Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Owls Sweater & Cardigan Variant - And Class


I've been working an Owls sweater as a shop sample. It's a fun knit - works up quickly on chunky yarn, and it's got enough going on - some short rows, clever waist shaping, and of course the cabled Owls - that it's interesting, and provides a good learning opportunity.

Key learning: marker placement is critical. S., in my project class, also made this sweater, and had a rather distressing experience - her stitch markers ended up being misplaced, and what should have been back waist shaping turned into side waist shaping. We had to undo the yoke, but we chalked it up to lesson learnt, and S.'s attitude about it was excellent.

Me, I'm never so calm when I have to do undo my own knitting. Like last night.

I was well into the Owls stitch pattern, when I realized that I'd somehow gained a stitch - an Owl was 9 sts rather than 8. I had to pull back 6 rows.

Two notes on this - yes, even experienced knitters make mistakes like this. I added an extra stitch when I turned the cable - must have caught an extra loop of yarn on my needle. Rip, rip, rip.

And yes, I said rows. I'm turning it into a cardigan. There are a number of variations out there -- some with garter buttonbands but the original ribbed edging, and some with ribbed buttonbands to match the ribbed edging. The boss and I decided that we wanted to convert all the edgings to garter, and do it all in one piece.


It's coming out nicely, I think. I'm using Cascade Eco Wool. Just about done the Owls - properly this time. I hope to have it done tonight.

I will be teaching a class on the sweater - and the cardigan variant - in July. (With the designer's permission, yes.)

2 comments:

Wanderingcatstudio said...

I love the owl sweater... and a cardigan is an even better idea.. I see a trip to the yarn shop in my future

Sel and Poivre said...

Oh I love the idea of that piece as a cardigan!