Interlude

I have not been busy working on my designs because I am currently taking another class with Cathrine McClure at Jessica Knits. We are making a cardigan, Ysolda Teagues' pattern Cria. The cardigan is knit from the top down and has no seams, even though the sleeves are inset and there are what appears to be side seaming. Very interesting and challenging. 

This is the bodice of the cardigan knitted from the top down. The yoke is garter stitch and the body is stockinette stitch. I will add the bust darts to the front bodice once it measures 12 inches from the shoulder down the back.

As a class we decided that we would like to add bust darts to our cardigan, but the pattern does not give implicit directions. Bust darts are formed by shaping with short rows. This means a row is knitted or purled to a certain point and then a stitch is wrapped and the work turned and knitted or purled back to another certain point. The idea is to add shorter rows in between the longer ones to add height or depth. Let me see if I can show you.

Row 1:     ________________________________________________________________

Row 2:     ________________________________________________________________ 

Row 3:     ________________________________\point A __________________________

Row 4:     ________________________________\

Row 5:     ________________________________/                           

Row 6:     ________________________________/point B__________________________

Row 7:     ________________________________________________________________

Row 8:     ________________________________________________________________

Point A and point B reconnect after the short rows and the added short rows give the extra shaping desired.

The book includes how to calculate the measurements and gives the inclusion design but for a pullover, not a cardigan. We have already taken all of the body measurements and did the calculations for our personal bust dart measurements. So today, I drew and calculated the directions for our cardigan and sent the following email to Cathrine. 

Hi Cathrine,

I have figured out the directions for bust darts on our cardigan.

These directions are to be inserted on page 171 just before "Work 37 rows in patt ending with a WS row.

Bust Darts Directions:

When the cardigan measures O ______ (back shoulder to under bust) start the first row for the bust darts.

Left Dart:

Row 1 (RS): k5, sl1 pwise with yarn in front, k until _______ (stitches for each dart) front stitches remain, w+t.

Row 2: p to 6 sts from end, k6.

Row 3: k5, sl1 pwise with yarn in front, k to wrapped st, k wrap tog with st, k1, w+t.

Rep rows 2 & 3 ________ (turning points - 2) more times. Rep row 2 once again.

Next row: k5, sl1 pwise with yarn in front, *k to 1 st before marker, p1, slm, rep from * once, k to end.

Right Dart:

Row 1 (WS): k5, sl1 pwise with yarn in back, p until _______ (stitches for each dart) front stitches remain, w+t.

Row 2: k to end.

Row 3: k5, sl1 pwise with yarn in back, p to wrapped st, p wrap tog with st, p1, w+t.

Rep rows 2 & 3 _________ (turning points - 2) more time. Rep row 2 once again.

Next row: k5, sl2 pwise with yarn in back, *p to marker, slm, k1, rep from * once, p to 6 sts from end, k6.

Continue to work 37 rows in patt ending with a WS row.

I haven't worked this on my cardigan yet, but will soon. If there are any corrections, I will let you know asap. Printed copies would be nice, I think, once the directions are proven correct and complete. Just a thought.

Great working with you,

Teresa

Now it is time to knit the above directions to see if indeed they are correct. Will let you know later.

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I finished knitting the bodice until the length was 12 inches. I started shaping the bust dart for the left side. The instructions are "right on" until the row between the two darts and the row following the last dart. I failed to include picking up the last wrapped stitch from the final turning point. So I will re-write those instructions including the correction.

Here it is...

These directions are to be inserted on page 171 just before "Work 37 rows in patt ending with a WS row.

Bust Darts Directions:

When the cardigan measures O ______ (back shoulder to under bust) start the first row for the bust darts.

Left Dart:

Row 1 (RS): k5, sl1 pwise with yarn in front, k until _______ (stitches for each dart) front stitches remain, w+t.

Row 2: p to 6 sts from end, k6.

Row 3: k5, sl1 pwise with yarn in front, k to wrapped st, k wrap tog with st, k1, w+t.

Rep rows 2 & 3 ________ (turning points - 2) more times. Rep row 2 once again.

Next row: k5, sl1 pwise with yarn in front, k to wrapped st, k wrap tog with st, *k to 1 st before marker, p1, slm, rep from * once, k to end.

Right Dart:

Row 1 (WS): k5, sl1 pwise with yarn in back, p until _______ (stitches for each dart) front stitches remain, w+t.

Row 2: k to end.

Row 3: k5, sl1 pwise with yarn in back, p to wrapped st, p wrap tog with st, p1, w+t.

Rep rows 2 & 3 _________ (turning points - 2) more time. Rep row 2 once again.

Next row: k5, sl2 pwise with yarn in back, p to wrapped st, p wrap tog with st, *p to marker, slm, k1, rep from * once, p to 6 sts from end, k6.

Continue to work 37 rows in patt ending with a WS row.

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Here is what the finished left dart looks like before I join the two rows.

You can see the additional rows that were knitted, wrapped and turned. The left needle is the beginning row and the right needle is the ending row. See the additional rows above the left needle?

When I join the two rows the dart will be completed.



Now you can see where the additional rows form the dart. This extra knitting shapes the breast area providing a better, more conforming fit.  This also allows the rest of the cardigan to hang smoother under the breast without distortions.

 Now that I have finished the shaping, I will return to working on the Skirt. See you later.

The Second Project is Complete

I finished the second project for the contest last night. It was really late so I didn't journal at that time. I waited until today to capture the process.

Cable side out, ribbing on the inside but folded out into a  ribbed brim.

Ribbed side out with the cabling on the inside but folded up to form the brim.

As you can see, I decided to knit a hat instead of a scarf. I am glad I did because the pattern really "pops" now. The yarn, Willa, is super bulky and suggests using a size 11 needle. I decided to use that size but chose dpns (double pointed needles) for my needles instead of two circulars. I was not sure how many stitches to cast on my needles, so I did some research. While at Jessica Knits yesterday when I was taking a class teaching finishing techniques, I pulled Ann Budd's book The Knitter's Handy Guide to Patterns off the bookshelf to get the information about how many stitches are needed for various sizes of hats. Because I only have 153 yds. of yarn in the one skein I purchased, I chose the 6-18 months size hat to knit. I also needed to consider my pattern and make sure I cast on enough stitches to allow the repeats and the joining of the design in the round. After graphing my design stitches and calculating my gauge (3 sts per inch), I finally decided to cast on 64 stitches divided between the 4 dpns (16 sts on each one).

The knitting progressed smoothly, especially since I have been using this design so much lately. But I did change the ribbing. Instead of the K1, P1 stitch pattern I used with the Cowl, I decided to use a K2, P2 stitch pattern instead, hoping this would further define the cabling. The bulky yarn and the added stitches in the cable really helped the pattern design "pop". Because the hat was so small, I was concerned at first that maybe I shouldn't use so much bulk. But I was pleased as the work progressed to see that this worked well.

It really didn't take long to knit the hat once I started. There were only four repeats of the pattern to form the brim necessary to get the 5 inches I wanted. I was left with a 2.5 inch brim after turning up the edge. Perfect. Then another four repeats of the pattern was needed to get the crown of the hat long enough to fit the head snuggly. Then I decreased for 1.5 pattern repeats to shape the top of the hat. That was all and then I was finished.

I was especially pleased with the way the cables and ribbing decreased without losing the design definition. There was no shifting of the lines. There was no overlapping of stitches. Using the K2, P2 was perfect, because I could decrease by K2 tog (knit two together), P1 and still have a K-P rib. Then I decreased with a K1, P2 tog (purl two together) still leaving me with a K-P rib.

I spent this afternoon and evening typing the pattern into the computer and saving it as a pdf file so it could be saved as a pattern on Ravelry. At first I thought I would call this pattern simply "Child's Reversible Cable Ribbed Hat"; but because I am using the same design stitches, I went ahead and called this pattern like the first one - "Cable Me One Side - Rib Me The Other Child's Reversible Hat". This will keep all patterns with the similar design stitches in the same category. But I have to laugh. That is one long name for such a short little hat. So the pattern is now posted on Ravelry and is free for downloading. I have the written pattern with the chart configurations finished and ready to be mailed to Juniper Moon Farms. I choose to wait until next week to mail the package because I want to show my knitting groups (The Needlers who meet on Thursdays at Jessica Knits and the Monday night group that meets in Prescott Valley) and Steve's parents and family who we are planning to visit next week. I want them to see the original projects, not just photos of them.

Now that both of these projects for the contest are finished, I am back to the other projects that were placed on hold - the white lace sweater, the wrap I am knitting as a gift, and the Shell that is my own design. I almost forgot what I was knitting when I picked up the Sweater again. Whoa, don't want to allow that to happen. It took a bit of re-figuring to remember where I stopped, but I did and I have already knit one additional row. I want to finish it quickly if I can because I am taking another class starting March 1st where as a group we will be knitting one of Ysolda's sweaters in her book Little Red in the City. Ysolda designed her sweater to be knit from the top down and provides for sleeves that aren't inserted but knit with short rows giving the appearance of insertion. I am real excited about learning those techniques. More about that later once I get there. She also designs patterns that are fitted rather than loose - one size fits all. One chapter in her book gives lengthy and detailed information on how to take those measurements to guarantee a perfect fit. I am glad that as a class we will do that together. Always much easier to measure someone else than myself.  This should add to my experience and to the training I received in college when learning all about flat patterns and design.

Well, that't it for tonight. I am going to go sit & knit. So what else is new, huh?