Well, I have been a bit MIA this weekend for several reasons, a wedding, work, and being preoccupied with knitting! Sorry about that, but here are some progress shots! I am almost done knitting the back of the 1930's 3 Hour Sweater (pattern here). Am I totally pleased with it so far? Well no, because some areas are uneven and some stitches came out weird somehow. Am I also totally proud of my sad little sweater back? Hell yeah! This is my first sweater ever and second ever knitting project, it was never going to be totally perfect. I can feel myself learning as I go and I have hopes that the front (which I will start on later tonight) will look even better than the back after all of this practice!
I am using Wool of the Andes Worsted Yarn from a company called Knit Picks and it is really nice to work with. I chose a color called Wheat which is a nice dark mustard-ish yellow/brown/tan. I think it will be a very good fall color for my closet! I have already fallen for several more knitting patterns, and several colors of yarn, so I am already planning my next few projects! A new crafting obsession is born!
Yes this really is the back of the sweater, the sides are curling under so you can't see it's full width. Even so, it does seem pretty small (and I am a bit off on gauge). It is also really stretchy, so I think I will be able to get away with this time, next time I will be more careful about gauge! Because I am so new to knitting, and am teaching myself through the magic of google and YouTube, I am still struggling with some lingering questions when it comes to reading the pattern. Such as, when decreasing is it the same for knit stitches as it is where there are supposed to be purls (for the ribbing sections)? And, why are there so many types of decreases and bind offs? Which one do I use where! You know...that kinda thing. So if any of you knitters want to answer those questions, or have made this sweater...let me know!
Anyways, I hope you all are having a great Labor day weekend. I am going to spend the night knitting again, though there are of course more sewing projects on the horizon for later this week! If there is one serious constant in my life it is the urge to create, I can't help it!
Good luck! I have also made a variation of the 3 hour sweater, although I had to grade it up quite a bit for myself.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dixie! I am a bit worried I should have added some stitches to mine for a better fit, but I will learn what to do for next time!
DeleteOo, great progress! It's so awesome to see your WIP on the 3 hour sweater. I have wanted to knit this one up for ages, but haven't yet. It wouldn't be a 3 hour sweater for me either, but I bet it'd still be faster than the lace one I'm currently stuck in the middle of! :P
ReplyDeletexox,
bonita of Lavender & Twill
Thanks Bonita! I am jealous of your ability to knit lace patterns even if it is slow going. I still make mistakes just trying to do basic ribbing so I think lace is a while off yet for me!
DeleteSo encouraging! I taught myself to knit, too, and have two different sweater backs to show for it, but have stalled there. You are making me want to try again, Bianca. Thanks! Beautiful wool.
ReplyDeleteThank you Piper! I had a moment last night after casting off the sweater back where I was a bit frustrated about how it turned out. The top area with the decreases just isn't as nice as I'd like due to it being the first time I had attempted decreases. What I am saying is, I totally understand getting one piece of the sweater done and loosing motivation! I had to push through today to start the front of mine!
DeleteGood work! I love the colour. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Ellie! :)
DeleteYou have made great progress! Don't worry about uneven stitches, your knitting looks very even. It always looks a bit uneven at first, but is going to be perfect once you block your garment. With the decreases there are a few ways of doing it, and that's because it looks different depending how you do it. When decreasing on a purling row for instance, purl two together. Decreasing on a knit row, the stitch can be slanted either to the left or right, depending on how you do it. This is something used on purpose for example in lace or open type knitting. Two stitches knit together the "usual way" will slant to the left. If you knit two together in the back loops of the stitches, it will slant to the right. It is hard to explain, but i just wanted you to get the idea that you can control the look and details with different ways of doing the same action :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Siri! I am so lucky to have some veteran knitters like yourself around to encourage me and give me some guidance. I was hoping blocking might sold some of the uneven stitches, so I look forward to doing that! I think the many types of decreases is just what had me confused, I wish the patterns told you which type to use where, but they aren't written for beginners like me! It was mainly when I was decreasing along the ribbed portion where I got confused, as sometimes I was decreasing a purl and a knit stitch together and I didn't know what decrease to use when combining them like that. I have a lot to learn! I'm pretty sure my decreases were often incorrect as the top area of my sweater back is looking kinda off. I may unwind it a bit and try again after I finish the front of the sweater. Thanks again for the encouragement! :)
DeleteI doff my hat to you so very, very much for tackling a sweater as your second ever knitting project. Way to go to the nth degree, dear gal!!!
ReplyDelete♥ Jessica
Thanks Jessica! I only learned so I could make sweaters really, when it comes down to it! I may have skipped ahead a bit, but I'll catch up to my myself somehow, if that makes any sense! :)
DeleteYour sweater is looking good, I like the colour and the sound of your knitting routine! Don't worry about any curling up or slightly odd looking stitches. When you block the pieces and sew it up that will all get sorted out. As for decreasing in ribbing, if the purl stitch is the one to be left on the needle I would purl the knit stitch and purl stitch together. If the knit stitch is the one to be left on the needle I would knit them together. In the end, if you are consistent it will look even across the rows. If a pattern doesn't specify the type of decrease it is fairly safe to assume you are just knitting or purling two together in the usual way. As Siri says, different decreases give different effects which are sometimes used as a feature in a pattern, like in lace knitting. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kate! I think the front and back will fit, but I made one sleeve today and will definitely have to try again with more stitches as it was about an inch too small around for my arm. I am using a smaller size needle than called for so I kinda expected it to happen! I am excited to make the sleeves and get everything blocked! Thanks for the advice on decreases, thankfully the more I knit the more intuitive it seems to become. While working the sleeve today I got to try increases for the first time and that adventure went better than I expected! I am well hooked on knitting now!
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