Kitchener stitch and horror cowl

First of all, thanks for all the nice comments on my previous posts!

I've returned to my double-knitted jacket to take care of the shoulder joins. Kitchener stitch is the ideal technique in this case, I think, but I do it so seldom I always have to look it up. There's a great description at Knitty. For this project I will get a lot of practice since there are four seams to take care of (2 for each shoulder) but I still don't expect I'll remember how to get started next time I chose this method.

Almost three weeks of January have passed and I still haven't bought any new yarn! Mind you, I'm lucky enough to work extra hours in my favourite yarn store, so I'm often subject to temptations of the third degree. (I'm planning what to get in the future, though.)







Instead of adding to my stash, I recently made a remarkably ugly brioche cowl with yarn from it. Combining Rowan Felted Tweed 145 ("Treacle") and Kidsilk Haze Stripe seemed like a good idea - and in a way it is, but certainly not this particular combination. The lovely tweediness disappeared completely, smothered in Kidsilk fuzz, and the unfortunate distribution of green and purple which I thought would look wonderful with the brown wool - well, it makes me think of wine spilled on mouldy bear skin.

mouldy bear with wine stains

However, it actually turned out to be at least as comfortable as hideous, so it will be spared and even worn. A bonus is that I can't see it when I'm wearing it! Otherwise I'd wear sunglasses, but that would look rather strange in the middle of winter...

imprint on snow: more pleasing to look at, but less comfortable

Cardigan progress and cuff grafting

Natasha's cardigan in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

Now that I have knitted one sleeve, cut the second armhole steek and started the second sleeve, Natasha could try her cardigan on. To my relief and joy the size is right and the sleeve length fine. You don't have to worry that much about size when it's an open cardigan, and sleeves knitted top-down are not too difficult to modify, but it was a relief nevertheless.

Kitchener stitch: right and wrong sides

Anna's cashmere cuffs are finished. I had knitted the first few rows with a different yarn, which I removed to get live stitches at both ends, then grafted them using Kitchener stitch for garter stitch. It worked surprisingly well with the lace part.

For a more finished look I crocheted an edge, and am happy with how it turned out: it goes well with the knitted lace pattern. I should have taken photos before and after, but was too eager to finish them.



Natasha har kunnat prova sin kofta nu när jag har stickat en ärm och klippt upp det andra ärmhålet och börjat sticka nästa. Den sitter bra, och det är förstås en lättnad även om det inte är så nervöst med en kofta, och det inte är så tidskrävande att justera ärmlängden när de stickas uppifrån.

Annas handledsvärmare är klara. Jag hade stickat de första varven med ett annat garn, som jag petade bort för att få maskor i båda ändarna; sedan sydde jag ihop dem med "Kitchener stitch" (instruktioner på engelska här). Kanten vid pärlorna blev lite sladdrig - det syns på fotot i förra inlägget) så jag tog fram virknålen för ovanlighetens skull och lade till en liten kant. Det blev riktigt bra, tycker jag - kanten passar ihop med spetsmönstret, så det blir som en inramning. 

Grafting "Viften/The Fan"

Grafting "Viften/The Fan", a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

I like avoiding seams as far as possible, not only because I don't like sewing, but also for comfort: why have welts at the back of the neck and under the arms if you can avoid them?

For this project I have learnt how to graft garter stitch. I have grafted stocking stitch before ("Kitchener stitch") and was happily surprised garter stitch was easier. Excellent instructions here. (Of course, this is a form of sewing too, but I don't mind it that much when the resulting seam looks like knitting.)

I have been asked how I modified the decreases knitting the border.

Here are the four kinds I've used:

1. "knit two together" for decrease to slant to the right.

2. "slip one as if to knit, slip one more as if to knit, put both back on left needle and knit them together through back loops" for decrease to slant to the left.

3. "slip one as if to knit, slip one more as if to knit,knit one, pass slipped stitches over the stitch just knitted" for a double decrease when the middle stitch is top of a purl ladder (to avoid a purl on top). You could simply knit three together (the knit stitch to the left would end up on top instead of the one to the right) but that decrease feels slightly more like a bump in my picky fingers' opinion.

4. "slip two together as if to knit, knit one, pass slipped stitches over the stitch just knitted" for a double decrease where the middle stitch end up on top of the other two.

"The Fan" construction

Isager's The Fan/Viften in progress, a photo by Asplund on Flickr.

This is what it looks like folded into proper shape;
makes me eager to start knitting the missing sleeves!

Late last night I finished the raglan-shaped back section from the armholes to the back of the neck. I think Marianne Isager's construction is ingenious!

The border is to be seamed and then attached to the back. I think I will graft the pieces (Kitchener stitch) instead of a three-needle bind-off to avoid a welt. For the same reason I will probably knit the border in the round if I make it again.