I’ve decided to knit a vest in your book and I’ll advise you when I’ve had a chance to knit a guage swatch from the variegated green yarn I purchased at the Stitches convention. The label says 14 sts. per inch in 4″ size 6 needle. 100% lambs wool.
I want your help to be able to use this yarn. The vest I want to knit is the one with the flap down at the neckline. I love that vest. It’s a funky fashion, and can be embellished. I’ve got some great embellishing ideas, but I have to make the basic vest first. Love you!
I also love the vest with the triangles, but I don’t think I can handle that yet. What do you think?
Rodezzy, Fiber Artist
Edited 9/14/2009 9:18 am ET by rodezzy
Replies
Sure you can! With your talent and your creative gifts, of course you can. I'll help you, but you'll hardly need it.
Katina
Great! I look forward to hearing from you. I will knit a swatch tonight. How many rows, how many stitches?
I imagine your yarn label says 14 sts per 4 inches, right? That means a gauge of 3.5 sts to the inch. Roughly. Remember that gauge is a very individual thing, and the manufacturer gives a suggested gauge. In fact, I'm knitting with two colors at the moment - a red and a grey. The yarns are identical, but the grey is definitely slightly thicker than the red. Dyes can affect yarns in this way. I would cast on 20 sts - that should give a width of about 6 ins. Knit until your piece is about square. Don't be afraid to make a generous swatch as you need to be able to measure it accurately, with no distortion at the edges. This sounds very exciting!
Katina
Oh, I can't get it right, but I believe you are right. he he.
As to knitting swatches, may I add a suggestion? For an accurate swatch, it must lie flat. If you are knitting in stockinette stitch, it will curl for sure. To get a good, flat swatch, add some rows (3 or 4) of garter stitch at the beginning and end and several stitches at the sides, thus:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx the xx = garter stitch, the ooo = stockinette
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx stitch which should be at least an inch
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wider than the gauge desired.
xxxooooooooooooxxx Good luck with your project.
xxxooooooooooooxxx
xxxooooooooooooxxx Edit: for some reason, the example did not
xxxooooooooooooxxx appear on the posting in the same form that
it was typed, but you get the idea.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Edited 9/14/2009 12:05 pm ET by starzoe
Will do, makes lots of sense to me. I've seen in my knitting how stockinette rolls.
At the convention I watch a demo on knit one, knit one under which gives a flatter fabric, but then I'm going to do that now.
Here I am giving snippets of info without all the details. I have a broucher about that too .... at home. Going to lunch now. Talk at you later. It's slow here today for me any way. he he
Do you mean the demo was on K1 K1 below? That is a variation of the brioche stitch, sometimes called fisherman's rib...great for scarves where you want both sides to look the same, good for hats too, it's puffy and uses more yarn than ordinary rib or stockinette stitch.I've been following your knitting especially. I like to see you break the rules! Too many knitters are stuck to their patterns, afraid to innovate. It's only yarn after all and where's the fun? My grandgirls (12 and 14) are innovative knitters, continental style. I taught them about gauge and turned them loose. This summer they learned knitting in the round and designed their own projects, did the math and turned out two projects each, cowls and ski headbands. The twelve year old even reads and knits at the same time - something grandma can't do.
Yes it was knit one stitch and knit the next stitch below the upcoming stitch. The stich on the needle becomes a float, hiding it. It creates verticle lines of color.
They used variegated yarn and two balls a yarn. You slide the work back and forth on the circular and there is a working yarn on each end. To know what yarn you are on, never use the same color yarn that is on the needle. It gives a 4 way stretch to the garment. I will bring the brochure I had with the author of the book and make sure I am explaining it right.
Your grands are fantastic. You gave them a great gift. I wish I had been encouraged more on knitting when I learned the basics at the age of 9. I should be a designer, and prolific knitter by now at age 50+. giggle They really learned well and are using what they learned extensively. Awesome. Out doing the teacher....giggle.
Here is the best picture of my swatch. Used size 9 Crystal Palace bamboo circular knitting needles. I see 3.5 stitches per inch. I think smaller needles would be too tight and larger needles will be too loose a fabric. I like the way this year knitted up on these size needles. The yarn is called Nature Wool, Chunky Multy...(I was close) he he.
Label reads: 14 sts = 4", size 6mm(10US) ooops, I didn't read the needle size correctly. Be Right Back....tick tick tick!!!
O.K. New swatch with size US 10 needles. Yes, I like this much, much better. Fabric is great. Lays flatter because it is more relaxed because of larger needle size. I used size 10 straights because I don't have size 10 circulars. So, I must go buy some tomorrow. The straights are short, so they were comfortable. But the circulars will be better of the larger amount of stitches on the needle. So this picture doesn't really show a big difference though in the stitches per inch. Some people say the circulars don't hold a good guage. ??????
Edited 9/14/2009 8:05 pm ET by rodezzy
Edited 9/14/2009 8:07 pm ET by rodezzy
Have never heard about circulars not holding a gauge. In this case you are using them as flat needles, right? I don't know the pattern. With any needles, sometimes when you get really going on a project your gauge will change. Love circulars. I seldom use straight needles, even for small projects. On really small projects I use dpns.
Well, this is just something I heard at the convention. Now, I don't really know, that's why I mentioned it to see what the feelings were out there about the cords on the circulars. I had noticed that they were starting to make circulars with the fatter cables, like the Addi Turbo I purchased. It has a cable that is almost flush to the needle ends which are US #17. So, I asked a lady who had started a conversation with me while we excitedly drooled over the pretty new square circular needles on display before us. She said she had heard that too.
Obviously, both of us were inexperienced knitters, we quickly dropped the subject to ohhhhh and ahhhhhhhhh at the latest innovation in novelty yarn, a couple yards of yarn with chains dripping off it. $24 per skein. (just keep walking....just keep walking). LOL
Oh, yes, I made one swatch with circulars (size 9) and the other (size 10) with short straights. I'm going to make a vest.
Edited 9/14/2009 11:47 pm ET by rodezzy
Most of my circulars (all maybe 100 of them) are not new, some probably could be called vintage. I have a few of the shorter AddiTurbos but they are not my favourites. Perhaps the new ones with the large cables will be popular, I know that sometimes the complaint about the old plastic and wire cable is that the yarn can sometimes be hung up on the connection.I can understand the gauge going off when using the huge needles. I find that anything over 6mm (I'm metric, in Canada) requires too much manipulation, prefer knitting in the finer gauges. Am now working on a tunic length cabled coat for my 14 yr. old grandgirl. My pattern completely to her specifications. I can see that having teen-aged girls is going to cost me big money in yarn. Post a picture as soon as you finish the vest - I'll expect to see it by Friday, for sure!
Friday!!!!???? Are you kidding me. I'm not that good and I have to follow a pattern. That will slow me down considerably....giggle.
That tunic length cabled coat sounds divine. I want to make a knitted coat too. But alas, I only have 24 hours in a day, and I try to sleep some of those hours outside of work. Things should pick up a little here today. I do have to run an errand for my boss today around 9 a.m. One of the guys brought me a cucumber and some tomatoes from his garden. What a sweetie....that's lunch.
Yes, it will cost, but just think of the wonderful blessing you have given them, and the blessing they are to you. When they are grown and with their own families, they will cherish you and shower you with knitted glory. I'm sure of it.
Hi Rodezzy, hi Starzoe - this is for both of you keen knitters
Like Starzoe, I've not had gauge problems with circulars. I've read that some knitters have a problem in situations like the following example: you're knitting an item in the round up to the armholes, then divide for front and back, which means you're knitting back and forth. A slight gauge change can occur. I've no personal experience of this, but see how it could happen if you feel your rhythm has changed. I think how you hold/throw the yarn might play a role.
I love knitting; I knit every day of my life. I love how there's no right or wrong way, no matter what others may tell you. If you get results that please YOU, and that do not cause you discomfort, that's all that matters. I would only say it's wrong if it hurts you because you're holding your needles in some sort of 'unrelaxed' position. In such a case I'd say unlearn the bad habit as quickly as possible. I have noticed that some knitters who suffer shoulder/arm pain are holding the needles up high, with shoulders bunched up, and are supporting all the weight of the work in their hands and arms. This is where circulars, especially for large projects, are so good - the work lies in your lap.
And something else I love - it's not many activities that you can work on something and then, if you want to, can undo and return the material to its original state. You take yarn, you knit, you unravel, you have yarn. Most of us here know to our cost what happens if we cut a garment piece out wrongly!
Starzoe - your grandkids are lucky to have you, and you them.
Katina
Hello Starzoe
I've posted a message to Rodezzy which is for both of you.
Greetings - Katina
Hey there Katina, did you see my swatches and yarn specs? Please examine and give your input. I will have to go out line dancing tonight, for I desperately need the exercise, but I will have an hour or so before I go to put in some knitting, if we can settle into the specifics for the project today. I have the book with me today, and the project is the Easy Flap-Front Top. I love it and would like to get busy. Is my swatch guage readable in the pictures? My swatches is in the post I've replied to the last numbers being .10
Edited 9/15/2009 8:53 am ET by rodezzy
Hi Rodezzy
From what I can tell from the pics, your swatch on the #10 needles looks very good. Seems to be giving you 14 sts = 4 ins. The yarn looks very lovely. I share your excitement!
Katina
O.K. now how do I transfer that swatch into instructions for the top. According to the instructions, the guage is 15 sts = 4 ins. What do I do from here? Use a bigger set of needles. I have to buy them today, so I will need to know. I don't have circulars in size 10 or 11. Or should I buy 10.5?
If you're comfortable with the gauge you're achieving, it would be easier to work out a new pattern to your gauge and m/ments. The shape is very simple. In a new pattern, we could add some shoulder shaping and possibly bust darts.
Katina
Oh, no.....not bust darts. I have no idea how to knit bust darts. Can we just make it plain box construction? yikesss....I'm getting scared now.
Absolutely! We'll knit a plain, simple vest top
Katina
Oh thank you, I promise the next one I knit will be a little more advanced. I just want to get thru this first garment. love and hugs
Knitting doesn't have to be 'advanced' to look good! Yours will be terrific
Katina
Thanks Katina! We have a lot of guest here at work, looks like I'm going to have to wait until I get home. Oh well, I do have a commitment to work......he he he I'm blessed as it is, so I had better get back to work.
Yes, better that you do!
Hi Katina: I knitted another swatch, all garter stitch. But I can't count the knitted rows. Do you count each bumped row as two rows? I can easily count stockinette stitches, I count the "V"'s but I got confused on the garter stitched piece. Also, I used a pair of straights - size 11. I don't know why, I just felt I wanted a looser fabric in the end. I also know I prefer circulars. Remember I purchased those fancy circular set of needles, well they come apart at the base, the wood separates from the metal base. I was very disappointed.
But any whoo.....I'm thinking that I should use size 11 needles. I get 3 sts per inch and the fabric in garter is nice. So, please see attached picture and tell me what you think. Am I being a fussy student? Sorry....I am glad you had me do this swatch, because I can see that garter stitch is a little stiffer fabric because the size 11 swatch in garter stitch seems firm but it laid out flatter with out you wanting to stretch it out. Does that seem right? Oh, I have so much to learn in knitting. But I'm going to make this vest, Cathy. Hang in there with me O.K.?
Forgot the picture of swath. This is on size 11 straights. giggle
Edited 9/16/2009 9:51 pm ET by rodezzy
We're all hanging in there with you, Rodezzy. Knitting's something that keeps on teaching - always something new to learn. Something that always amazes me about knitting is that you can be a fabulous knitter in certain techniques, but a complete novice in others. And it's all done by manipulating two stitches - knit and purl. And the colorwork possibilties are literally endless.
So, your swatch looks terrfiic and you're an intuitive knitter, just as I thought you'd be. And being fussy? Heck no!! Taking time to swatch carefully is very important if a good fit is to be achieved. When we sew, we prepare the fabric and do all kinds of things before cutting out.
Hmm...these needles are a bit troubling. What make are they?
Katina
I have no idea what make the needles are, they were given to me and are aluminum, and are very old.
They were given to me by my friend I made the dolls and quilts for when her husbands uncle died and the aunt had died prior to his death. They were cleaning out the house to sell it, and she called me to come and get whatever I wanted.
The aunt was a proficient seamstress, knitter and she crocheted. I got all kids of notions, knitting needles and gadgets for knitting. She made pillow cases, clothes, crocheted afghans, knitted everything and so on and so on. I have boxes of material and other trims and stuff. I have some old circulars with stiff cables and plastic colored tips. I got stitch holders, tip stops and tiny metal dpns in a little tubular case. A box of small scissors of all sorts, from folding to embroidery scissors. Treasures I sometimes just look at and imagine her sewing, and using these things. I have old hankerchiefs still in the boxes, tableclothes and napkins. Kitchen towels and fancy aprons. Sometimes I just go through the boxes and look over and touch the fabrics. Things she made and things she bought, her little treasures.
They were both old enough to be my parents.
What a wonderful gift, so much history in the tools. And how nice that they've gone to someone who really appreciates all that the gift entails.
Katina
Yes, its a wonderful gift. I use things from the boxes as I can. I've got a tablecloth cut up and needs to be sewn into a quilt top. I'll be giving that one to my friend also.
Attached for all, I have scanned and attached a picture of the vest I'm knitting.
I also believe that I have figured out what to do next. With your approve Cathy, I believe that I like the Size 11 needle swatch the best in garter, especially since the garment is in garter stitch.
According to my measurements, I will use a 50 in. sizing. I believe that gives me a 4 in. ease over my stomach, since my bust line measured 46 inchs. The swatch measured 3 sts. to the inch. Therefore:
Formula: 3 X 50 = 150 sts. Divide 150 by 2 for the front and back cast on amount. That makes a total of 75 sts. to be cast on for the front and the same for the back.
Approve so far!? I won't start until you give the O.K., because the next deal is to know what length the back piece will be knitted. Then calculate what width the neck opening should be .... right Cathy? This calculation will give me the number of stitches for each shoulder section and the bind off for the neck shaping. I feel smarter already....he he he
I'm only trying to think this through for myself some, and not be a total nurd in this process. The more I try to figure out, the more I will learn how to do in other knitted projects. Right? giggle
Edited 9/17/2009 3:00 pm ET by rodezzy
Hi Rodezzy
Sounds good! Don't forget to add a stitch each side to be used in the seam. You've certainly got it all figured out. This is a very simple top, with little shaping. We can give you some armhole shaping if you want it, once you get to that point, but at least now you can get started.
Enjoy!
Katina
oooopss forgot the picture.
Well, I guess I will have to work it out some other way, it won't upload. Well, until later. I got to get back to work.
Hi I have 12 inches done. I knitted tonight. It says go to 16.5 inches. I'll let you know when I'm at the back neck line. Here's a picture.
That color is fabulous; looks like the bug's really got you - yeah!
Katina
Thanks Katina. Just so you know, I was invited to a "Open Knit" on Sundays with two other ladies, and I went this past Sunday. I worked with the gold novelty yarn to make a wide scarf/shawl for the Blue Jean Coat I am going to make, and one I already made last season that I haven't worn yet. It needs buttons. Check the challenge thread to see the other garments I sewed. Thanks for all your help. OXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Lovely tension you got going there Lady! Cathy
Pretty good for an old gal, huh! giggle.
hardly old!
I am not even going down that garden path! Silly girl. :P Cathy lol
o.k.....o.k. I'm knitting pretty good. There you have it. It does help me wind down at the end of a day, and I had fun with the new ladies I've met. Four were knitting socks, two were knitting sweaters. One for herself, the other for a toddler. One of the sock ladies also brought a sweater for her daughter to work on because she came to a part where she needed to think and she didn't want to think, just knit. giggle. I love it. Two ladies were knitting spa cloths, and one was finishing up a caplet. I thought "Katina will be proud of me finding this group, now maybe I'll get more knitting done"......giggle.
now maybe I'll get more knitting doneYou have got to be kidding me! HA HA HA! Ms Fingers on Fire. tee hee hee. what a sense of humor you got Lady... Cathy :)
I have got to make a garment. This is a challenge for myself. So, if I block out this time for knitting, I may get it done. And eventually a sweater.
I keep telling you - the bug has bitten!
Katina
Hy Lady!!! Going to a "open knit" session tonight and spend some time with my vest. I believe I should get that back done tonight. I'll be with two creative friends and other talented knitters tonight. It should be fun. I'll talk with you on my tomorrow evening time and let you know how far I get. I'll be taking the book with me and maybe I'll get started on the shoulders, of finish and start the next side. High ambitions eh!? giggle.
Hey Rodezzy, I so enjoyed talking with you today. How did the dollmaking go?
Katina
I had a wonderful time in the class today. It was a stump doll called "African Queen". Didn't finish the doll in class, but will finish later. They will be in out 2010 quilt show.
Guess what!!!! I got to the 16.5 inches on my vest and am now ready for the next step. I will read through the next directions and try and figure it out. Let me know what you think.
I think it all sounds great. Post doll pics soon!
Katina
Hi Rodezzy!
That vest is going to be lovely! And what a great learning experience for us all, as you-guys narrate the process in nearly-real-time!!Just putting in a non-knitter's ha'penny here: where it says "go to 16.5 inches long" ~ don't forget that that it's only a pattern (just like a sewing pattern). If that's going to be 'too long' or 'too short' for you to wear happily, keep knitting or rippit out 'til you get to a length you like. (grin)Looking forward to this with you!Bright Blessings, as always! Kharmin
Yes, its much like altering a tissue sewing pattern before you cut. Thanks. giggle. The good thing is you can get a second chance.
"Second chance" is what I'm up to right now - remaking some of my knitted pieces
Katina
What are you remaking?
I'm taking the sleeves out of sweaters and making them into vests - I'll get far more wear out of vests. In some cases, I'll be cutting up the front of pullovers, adding button bands. And some I'm going to take off the bottom bands - not flattering to me now!!! - and doing something different around the bottom edges.
Katina
Wow, thats very interesting. You are a grand knitter and your projects will look beautiful. Are they bright and happy colors?
Oh, and are you cutting them out or frogging them?
Edited 10/1/2009 9:30 am ET by rodezzy
Bright and happy! Absolutely. I knitted these, so I just unravel the seams, and then frog the yarn to use later; some will be used in the new bands, some will go into the stash. I only use wool, or very high wool content blends which makes it easy to reuse the yarn. I tie it into hanks, wash it to remove the 'set' or kinks in the yarn, then hang it out with a weight to dry. Bingo - nice fresh yarn.
Katina
Wow, that's very interesting. On Knitty Gritty, they were saying how you can go to good vintage stores and purchase hand knits and unravel them for yarn. Now I really know what they mean.
Regarding re-using yarn. I wouldn't recommend buying sweaters at "vintage" stores, no matter what KnittyGritty says. Yarn (even high quality wool) will deteriorate in time. Just this month a friend asked me to rework yarn from a sweater her mother had knitted for her forty years ago...that's vintage. On my advice she frogged the sweater, put it into hanks, washed and dried it. I did a burn test and it was wool but harsh to the hand and slightly coarse.It still had a nice colour but none of the attributes of new yarn, it was stiff to knit, shredded at spots and was worn as well and because of that (losing the natural oils particularly) worked up into an uneven fabric and wouldn't have been worth the time to knit it into another sweater. I advised her to make a lap quilt out of it using a stitch pattern that would hide the imperfections.I heartily endorse buying thrift store sweaters to rework. RTW sweaters are cut and sewn and will give you very short lengths of yarn when frogged but hand-knitted ones using good yarn are well worth the effort. Wool sweaters can be felted and made into creative, eye-catching bags or purses.
Actually I used the word "vintage" for the lack of remembering the word "thrift" for the stores. That's actually what they said. Knitty Gritty is no longer on TV and I miss it greatly. I have purchased DVD's since to see how to actually execute stitches whose meanings I couldn't visualize doing. The show also fueled my enthusiasm for knitting. I like watching people knit, crochet and sew.
I now have a library of VHS and DVD items to watch when I am working myself. It helps keep me focused on my own projects when I need a push to get something done. I started my collection in 2001 by recording the various needle art, craft, do-it-yourself, and cooking shows on the air. Most of the quilt shows and needle art shows are no longer on the air. But I have tons of VHS tapes to view when I want. I didn't record all of the knitting and other needle arts shows to my dismay. But I have enough of my own projects to fulfil my time and enough shows to gain knowledge with and now real life people to challenge me.
Edited 10/1/2009 12:16 pm ET by rodezzy
Edited 10/1/2009 12:17 pm ET by rodezzy
Never heard the term 'frogging'. What is that?
Heather in Calgary
Frogging = ripit ripit (referring to knitting).
Okay now..........been there, do that..........that is why I like crocheting I think as I can 'froggit' and put it back together much easier than with knitting. LOL
Heather in Calgary
Sewluving, picking up dropped stitches is pretty easy if you are knitting either a garter stitch or stockinette stitch.You slip a crochet hook into the loop of the dropped stitch and work your way back up row by row; you can tell how you are supposed to "crochet" by comparing your work to the adjacent stitches in the row. On the knit side of stockinette, you would catch the yarn between the stitches where it was supposed to be and pull it through the loop.
Hmm, using the crochet hook sounds like the way to go. I will try that one for sure. Someday I would like to knit a sweater for me. Nothing fancy mind you, just something to say "I did it".
Thank you, Heather in Calgary
That's it exactly. rip it rip it
Or unraveling the what you've knitted.
I do minimal knitting because if I drop a stitch I have a terrible time picking it up etc. I am thinking of joing The Alberta Handicrafts Guild here in Calgary so I can properly learn how to do this. My Mom taught me years ago but unless you use it you lose it. She is still living but is 2,000 miles away. I ran into these ladies at the recent Sewing Show here in Calgary and found out that they meet really really close to me every Tuesday morning. So guess that is where I will try and go even in the cold cold weather..................even when I'm not a morning person.
Thanks Heather in Calgary
I'm glad you were able to go to the sewing show, Heather - & I'm envious, too. It's good that you made a connection with people near your home. It's good for learning, as well as socializing. Keep warm :).
Gloria
Yes, it was a kind of consolation (prize?). Hubby ended up in hospital for 5 days so we didn't get to his sibling reunion in Manitoba. So I got to go to the show here and it was interesting. Lots of quilting, scrapbooking (which I'm not into) and then Linda MacPhee was there too. Unfortunately I never researched the show online first so missed the Fashion Show that Linda puts on every time. I would love to have seen it as she is so funny and so talented. I did buy some beautiful fabric from her though. A piece of sheer netted lace in black and grey with a fine corded design throughout and also embellished with multicoloured sequins. I hope to make a jacket/vest or something very simple to wear to the opera and ballet that we have seasons tickets to. Also going to as you say 'socialize' hopefully on Tuesdays (I forgot this week though) and that should be fun.
Heather in Calgary
That's unfortunate that you missed the reunion, but I hope your hubby is on the mend. Too bad you missed Linda's fashion show, as well, but you got some fabric that I haven't seen on her website. It sounds like it would make a very elegant jacket or vest. Good luck with the socializing, too.
Gloria
The fabric was a one-off and Linda said they had only had that one bolt. I took all but a 1/2 yard and wish I had taken it too. The lady selling it for Linda was going to buy that last 1/2 yd. Silly me for not buying it too.
Heather
You really lucked out on that fabric - it's unique & will bag you many compliments. Yup, you should have bought the last half yard. Isn't that always the way?
Gloria
Now I'm looking for a pattern to make with this 1.5 yard of 50 inch wide fabric. Linda MacPhee had suggested a bolero style. I didn't think that was my style but I want something simple. We have season tickets to the ballet and opera so I want to be able to wear it over a black silky turtle neck with black pants as one idea. Will let you know whatever I make from it
Heather in Calgary (where it is getting to feel way too cold)
Often when I am looking for something different to sew, especially when it's a one-off nice fabric, I go to http://www.sewingpatterns.com and look at the out-of-the-box designers' collections. I usually don't buy patterns but just finding something that appeals can get me going into the drafting mode. You probably want something that is out of the ordinary and rather elegant. Boleros are IN right now but who knows where they will be a year from now? There are some very nice unusual jackets and vests among those designers and you may find something you like to do with your 1.5m there.I sympathize with you for your Calgary weather, I have about 20 years (off and on) experience with Alberta weather and now live on the west coast where we are having a gorgeous Fall. Just brought the tomatoes in to finish ripening.
Thanks for the website. I have been looking at Vogue etc. Just want something simple since the fabric is quite fancy in itself.
I didn't mind the change in seasons but 6 yrs ago I was paralyzed with Transverse Myelitis. I re-learned how to walk but am left with some paralysis and also 24/7 nerve pain. The cold weather is very difficult to deal with anymore. Oh well, too old to move now. LOL And too darn stubborn........ ;)
Heather in Calgary
You're never too old to move, Heather. Starzoe is just making us envious because they have such wonderful weather :). (& beautiful scenery). (& short winters), etc.
A thought: why not an Asian style jacket with the V neck, but the fastening off to the side? It could be fastened with frogs, ties, or other interesting fasteners. It's a very flattering style for most shapes.
Gloria (where the snow has not yet fallen, but maybe sooner than I'd like :)
You probably know that we on the west coast like to boast about our good weather, especially to those on the prairies and particularly to those eastcoasters. When they are at -40C with a windchill we email all our friends and tell them about playing golf, playing outdoor tennis and picking roses for our Christmas table!I have lived in all parts of Canada and each has their special attraction, even the Yukon where one New Years Eve it was -52F and we walked to the dance in our formal dresses - our survival boots being an incongruous fashion accessory.
You're absolutely right about west coasters. When we lived there, we gloated, too, & felt so superior. Not anymore, though. -52 can be pretty brutal, but, it you dress for it, you can get used to it & it doesn't feel too bad, but, if a chinook comes along, it feels so warm that coats are unbuttoned, & shorts are donned. We Canadians are hardy souls. :)
Fabulous site - thanks very much for telling us about it.
Katina
Not only is it starting to feel way too cold, you had snow last week! Yikes!
Will you be able to make a jacket with 1.5 yards? Probably, if it's not a long jacket. At least you'd definitely get a vest out of it. As for the jacket, maybe try a jacket that is very plain, with a V or U neck (no lapels), as that fabric makes its own statement. It would be a classic jacket that would be timeless, so you should get years of wear out of it. Will you be lining it? You could also wear it with a long black skirt (or one of the colours in the sequins) for more formal occasions. Let us know what you decide.
Gloria
I used to be afraid of dropped stitches.
But with the show "Knitty Gritty" I saw how to pick them up with a crochet hook. That show really turned me on to knitting. Actually seeing things being knitted and different procedures in live action really calmed a lot of my fear of knitting.
Not only that, when I bought DVD's showing how to knit I really felt more secure about knitting. I knitted one sock. Never knit a second one, but it was a great experience. Maybe one day I will knit a pair. he he. I have the dpn's and yarn. giggle. Good luck with your knitting.
I have "Knit Stitches in Motion", "Meg Swansen's Shawl Collared Vest" and they have been a great help. I also recorded some of the Knitty Gritty shows.
Is there somewhere I can see a picture of this vest? Is it knitted in stockinette or garter? Garter stitch takes more yarn and you do count each bump row as two rows.
Yes, the vest is in garter stitch. Don't know about the picture.
O.K. I'm ready to get back to the vest. I'm stuck at the neck shaping. Please help!
This post is archived.