What's on my needles: Willow Linen Pullover from "Beyond Wool"
I've been dying to write about my current knitting project, because it's finally on the right track and nearing completion.
This is the first real garment I've knitted, as I'm not counting the scarves or the tote bags or the baby blanket or Nano sock or any of my other previous projects.
(I'm especially not counting the Berocco Trilogy vest I ambitiously began last year only 2 months after I learned to knit. That's a story for another time ... and I will get back to it, I swear.)
Anyway, so I'm knitting the Willow Linen Pullover pattern from Candace Strick's book Beyond Wool: 25 Knitted Projects using Natural Fibers.
I'm making only a couple of changes to the pattern: I wanted a rolled neckline instead of the hemmed one, and I wanted longer sleeves, three-quarter length. Here's the pattern photo with my changes marked:
I started the project with some vintage linen-cotton yarn that I got in a bargain lot this summer on eBay. Well, at least I think it's linen-cotton: the yarn was made in Oslo, Norway by Verbasko, and the label reads "60% Bomull 40% Lin". (I may have to ask the Knitters Uncensored podcasters to confirm my translation!)
Here's what the yarn looks like ... can you see all the little bits of vegetable matter I'm having to pick out???
The stitch pattern is 4 rows stockinette followed by 2 rows seed stitch (K1P1), which is well suited to linen, Strick says. For linen yarn you don't want all stockinette, and ribbing doesn't work well, the results would be too droopy.
The pullover pattern is relatively simple and straightforward, knitted from the neck down on circulars with yarnover increases. Even though I haven't made a garmet before, I thought I could handle this.
Turns out I didn't read the pattern carefully enough, and I confused the repeats. By the time I'd finished the first 6 inches, I knew I was in trouble! I spent a couple of days in denial, then called a knitting friend to ask, "Should I frog it?" Of course I already knew the answer, but it helped when she told me that even experienced knitters sometimes have to "ribbit, ribbit"!
I took a deep breath, and pulled out the needles, and unraveled the whole thing. But I really did start over immediately, and I was soooooo relieved when it started coming together properly!
The next drama was just after I got the armholes off onto the stitch holders, and I had the sudden sinking feeling that the body of the sweater was too small. I double-checked my gauge in a couple of places, and I was dead-on the 22 stitches over 4 inches required by the pattern. It was difficult to measure while still on the needles, but I was just sure that I was getting a 36" circumference instead of the 38-1/2" measurement I thought I was knitting to. But no way was I going to frog it again!
So I decided to add 5 stitches under each arm, where it wouldn't be obvious, using make-1 increases. After all, I'd rather have it too loose than too tight. And what the heck, if it comes out way too big, I can always wash it in hot water!
Here are pictures I took this week of my work in progress. Remember, I'm knitting neck-down and wrong-side out. In the first picture, you're looking at what will be the inside of the sweater:
And in this one you can sorta see what the outside will look like, with the rolled neckline:
Now for my Urban Scavenger's tip o' the day: I went to Strick's book Beyond Wool: 25 Knitted Projects using Natural Fibers to find a pattern for my linen yarn instead of Amy Singer's newer book No Sheep for You: Knit Happy with Cotton, Silk, Linen, Hemp, Bamboo for a couple of reasons.
One reason -- entirely personal -- is that the patterns in Singer's book are still too hard for me as a beginning knitter. I'm going to have to grow into that book.
The other reason is that Beyond Wool is an older book published in 2004, meaning that I could easily get it from my local library. (And, if I wanted to buy it, the used price on Amazon is down to $6.50).
So if you want to save money on your knitting projects, one way is to start with your local library. It's a great free resource, and the more knitting books you check out, the more knitting books your library will purchase! It's all about the circulation, remember ...
Happy Scavenging,
--Margaret (a.k.a. MaggieBelize)
Visit my website at www.LocalGringos.com
This is the first real garment I've knitted, as I'm not counting the scarves or the tote bags or the baby blanket or Nano sock or any of my other previous projects.
(I'm especially not counting the Berocco Trilogy vest I ambitiously began last year only 2 months after I learned to knit. That's a story for another time ... and I will get back to it, I swear.)
Anyway, so I'm knitting the Willow Linen Pullover pattern from Candace Strick's book Beyond Wool: 25 Knitted Projects using Natural Fibers.
I'm making only a couple of changes to the pattern: I wanted a rolled neckline instead of the hemmed one, and I wanted longer sleeves, three-quarter length. Here's the pattern photo with my changes marked:
I started the project with some vintage linen-cotton yarn that I got in a bargain lot this summer on eBay. Well, at least I think it's linen-cotton: the yarn was made in Oslo, Norway by Verbasko, and the label reads "60% Bomull 40% Lin". (I may have to ask the Knitters Uncensored podcasters to confirm my translation!)
Here's what the yarn looks like ... can you see all the little bits of vegetable matter I'm having to pick out???
The stitch pattern is 4 rows stockinette followed by 2 rows seed stitch (K1P1), which is well suited to linen, Strick says. For linen yarn you don't want all stockinette, and ribbing doesn't work well, the results would be too droopy.
The pullover pattern is relatively simple and straightforward, knitted from the neck down on circulars with yarnover increases. Even though I haven't made a garmet before, I thought I could handle this.
Turns out I didn't read the pattern carefully enough, and I confused the repeats. By the time I'd finished the first 6 inches, I knew I was in trouble! I spent a couple of days in denial, then called a knitting friend to ask, "Should I frog it?" Of course I already knew the answer, but it helped when she told me that even experienced knitters sometimes have to "ribbit, ribbit"!
I took a deep breath, and pulled out the needles, and unraveled the whole thing. But I really did start over immediately, and I was soooooo relieved when it started coming together properly!
The next drama was just after I got the armholes off onto the stitch holders, and I had the sudden sinking feeling that the body of the sweater was too small. I double-checked my gauge in a couple of places, and I was dead-on the 22 stitches over 4 inches required by the pattern. It was difficult to measure while still on the needles, but I was just sure that I was getting a 36" circumference instead of the 38-1/2" measurement I thought I was knitting to. But no way was I going to frog it again!
So I decided to add 5 stitches under each arm, where it wouldn't be obvious, using make-1 increases. After all, I'd rather have it too loose than too tight. And what the heck, if it comes out way too big, I can always wash it in hot water!
Here are pictures I took this week of my work in progress. Remember, I'm knitting neck-down and wrong-side out. In the first picture, you're looking at what will be the inside of the sweater:
And in this one you can sorta see what the outside will look like, with the rolled neckline:
Now for my Urban Scavenger's tip o' the day: I went to Strick's book Beyond Wool: 25 Knitted Projects using Natural Fibers to find a pattern for my linen yarn instead of Amy Singer's newer book No Sheep for You: Knit Happy with Cotton, Silk, Linen, Hemp, Bamboo for a couple of reasons.
One reason -- entirely personal -- is that the patterns in Singer's book are still too hard for me as a beginning knitter. I'm going to have to grow into that book.
The other reason is that Beyond Wool is an older book published in 2004, meaning that I could easily get it from my local library. (And, if I wanted to buy it, the used price on Amazon is down to $6.50).
So if you want to save money on your knitting projects, one way is to start with your local library. It's a great free resource, and the more knitting books you check out, the more knitting books your library will purchase! It's all about the circulation, remember ...
Happy Scavenging,
--Margaret (a.k.a. MaggieBelize)
Visit my website at www.LocalGringos.com
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