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third time’s a charm
Posted on | February 26, 2008 | 34 Comments
I finally knit a sweater that fits! After my last two failed attempts, I thought I’d try a different approach. Top downs are famous for their try-as-you-go approach and I am now a convert. I’m already planning my next sweater.
I made a couple of gauge swatches and plugged the numbers into the top down sweater generator. The pattern gave me a cast-on of 56 stitches, but that sounded too small to me, so I increased it to 66 stitches. Knit to the yoke, tried it on, and it was too tight for my liking. Ripped it back, started again with 100 stitches (I like nice round numbers) and voila! It’s perfect!
I used a knotted rib stitch for the collar, cuffs and bottom ribbing. It’s very easy and gives the ribbing a nice vertical line.
I used short rows to shape the back of the yoke, one set at the top of the neck and one near the bottom of the yoke. I also used short rows for bust shaping, which I was a little wary of but it worked out nicely. There’s a good discussion of short row bust shaping here and here, and an example of it used in a pattern here.
I made simple yarn over increases along the raglan lines because I like the way they look and in the South, a little ventilation never hurts. I twisted the center stitch, which is a little trick I learned from Jody and creates a nice, straight line of stitches.
The stats:
Started: 2/10/08
Finished: 2/17/08
Yarn: This handspun – around 850 yards, which shocked me because I’ve been allotting 1100 to 1200 yards for a sweater for me. This might explain why my last two sweaters were huge. 8 oz. of merino that I dyed and 4 coordinating batts dyed by Miss Babs, alternating between the two skeins.
Best part of all? Tomorrow’s high is supposed to be 44, so I’ll get to wear it before next year! Hooray!
Comments
34 Responses to “third time’s a charm”
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February 26th, 2008 @ 10:31 am
The sweater looks fantastic! And made from your handspun to boot! That’s awesome!
February 26th, 2008 @ 10:36 am
You did it! It looks fantastic, too!
February 26th, 2008 @ 10:46 am
Love it…. LOVE IT!!! Absolutely LOVE IT!!!! It looks soooo good!
February 26th, 2008 @ 10:51 am
Gorgeous! I’m definitely trying top-down for DH’s sweater.
February 26th, 2008 @ 11:19 am
Your sweater looks AWESOME and just in time to wear with this crazy weather!! Love the way the yarn spun up….the colors are GREAT!!I especially like the ribbing!!!
Congratulations…I know you are tickled and I am tickled for you!!!!!
February 26th, 2008 @ 11:25 am
I love it! You must be thrilled. Wear it well!
February 26th, 2008 @ 11:33 am
Yay! It looks fantastic on you. :)
February 26th, 2008 @ 11:53 am
that is one pretty sweater. nicely done!
February 26th, 2008 @ 12:01 pm
Very nice. I love topdown raglans. Now if I could figure out how to make the Lace Trimmed Bolero from VK Spr/Summ 2005 that way… Sewing raglan sleeves -no want!
February 26th, 2008 @ 12:03 pm
It’s beautiful!
February 26th, 2008 @ 12:04 pm
Beautiful! Congratulations. You must feel good to have a sweater that finally fits and a handspun sweater at that! I love the yarn too.
February 26th, 2008 @ 12:15 pm
Beautiful sweater. The yarn you used is gorgeous.
February 26th, 2008 @ 1:42 pm
If I used swear words in comments, I would use one right now. Because that sweater is ******* great. I love the color, the yarn, the fit, the shape, the color. Did I mention color? Brava!
February 26th, 2008 @ 2:36 pm
Your sweater is fabulous!
Good for you – persistence really paid off.
If my numbers were that off I think I would have freaked out and reverted to a pattern that told me everything right away.
YOur handspun is phenomenal — and no wonder your sweaters were too big! I am much larger than you and the average sweater I have made requires 1400-1600 yds.
Isn’t it funny how we sometimes cannot see ourselves?
Of course right now – I keep seeing myself as smaller than I am!
Ahhh…the imagination.
February 26th, 2008 @ 6:15 pm
Awesome! MOST awesome!
February 26th, 2008 @ 6:17 pm
Your sweater is seriously lovely! The yarn is fabulous and the fit is great : )
February 26th, 2008 @ 7:59 pm
What a wonderful sweater!
February 26th, 2008 @ 8:11 pm
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! I really, really love the color especially. I bet it’s uber soft, huh? God, I feel like such a scarf maker. You did great sis, and most definitely three times is a charm!
February 26th, 2008 @ 8:44 pm
Very nice sweater! Congrats. I am looking to finish a cardigan for myself. I am not brave enough to try a pullover for myself yet.
Ang
February 27th, 2008 @ 5:10 am
Woohoo! A handspun sweater! You should totally wear it again today – it’s cold out there (i know because all the plants have to stay in one more night)!
February 27th, 2008 @ 7:01 am
The sweater is beautiful! And from your own handpsun! Nice job! I love the colors and how they move in the sweater. I think I’d
better get cracking and spin for my own sweater… and then knit it. I admit I’m intimidated by sweaters. It’s such a big project
and if your gauge is off that’s a lot of work for something that doesn’t fit. Your tenacity has inspired me. :-) Now I have to find
the right wool/colors to spin.
February 27th, 2008 @ 8:30 am
I love it. your homespun looks beautiful with this simple design.
February 27th, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
GOREJUSS EB!! Love the colors and it looks fabulous on you! Thanks for sharing all the tips and tricks of your journey to knitting a sweater that fits you just right. It helps us all. :) XOXOXOXOX
February 27th, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
You can never really hear it enough, but I think your sweater was a slam dunk. It looks great!
February 27th, 2008 @ 2:47 pm
Huzzah! That sweater is gorgeous! I’m hoping that 3rd time’s the charm for me as well. Beautiful job on the handspun, too!!
February 27th, 2008 @ 5:11 pm
Handspun~ Handknit~ Fits perfectly~ Looks terrific~ You did it all!
Congratulations…it is a work of art!
February 27th, 2008 @ 6:21 pm
It looks great! And made by you from start to finish…very cool!
February 28th, 2008 @ 9:16 am
It is a terrific sweater! Fits perfectly. I am always surprised that my handspun goes so far.
February 28th, 2008 @ 1:01 pm
Well done. A handspun sweater…excellent.
February 28th, 2008 @ 1:33 pm
That looks amazing! You’ve inspired me to knit a sweater for myself from handspun (and that means that now I get to go buy new fibre!)
February 28th, 2008 @ 7:57 pm
That colorway looks *fantastic* on you! Congrats!
February 29th, 2008 @ 5:46 pm
It is LOVELY!!! I love the flecks of gold – such a good blue on you too.
March 11th, 2008 @ 6:41 pm
Damn, how far behind AM i right now? Instant classic – it looks terrific!!! Very flattering, and it’s your own handspun – That’s some serious knitting AND spinning mojo!
December 12th, 2008 @ 3:24 pm
Thanks for pointing me here for top-down short row shaping. I knit my short rows last night, but am not terribly far past that point so I’ll check out the links and see if I think I need to redo anything. Thank you! :-)