I’ll Knit If I Want To: Episode 177
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- Welcome to I’ll Knit (& Spin!) If I want To! I asked y’all to send in some of your questions (from everything from fiber arts, to designing and on!) so I could put together a little video for y’all every Friday doing my best to answer your questions!
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In this week’s episode we cover:
1. I love the Framed sweater! I bought the pattern right away and I went to my LYS today to buy the yarn. While I was there a lady pointed out that Spincycle Dream State is Worsted (Aran?) and that combined with colorwork the sweater is going to be very warm. That made me second guess making it. She thought maybe it could be done with Sport (Dyed in the Wool) and math. What are your thoughts? Thanks!!
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2. Hi Andrea! I'm obsessed with your Framed Sweater and received a beautiful kit in the OG colors this week! I have 2 questions! First, sizing: I've been agonizing about choosing a size 3 and 4. Im a 40" bust (but used to be 38 inch until breastfeeding so that might change again). I made my Weekender in a size 3/48" bust and I thought that was a bit too big for the look I like, wasnt super flattering on me personally with that much ease. But the sleeves in that size were a good fit. Is the Framed fit similar to the Weekender? Most testers are suggesting to size up with this design, but my Weekender being a bit too big on me has made me nervous. (2nd) Color dominance! The motifs switch which color is dominant every other square. Did you switch which color you held dominant every other square or keep it the same? Also, if the contrast color is dark and the other color white Ive heard its sometimes best to let the light color be dominant for an even look since visually the dark color will pop more anyway. Im not sure how true that is or if it depends on the motif. Do you have any thoughts? I'm guessing the answer to that is multiple swatches to compare but dont want to waste lots of my precious Spincycle!
3. I’ve made so many of your sweaters (love your designs so much thank you) and I always hit gauge first try so I stopped swatching… and then I made the nebula with fingering and alpaca and finished the body and sleeve and realized I was way off and the neck was teenie tiny. When swatching I was initially really distressed about the needle size I needed, the fabric looked so open and sloppy but now the sweater body looks great. Is there a rule of thumb for how many is too many needle sizes to get gauge before the fabric becomes icky? How do I know what the designer was going for or do I just base things on what I like?
4. I love the way a lot of your bottom up, drop shoulder designs cast on at the underarm in order to get a deeper drop without an equally wide body. Is there a reason this can't be done top down? I was thinking it would just be a sewn bind off in the underarm before joining in the round. But I haven't seen any patterns with that kind of shaping for top down, so I was wondering if there's a design reason its only ever in bottom up.
5. Hi Andrea, I love the new Framed sweater! It looks like the body is worked in the round, and then flat once it splits for the arms - and I'm nervous to try stranded colourwork knit flat! Do you have any tips for flat colourwork? Would this be an ok pattern to try inserting a steek at each armhole? Do you have any other advice? Thank you so much :)
Tips for colorwork: • Tips for tensioning yo...
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My favorite hack for knitting stranded colorwork back & forth (or flat) is to work the last stitch of each row with both colors. It makes for an "even" start at the beginning of each row; both strands of yarn are coming from the same stitch when you begin the new row, be it a knit row or a purl row.
Thank you to the person who ask about color dominance in each row! I am 2 rows into the color work and had been switching the dominance for each chart repeat…..and quickly seeing how tangled my yarn would get! Will keep the dream state dominant throughout going forward and not looking back!
I was one of the people who tried to submit a question last week (my very first question to your podcast). So glad to hear that it is fixed. However, now I have no idea what my question was. Don't you just love getting older?
I relate the participation curse to being a kid back at home and mum telling me to make my bed or do the dishes. I was all for it until I had to do it and then all the fun goes out of it haha
I love everything you create Andrea. LOVE those glasses on you. Thank you for all the inspiration. You ARE my favorite! Sending love and gratitude from Massachusetts! 🥰💖💕
I think the toughest part about knitting colourwork flat for the first time is getting used to reading the charts right to left, left to right. It takes some brain training for sure!
I agree, steeked armholes can feel bulky, and if the slightest bit too tight, the worst!!! The only exception for me has been a steeked armhole to a set in sleeve. It gave so much structure and feels perfectly fine. IMHO, it’s the perfect technique for the right style, just not drop shoulder. Lesson learned. ❤
I feel you Andrea! I just love knitting too. It's my happy place, my therapy, my relaxation. My days don't feel right unless I've included even a few minutes of knitting, however I prefer starting my days, and sometimes even ending my days, with at least an hour! I guess I'm addicted!
The 100 days of knitting really helped me get unstuck too!! I plan to use it as a strategy in the future if I become stuck again. The manageable commitment really worked for me!
thank you so much for all your wonderful patterns looking forward to your upcoming patterns and your birthday sale. 😊
About the participation curse.. I have only ever joined one KAL before and quickly realized that I struggle to work on a project when I fall behind the group. When I have to work on something (especially gift knits) to complete it in a certain timeframe, that is when I no longer want to work on a project. I can't handle expectation deadlines or my brain says "nope. not gonna do it" 😂
I most definitely have that same participation curse!
i just wanted to say i was TERRIFIED to knit bottom-up (i'm tall with a long torso) but your traveler shell was so good i tried it out and i'm no longer scared! love the construction, even!
I absolutely feel the loss of mojo from time to time. I get like a 9-year-old on summer break. I’m bored with my old toys, I’ve read all my books, I don’t feel like putting my skates on or riding my bike. Just “bleackkkk!” Just hanging in there until it passes is the hardest thing. I am just now coming through one of these dark nights of the creative soul and am looking forward to the burst of energy that is coming!
I had an assignment to knit an affgan square for our fiber guild. It is colorwork flat! YIKES! I found a tutorial by Patty Lyons on flat color work where she purls back backwards. Definitely a game changer. I hope this helps someone. Happy knitting adventures.❤❤❤
Haha yes, the curse! I did the same thing for Tour de Fleece. So much planning and anticipation and then...😂
I can totally relate to the ebb and flow of motivation and excitement for projects! I try to keep a few different types of projects going: A straightforward stockinette in the round sweater, a colorwork project (hello, Framed!), a cabled project, etc. I think that was a tip you shared a few years ago! I really felt the loss of mojo at the end of 2023, with too many projects cast on and then abandoned. Not to mention the yarn from 3 advents, and 4 sock KALs! I decided to be more methodical about my knitting in 2024, and it's really helped me stay engaged and excited about my projects. I've completed twice as many projects as I did in 2023!! I'm definitely not as distracted by new and shiny objects :-)
My ability to set reading goals along side a challenge, and then not read a single book is uncanny. At this point I think I just like making books lists more than actual reading
Honestly, the participation curse or the fear of it makes me hesitate to participate in any community knitting thing 😅
I don't want to disappoint anybody by not finishing or stopping early due to whatever reason. So, seeing it even happens to very experienced people knitting I might dare to participate in a KAL or some other community challenge anyway. Thanks for sharing this! :)
Participation: sometimes the participation opportunities pull you into finishing or “doing” when your internal mojo is lacking. Other times, like your 3 day tour de fleece- that external pull is just not enough.
It’s all about a balance between “what’s holding you back” and how appealing the participation opportunity is. For your spindle spin: you just committed to a tiny bit of spindling each day. Maybe the tour de fleece, snd sewing May ended up being too much commitment, and couldn’t stand up to the rest of the demands on your energy.
My vote is for trying to do too much 😊
I’m 11 rows into my first repeat of Framed… loving it so far. This is my first color work and my first charted pattern and so far, so good 🤞🏻
Quite sure a steek would have prevented me from even trying it!
Don't becafra8d of steeking. People. My first adventure in steeking was a norwegian pattern translated into English. Directions were minimal. Didn't specify putting in stitches for armhole steek. Also the neckl8ne needed to be steeked and no directions for that - didn't even say that neckline needed to be steeked. Took me a long time to knit the sweater but I learned a lot and lost my fear of steeking.
Where do you get your glasses? They're all so fun!
Oh goodness I have participation curse too. I am so consistent in this part of my creativity. I don't know why because I work well under a deadline or pressure but what the heck, I can't seem to participate.
have a lovely birthday. thank you
Thank you for this little weekly talk! I am gonna knit my Framed sweater with steaks for the armholes. I am using the yarn lettlopi so i just gonna cut and felt, that way it wont be so much of a diference.
Hi Andrea! I’m not sure if this question is fair game for the podcast, as it is knitting adjacent, but I think a lot of us are dreaming of a dreamy vacation in Maine with our knitting! What are some of your recommendations for getaway in coastal Maine? Restaurants, activities, yarny attractions? My husband and I are celebrating our 20th anniversary this year and I’d love to celebrate by spending a few days in Maine in autumn. Thanks for all that you do!! ❤🧶❤
I definitely experienced the "Make-along curse" during TDF. I only spun about 2 ounces of fiber during the whole thing! 😅
How many braids of fiber do you think you would need to make color C for a size 4 or 5 Framed Sweater as a 2-ply yarn?
Not quite participation but I love test knits, I said this year I was gonna do less then I did last year and that's gone straight out the window and there's still 5 months to go... Although last year I didn't even start testing til May 😂 no more unless it fits into my Christmas knitting plans .... 😬 But I have yet to miss a deadline sssooo
Hi Andrea! I bought some Peace Fleece in Worsted to knit the Winters Beach Cardi….should I most likely size down? Will the cables still be as impactful?
-Jilly from Bristol Mills, ME
Have ao good weekend.
I call it my along problem. My mojo stops.
:)