The Sewing Place

Starting a Sweater

Ploshkin

Starting a Sweater
« on: March 12, 2017, 15:03:33 PM »
Got the pattern, got the yarn, got the new interchangeable needles, done the tension swatch, am about to embark on Drops pattern http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/175-1-wind-down175-1
I picked something easy looking as knitting a sweater from the top down and in the round is a new venture for me but I like the idea of no sewing up and only a small number of stitches to cast on.  I'm using Drops Cotton Merino which is beautifully soft and machine washable.  It could work out ok or it could be a disaster.  I'll keep you posted.
Life's too short for ironing.

Ellabella

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2017, 15:16:17 PM »
Link doesn't work Plosh, but it brought up a noce sheep pic which seemed appropriate.

BTW how is puddle lamb?

Ploshkin

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2017, 16:18:19 PM »
Oh, I didn't realise I  had been anywhere near Ravelry.
Here's another link I hope this one workshttp://www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php?id=7826&cid=19

Unfortunately and upsettingly, puddle lamb hasn't made it.  Not because of being hypothermic in a puddle but it became apparent that it had something wrong with it that probably caused it to wander off and end up in the puddle.  I'm keeping everything crossed for some triplets very, very soon so that I can give the ewe another lamb.
Life's too short for ironing.

Ellabella

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2017, 19:03:46 PM »
I like that pattern, really fancy trying a top down sweater, once I've completed my latest socks..

Hoping for triplets for the bereft mum..

Ploshkin

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2017, 19:29:29 PM »
As I'm using cables I thought I ought to get to grips with magic loop .  I had a few false starts using different tutorials and ending up with a twisted mess but once I found some sensible instructions and got a few rows under my belt it was a piece of cake.
Life's too short for ironing.

Francesca

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2017, 08:11:24 AM »
I love Magic Loop. Much much easier than several DPNs

b15erk

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2017, 09:16:06 AM »
Lovely pattern!  Not sure about top down, I've only done a baby one, and it wasn't a success.

Magic Loop, I think I've tried, but it hasn't made much of an impression ;)

How's progress?  Lamb, and knitting....:)

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Ellabella

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2017, 10:00:48 AM »
Once you get your head round magic loop it's a doddle, you've just got to find the right tutorial that works for you.

I knit everything on cables now, but strangely can't part with my collection of needles most of which belonged to my Grandma who had the weirdest knitting style, her needles all curved as she clamped them under her arms. :wool:

b15erk

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2017, 10:06:31 AM »
AhHa!  Just Googled Magic Loop, and yes I have tried it.  Not for me though, I'm a simple soul where knitting is concerned, and life is too short to fiddle about with a circular needle:)

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Ploshkin

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2017, 11:32:08 AM »
Quote
her needles all curved as she clamped them under her arms.

That was very much a traditional way to knit in some areas.  Many years ago I came across a very small but fascinating knitting museum in Yorkshire.  In there they had a collection of carved knitting sticks - they looked a bit like a wooden goose wing with a hole for the knitting needle in the front.  The knitter had the knitting stick under one arm with the needle sticking out of the end & then just used one hand to knit with which meant that the other hand was free to rock the baby's cradle or do other things.  Here (hopefully) is a link to some stuff about knitting sticks
Life's too short for ironing.

Ellabella

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2017, 11:49:46 AM »
What an interesting article, I'm going to reread when I have more time and check out some of the links.

Can you remember where the knitting museum was please Ploshkin?

Ploshkin

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2017, 13:34:26 PM »
Quote
Can you remember where the knitting museum was please Ploshkin?

Haven't got a clue - it was about 1982 & not much more than a tin shed so unlikely to still be there.
Life's too short for ironing.

hernibs

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #12 on: March 21, 2017, 23:51:34 PM »
Lovely sweater Ploshkin - best of luck with it.
Top down?  I'm with Jessie on this....Magic Loop?  Not for me either - I just could not be bothered learning any more new ways to do things which are second nature to me doing them my way, if you get my drift......grammar all over the place there!
Sorry the lamb didn't make it....hope you get the triplets to be able to pass it off with the lambless ewe....3 is too many for one ewe in any case.

Ploshkin

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #13 on: March 25, 2017, 14:10:41 PM »
Well I've done most of the yoke and happy so far with the way it is going.  My casting on is always rubbish, it is a bit tidier since I started using the thumb method but still not brilliant.  Magic loop is good but I've got some wobbly stitches down centre front and centre back where the loop comes.  I'm fairly confident that they will even up with blocking but how do you block something that has been knitted in the round?  I can also see the cast on edge of the neckband being pretty grubby by the time I get to the end as it is sitting in my lap all the time I'm knitting.  I'm not suggesting that I'm a particularly grubby person although I can do grub with the best, but it could be picking up traces of dye from my jeans etc.  I know some people have their knitting on a white cloth but I can't be doing with that.
Probably when I have finished I will give it a gentle hand wash which should sort out the wobbly stitch issue.
Anyway, here it is so far ....
Life's too short for ironing.

hernibs

Re: Starting a Sweater
« Reply #14 on: March 25, 2017, 14:28:06 PM »
That looks good - the gentle hand wash will do the trick....you'll not see all the wobbly bits after that.
You are brave to start top down...I would be totally lost.