Saturday, March 2, 2013

Nostalgia


The last one of “12 Men’s  Character Sweater”!
Number 12! HURRRRRAH!
 



 





 

 
 
 
 
 
 
The name of this voluminous jacket is Nostalgia, and it doesn’t have anything to do with the sweater recipient. Charles is a helicopter pilot and a true hero, whom I admire. He and his wife Ruth are dear friends of mine, and they probably will wear this thing in turn :-)  And then… I will make me exactly the same sweater out of white or bright red yarn… More likely out of festive red to celebrate our friendship and the completion the 12-sweater project!  
What is “12 Men’s Character Sweater”? I started this  long ago, and I wanted the last one to be based on the first one,  Macedonian sweater. This is the only reason it has such a sentimental name. Even the yarn is of the same color and the same company, but chunkier (the Macedonian one was made of Elann Peruvian Highland Sierra Aran, and this one is Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky).  I also like that the whole idea about 12 sweaters was born in the plane, and by a coincidence my last model is a real pilot!
Size M-L
Full length
of sweater is approximately 28" (71 cm), width – 25.5'' (65 cm).
Materials:26 skeins of Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky wool/alpaca blend: 1.75 oz (50 g)/91 yards (83m)
Needles – US 10 (6mm) or size needed to obtain 14 sts in 4" (10 cm) gauge in stockinet stitch, and stitch holders.

The body of the sweater is made of 2 front central panel and one back central panel (all 3 are identical), 2 very long symmetrical side panels without shoulder seams, and 2 identical small under-arm panels with pocket pieces, worked in Rhomb pattern. Central panels are worked in Trinity stitch pattern. Side panels are worked in Right and Left Oblique stitch patterns with Butterfly cables. The sleeves are worked in Rhomb pattern. All the 2 x 2 ribbing is finished with Italian cast off.









Note about selvage stitches: I always slip the first stitch in the beginning of each row and purl the last stitch in the end of each row. In such a way I will have a chain of edge loops, - one vertical loop for each 2 rows - on each side of a knitted piece. They will be used to simplify rows count and later, when assembling this particular sweater, edge loops will play an important role: because I use inside-out seams, edge loops will form the nice rows on the right side of the sweater.

Trinity Stitch (worked over 4 rows):
1r and all the r.s. rows (right side rows) all purl
2r (ws) into the same stitch k1, p1, k 1 - all into the same stitch!, then p 3 stitches together. Continue the same way to the end of the row.
4r (ws) p 3 stitches together, then k 1, p 1 and k1 all into the same stitch; continue this way to the end of the row.

Central panels are all worked in Trinity except for 2 first and 2 end reverse stockinet stitches adjacent to selvages sts.


For the
BACK CENTRAL PANEL cast on 34 sts (including 1 edge st each side) and work as follow:
First row (right side): 1 selvage st, 2 p, 28 “trinity”, 2p, 1 selvage st.
Second row: 1 selvage st, 2 k., 28 sts Trinity, 2 k., 1 selvage st.

Continue to work this way until the piece measures 23.5’’ (96 rows or 48 selvage sts). Don’t bind off, place all sts on a stitch holder.

2
FRONT CENTRAL PANELS: identical to Back Central panels. Don’t bind off, place all sts on a stitchholder.

 
  Brushing central panels:

Spray their wrong sides with clean water and lightly brush them (see photos, unbrushed- on the left, bushed - on the ight).
Let them dry completely.




SIDE PANELS
Stitch Key

  Stockinet Stitch:  Knit 1 (k) on right side rows, purl 1 (p) on wrong side rows.

  Reverse Stockinet Stitch:  Purl 1 on right side rows, knit 1 on wrong side rows.

  c4b:  Slip next 2 stitches onto cable needle, hold at back of work. Knit the next 2 stitches, knit the stitches on the cable needle.

  c4f:  Slip next 2 stitches onto cable needle, hold at front of work. Knit 2, knit the stitches on the cable needle.

  t3b:  Slip next stitch to cable needle, hold at back of work. Knit 2, purl the stitch on the cable needle.

  t3f:  Slip next 2 stitches onto cable needle, hold at front of work. Purl 1, knit the stitches on the cable needle.

  t2b:  Slip next stitch onto cable needle, hold at back of work. Knit the next stitch, purl the stitch on the cable needle.

  t2f:  Slip next stitch onto cable needle, hold at front of work. Purl 1, knit the stitch on the cable needle.


Butterfly cable (rows 1-2)
 
Row 1 (right side): c4b, c4f

Row 2 (wrong side): all p.



Left Side panel

 






Cast on 50 sts. First Row: 1 selvage st., 3p, 8 sts of butterfly cable, 2p, 8 sts of butterfly cable, 1p, 16 Right Oblique stitch, 1p, 8 sts of butterfly cable, 1 selvage st.
48 stitches x 8 rows

Rows 1 - 8 

Row 1 (Right Side): p3, c4b, c4f, p2, c4b, c4f, [p1, t3f] 4 times, p3, c4b, c4f.

Row 2 (Wrong Side): p8, k3, [p2, k2] 4 times, p8, k2, p8, k3.

Row 3: p3, [c4b, c4f, p2] 2 times, [t3f, p1] 3 times, t3f, p2, c4b, c4f.

Row 4: p8, [k2, p2] 4 times, k3, p8, k2, p8, k3.

Row 5: p3, c4b, c4f, p2, c4b, c4f, p3, [t3f, p1] 4 times, c4b, c4f.

Row 6: p8, k1, [p2, k2] 3 times, p2, k4, p8, k2, p8, k3.

Row 7: p3, c4b, c4f, p2, c4b, c4f, p1, t2f, [p1, t3f] 3 times, p1, t2f, p1, c4b, c4f.

Row 8: p8, k1, p1, [k2, p2] 3 times, k2, p1, [k2, p8] 2 times, k3.

  Continue to work in this way until the piece measures 96 selvage sts (twice as long as a central panel). Bind off. This is a left side panel.
The Right side panel is worked as mirrored right side panel with Right Oblique stitch:

Right side panel
 
 

48 stitches x 8 rows
Rows 1 - 8 

Row 1 (Right Side): c4b, c4f, p3, [t3b, p1] 4 times, c4b, c4f, p2, c4b, c4f, p3.

Row 2 (Wrong Side): k3, [p8, k2] 2 times, [p2, k2] 3 times, p2, k3, p8.

Row 3: c4b, c4f, p2, [t3b, p1] 3 times, t3b, [p2, c4b, c4f] 2 times, p3.

Row 4: k3, p8, k2, p8, k3, [p2, k2] 4 times, p8.

Row 5: c4b, c4f, [p1, t3b] 4 times, p1, k1, p1, c4b, c4f, p2, c4b, c4f, p3.

Row 6: k3, p8, k2, p8, k1, p1, [k2, p2] 4 times, k1, p8.

Row 7: c4b, c4f, p1, t2b, [p1, t3b] 3 times, p1, t2b, p1, c4b, c4f, p2, c4b, c4f, p3.

Row 8: k3, [p8, k2] 2 times, p1, [k2, p2] 3 times, k2, p1, k1, p8.

  When finished, spread them and lightly iron wrong sides of both panels through a wet cotton cloth, without pressing. Let them rest until totally dry:




Underarm panel with a pocket piece (2 mirrored details)

Rhomb
6 stitches x 6 rows

RHOMB, rows 1 - 6

Row 1 (Right Side): k5, p1.
Row 2 (Wrong Side): p1, k1, p3, k1.
Row 3: k1, p1, k1, p1, k2.
Row 4: p3, k1, p2.
Row 5: k1, p1, k1, p1, k2.
Row 6: p1, k1, p3, k1.
Cast on 35 sts and work in Rhomb stitch pattern adding in every 14th row 1 st on the right and working straight on the left. After 14 ss (28 rows) in the wrong side row bind off 27 sts. Continue to work the piece making increases on the left exactly in the same row as in the right. Work this way until the piece is 31 ss long from beg (15 sts on the needles), then in the right side row work 5 sts, bind off 5 sts and work 5 sts to the end of the row. Turn, work 5sts in wrong side row. Turn, bind off 2 sts in the beginning of the right side row and work to the end of the row (3sts on the needles). Turn, purl one, purl 2 together. Knit 2 together and bind off. Finish the other side (5 sts) the same way.

Sleeve (worked in the same Rhomb stitch pattern)

Cast on 40 sts.

Work in Rhomb pattern increasing 1 stitch each side in every 6th to obtain 58 sts on the needle. Continue to work straight until the piece is 33 selvage sts long. Shape cap: At the beginning of 2 next rows bind off 3 sts, then at the beginning of 2 next rows 2 sts, and then in the beginning of 8 next rows decrease 1 st (until you obtain 40 sts on the needles), then bind of  2 sts in the beginning of next 2 rows, then 3 sts, 4 sts, and 5 sts. Bind off the remaining stitches. Cast 43 sts on the sleeve bottom and work 2x2 rib stitch (I worked twisted rib stitch) – 8 cm or 3” and finish with Italian cast off.

ASSEMBLY
 
Start with attaching of central panels to the side panels.

When making ordinary mattress seam we sew on the right side and obtain the seam visible only on the wrong side. In our case, to make an inside-out mattress seam we work on the wrong side of the sweater and from time to time admire the chains of selvage sts that show off on the right side. Start in the bottom of the sweater and proceed towards the neck. Sew loose, make these decorative seams as stretchy as possible and checking the seam often making sure that they are as stretchy as the knitted material.
Then attach the under-arm panels. Leave the pocket openings and attach the pocket pieces to the wrong sides of the side panels with invisible seams:


Collar Place 102 sts of the neck line (34 sts + 34 sts + 34 sts) from the stitch holders to the cable needles and work 2x2 rib stitch 3” long, bind off with Italian cast off.

Braid on the base of the collar (on the wrong side of the back central panel)






Pin and sew on a piece of a sturdy non-stretchy ribbon along with the lower collar line and sew on a 8” long butterfly cable to hide it (see photo). This will pull together the whole sweater, which otherwise may be too stretchy and shapeless around the neckline.

Ribbing on the bottom of the sweater. Cast 184 sts on the assembled jacket.
Work on 2x2 rib (I made twisted rib but it is optional) and bind off when the ribbing equals 8 cm of 3”.


Sew the long seams of the sleeves with ordinary mattress seams. Reinforce the top line of the under-arm panels with 15 crochet stitches (optional).

Mark the top of the armhole and the top of the sleeve (1/2) with colorful yarn or stitch markers. Start sewing a sleeve into an armhole from the very bottom. When finished attaching the sleeve to the under-arm panel, begin to sew the sleeve deeper and deeper under the braid (not to its immediate edge). The top part of the sleeve should be attached to the inner edge of the braid and slightly eased in. The seam curve should be smooth (see Picture), and the free edge of the butterfly braid should rest loosely on the sleeve. The top marks should match. The photo is taken from Macedonian sweater description that is why the sleeve stitch pattern is different:





 


On me, as always:









 
 
Mission accomplished!!!




 

Monday, November 12, 2012

WHERE ARE MY SLEEVES?!







































While knitting the sweater I’ve been constantly hearing this question, that is why it was easy to come up with this name.  So, here is a very simple hoodie for my Dear Husband.  No sleeves! No shoulder seams either. Front zipper and hood zipper. Hood zipper allows to wear it just as a generously sized collar when unzipped.

Size: XXL.
Yarn: about 3 pounds of naturally  true black alpaca yarn, beautiful and shiny, from “Oak-Leigh Peacocks and Alpaca” farm . True black is the rarest and the most precious alpaca color. Unlike with other animals, alpaca’s black color gene is recessive, i.e. even if the mother-alpaca and the father-alpaca are both black the baby can be of a different color. This is exactly the same yarn as for my “Yellow Submarine”. And I will whine again about making photos of black sweaters: OMG, how difficult it was… As I have already noted, if the light is flattering for the face of a model, the sweater looks just like a big black hole (the deeper the black color is the less discernible is the garment), and vice versa: if the light falls sideways you can tell what the sweater is like; but it is usually not good for the face to be highlighted from one side. When the sunset lighting was perfect both for the sweater and the face (one time in Florida), my model was not in the mood to pose, and in addition… I unexpectedly ran out of batteries. Poor me.

 
Needles: #5
Zippers:
1) YKK #5 Nylon coil separating zippper, customized length – 44”
2) YKK#5 Nylon coil boot zipper, closed bottom, length - 18”
4 stitch markers

Gauge: 4” (10 cm) = 18 sts (stockinet stitch).




Main stitch pattern: Royal Diamonds (RD) - multiple of 12+13 sts
25 stitches x 16 rows
Stitch Key  




RunThreadInc: Pick up the running thread that lies before the next stitch and knit it.
 
Set-up row (RS): sl1, k12, p2, k3, *p7, k5; rep from * to last 25 sts, p7, k3, p2, k12, p1.
Next row (WS): sl1, p12, k2, place marker (pm), p3, k7, *p5, k7; rep to the last 18 sts, p3, pm, k2, p13.


Row 1: K1, RunThreadInc, k2, *p2, p3tog, p2, k2, RunThreadInc, k1, RunThreadInc, k2; rep from * to last 10 sts, p2, p3tog, p2, k2, RunThreadInc, k1.

Row 2: Work as established (knit the knit stitches, purl the purl stitches).

Row 3: K2, RunThreadInc, k2, *p1, p3tog, p1, k2, RunThreadInc, k3, RunThreadInc, k2; rep from * to last 9 sts, p1, p3tog, p1, k2, RunThreadInc, k2.

Row 4: Work as established.

Row 5: K3, RunThreadInc, k2, *p3tog, k2, RunThreadInc, k5, RunThreadInc, k2; rep from * to last 8 sts, p3tog, k2, RunThreadInc, k3.

Row 6: Work as established.

Row 7: K6, p1, *k11, p1; rep from * to last 6 sts, k6.

Row 8: K4, p5, *k7, p5; rep from * to last 4 sts, k4.

Row 9: P2tog, p2, *k2, RunThreadInc, k1, RunThreadInc, k2, p2, p3tog, p2; rep from * to last 9sts, k2, RunThreadInc, k1, RunThreadInc, k2, p2, p2tog.

Row 10: Work as established.

Row 11: P2tog, p1, *k2, RunThreadInc, k3, RunThreadInc, k2, p1, p3tog, p1; rep from * to last 10 sts, k2, RunThreadInc, k3, RunThreadInc, k2, p1, p2tog.

Row 12: Work as established.

Row 13: P2tog, *k2, RunThreadInc, k5, RunThreadInc, k2, p3tog; rep from * to last 11 sts, k2, RunThreadInc, k5, RunThreadInc, k2, p2tog.

Row 14: Work as established.

Row 15: *P1, k11; rep from * to last 1 st, p1.

Row 16: P3, k7, *p5, k7; rep from * to last 3 sts, p3.

Repeat rows 1-16 for pat.

For trimming – Cables:
20 stitches x 30 rows 

Stitch Key
  c6b:  Slip next 3 sts onto cable needle, hold at back of work. Knit 3, knit the stitches on the cable needle.
  c6f:  Slip next 3 sts onto cable needle, hold at front of work. Knit 3, knit the stitches on the cable needle.


 Rows 1 - 30:

Row 1 (Right Side): k6, p2, k12.

Row 2 (Wrong Side): p12, k2, p6.

Row 3: c6b, p2, c6b, c6f.

Row 4: p12, k2, p6.

Row 5: k6, p2, k12.

Row 6: p12, k2, p6.

Row 7: k6, p2, k12.

Row 8: p12, k2, p6.

Row 9: c6b, p2, c6b, c6f.

Row 10: p12, k2, p6.

Row 11: k6, p2, k3, [p1, k1] 2 times, p1, k4.

Row 12: p3, [k1, p1] 2 times, k1, p4, k2, p6.

Row 13: k6, p2, k4, [p1, k1] 2 times, p1, k3.

Row 14: p4, [k1, p1] 2 times, k1, p3, k2, p6.

Row 15: c6b, p2, k3, [p1, k1] 2 times, p1, k4.

Row 16: p3, [k1, p1] 2 times, k1, p4, k2, p6.

Row 17: k6, p2, k4, [p1, k1] 2 times, p1, k3.

Row 18: p4, [k1, p1] 2 times, k1, p3, k2, p6.

Row 19: k6, p2, k3, [p1, k1] 2 times, p1, k4.

Row 20: p3, [k1, p1] 2 times, k1, p4, k2, p6.

Row 21: c6b, p2, c6f, c6b.

Row 22: p12, k2, p6.

Row 23: k6, p2, k12.

Row 24: p12, k2, p6.

Row 25: k6, p2, k12.

Row 26: p12, k2, p6.

Row 27: c6b, p2, c6f, c6b.

Row 28: p12, k2, p6.

Row 29: k6, p2, k12.

Row 30: p12, k2, p6.

 Note about selvage stitches: Always slip the first stitch in the beginning of each row and purl the last stitch in the end of each row. In such a way you will have a chain of selvage stitches, - one vertical loop for each 2 rows - on each side of a knitted piece. They will be used to simplify row count and later when assembling this particular vest, they will play an important role: because I use inside-out seams, they will form the nice rows on the right side of the sweater.

 Back:


Italian cast on: 195 sts. After 4 rows of hollow ribbing and 1 row 1x1, start Royal Diamonds chart (1st and 195th stitches are ss and not included in the chart).  1st row of Royal Diamonds: ss, 6 sts of the chart, then repeat 7…18 sts 15 times and finish the row with 19-25 sts). 

Work Royal Diamonds stitch repeat almost 8 times, starting to shape the armhole in the 17th row of the last repeat. 

Armhole shaping: Bind off 15 stitches at the beginning of the row, knit 11 (as a result we have 12 sts on the right needle), purl 2, knit 6, purl 2, place a marker, and finish17-th RD row as usual.

Wrong side row: Bind off 15 sts, 11p (as a result we have 12 sts on the right needle), k 2, p 4, k 2, place marker, and finish 18th RD row as usual. 

Total: 165 sts on the needles.

 Continue to work straight. Between the stitch markers work RD stitch repeat 4 times, and in the beginning and the end of the rows work the cable chart (the cable pattern is separated from the stitch markers by 2 purls). Don’t make selvage stitches, just the cable chart.

 Shoulder line and neckline shaping: 

Continue RD chart (5th time). In the 8-th row of the chart place central 47 sts on the stitch holder and start working 2 halves of the front separately.  This is the row where shoulder stitches would be. So, work 59 sts of the left front and place them on the stitch holder, work central 47 sts and slip the on another stitch holder, and continue 59 sts to the end of the row. Turn, work 59 sts to the end of the right side row and cast on 35 sts.







Right front:

Turn, 1ss, p 12, k 2, p 6, k 2, place a stitch marker, then k3, p7, k5 etc. according to the pattern. 

Yes, front opening has selvage stitches described in the beginning, and the arm opening doesn’t.

Work straight. Between the stitch markers work RD, and in the beginning and the end of the rows work the cable chart (the cable pattern is separated from the stitch markers by 2 purls).

When the distance from the armhole opening will equal 9 RD chart repeats, stop cable armhole trimming and cast on 15 stitches in the end of the wrong side row. Work straight 8 RD chart repeats.

Work 1 row 1x1 ribbing, then 4 rows or hollow ribbing and make Italian cast off.

Left front: the same way as the right front, reversing all shaping. (Yes, she was supervising and helping me a lot!)

Hood:

Pick 53 sts from the right front neckline, making even increases not along the cable, but along the RD part, the 47 sts from the center, and 53 sts from the left front neckline. Mark the center of the back. Work straight 6 RD chart repeats (at the same time continue 22 sts cable trim on the edges) and bind off.

How to prepare the fronts for attaching the zipper:

The zippers will be sewn in the grooves formed by 2 narrow bands along the edges:

1)       along the half of the front and hood pick from every 2 selvage stitches 3 stitches (working on the right side). The front zipper may not go all the way to the end of the hood because above the neckline it becomes rather decorative than functional – but the bands still have to be made from the bottom to the very top. Turn and purl all the stitches the end of the row (wrong side). Turn, knit all the stitches to the end of the row (right side). Turn, knit all the stitches to the end of the row (wrong side). Turn and bind off all the stitches knit-wise.

2)       Working on the wrong side of the same piece, pick the same number of stitches from the same selvage stitches. Turn and purl all the stitches the end of the row. Turn, knit all the stitches to the end of the row. Turn, knit all the stitches to the end of the row. Turn and bind off all the stitches knit-wise.

Trim the other half of the front.

Trim the same way both halves of the hood.

Sewing in the zipper: The zippers are sewn in between the narrow trimming bands. Never stretch the knitting fabric, rather ease it in. First step – pinning. Then - basting with thin strong thread of the matching color (this allows to leave it in after sewing), and then – actual hand sewing with very small stitches or on a sewing machine.

 Sew together the front and the back but not all the way to the bottom, leave side slits about 5” long or as much as you like.

Mmmm... definitely not my size...
So, WHERE ARE MY SLEEVES? :-)