Tag Archives: pullover

tension v. tangling :: a colorwork conundrum

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The Deuce boy’s sweater, in progress

So the thing about colorwork is that, with the way I knit, I basically have a choice between wonky tension or tangled yarn.

If I knit with one color in each hand, which I like doing, my tension ends up on the tight side. Much tighter than the non-colorwork section. But if I hold both yarns in my left hand (I knit continental), the yarns get all tangled. I’ve tried one of those strickfingerhut things and had no real success with it.

For now I’m going to keep muddling along with two colors in one hand, stopping every few rounds to untangle. But it would sure be great to come up with a more efficient style. What are your tips for working with two colors or more?

knitted :: Narragansett

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ImageWell, hello there! It’s been awhile, but I’m still here and still knitting – and even finishing a project here and there. Today is my birthday, and in an effort to “start as you mean to go on,” I thought I’d start the year by blogging.

This knit is one that’s been in my queue for two years – another babycocktails winner: Narragansett. When Thea released this pattern in the spring of 2011, I instantly fell in love with it: top-down construction, easy raglan fit, sweet little cabled details, gorgeous neckline. The Plucky Knitter was selling kits for this knit, and I snatched one up in the pattern color, “Narragansett Gray.” (By the way, have you seen that TPK is celebrating her 6th anniversary with an Anniversary Update?) 

I finally cast on for the sweater at the beginning of April. It was a sweet knit, as I expected i would be. 

ImageKnit in The Plucky Knitter Merino Lite, in about 750 yards.

I made a stupid decision with this sweater, though. I cast on for a size 38 when I had intended to do a size 36 (for a little negative ease). When I realized my mistake, I decided to just go ahead and do the bust as a size 36 but leave the neckline in the size 38. I should’ve known better since the neckline is so wide already. More on that in a moment.

ImageEven with a wee bit of negative ease in the bust, the sweater itself fits comfortably without being slouchy. I wore it to work yesterday and was very happy with it. I got lots of compliments on it.

 

ImageMy husband really likes the neckline (I do, too!).

But the truth is, it bloomed in blocking far more than I expected. Everything fit *perfectly* before I blocked. The neckline was wide enough without falling off my shoulders. Then I blocked and it all came out huge! I was so disappointed. I crocheted a single chain around the inside of the neckline, which helped a little, but not nearly enough. A friend recommended that I spritz it and toss it in the dryer for a few minutes. I did that, and it did make a difference. I felt like it needed more, but I was afraid to dry it further for fear of how the dryer seemed to be roughing up the yarn.

Any suggestions? I’m wondering if I can somehow tack down the inside of the neckline in a couple of places. I would be interested in any advice anyone wants to offer!

ImageOther than that – which is my fault, not the pattern’s – I’m thrilled with this knit. Fast, fun, and imminently wearable, in a yarn I love and a color I *adore*.

ImageLove those cabled details!

I loved this babycocktails/thepluckyknitter match-up so much that I’ve already begun another (Cape Cod). It is zipping along and I hope to be showing it to you soon. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to getting a lot of wear out of this sweater.

 

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