops in the US also to save on shipping.

Cobblestone two sleeves done
Both sleeves finished and on to the body

At the yoke, just before the sleeves, there is a weird bump that I don’t like. I think the pattern is accommodating for this being made for a man, who would have bulkier upper arms and chest area – the pattern is unisex. I wish I had not done the last increase maybe? I’m not sure if that would have helped, but I think so. This would make stitch counts off, so that would have to be figured.

In this picture I show both of my Cobblestones. They both have the bump that seems to make the upper arm bulge a bit.

Weird bump at the arm top

Along the sides of the sweater the pattern calls for garter sections. I decided to do seed stitch instead. The bottom is still done in garter rib, but I tried a new bind-off this time.

Seed stitch on sides

Finishing Up With The Icelandic Bind Off

Because I had plenty of yarn, I kept knitting until the body was around 18 inches. The pattern said 10.5 for my size 2, so I made it quite a bit longer. I did the garter rib and then did the Icelandic bind-off following the Brooklyn Tweed video. It’s a fairly simple bind-off and ended up looking great on this sweater because it’s meant for finishing off garter stitch.

Cobblestone cardigan in blue

The Icelandic bind-off is done with the knitting needles, and not a tapestry needle. It is fairly easy to do, but this yarn made it a bit tougher. I do like the outcome and would definitely use this bind off again.

The Icelandic bind off matches garter stitch

A New Sweater

In the end, I’m quite happy with my new blue sweater. I got some quick photos of me wearing it, but it was a very hot and muggy May morning. I knit this one in size 2 and it is still plenty big. Keep this in mind if you knit this pattern – it runs quite large.

Finished cobblestone cardigan
Just need to sew on the buttons

When knitting my second Cobblestone, I learned a new buttonhole technique, and two new bind-offs. Fun! On to finding a new pattern to begin. If you have knit this pattern, I would love to hear what you thought.

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