Set in sleeve

I've been thinking about setting in the sleeves. Here's the sleeve basted in with the traditional dropped shoulder. Here's the sleeve set in:

This is what the armhole looked like:

I cut a slit in the sleeve to allow it to fit. The slit is the same width as the armhole, 10 cm in this case.

What do you think? I'm favoring the set in sleeve.

Yes, I'm planning a cardigan. The steek is in the back for these photos. I really love the rose pattern on the button bands. Has anyone started them yet? How are they going?

Leslie

Help with sleeves

I am starting the sleeves and I am not sure how to handle the increases. I am doing the middle size, that tells you to right away after doing the edge increase 12 stitches (final 58) and begin doing M4, but the pattern repeat is 12 stitches, so I am planning on increasing 2 more stitches to make it to 60, a number divisible by 60. Then they want you to increase 2 stitches at a time for 32 times every 3rd or 4th row, but if you do that there will not be enough stitches to repeat full pattern stitch for a while, what do you do then? How you handle that?

Thanks

Aurita

New KAL idea?

This is a cardigan that makes me drool.... really! Not just the pattern, but also the yarn.

100% extrafine merino (superwash) and not so very difficult to knit, needle size US 4-6 (3.5-4mm).

http://www.astridsdutchobsessions.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=2428

Have a nice weekend!

love,

Astrid.

xoxoxo

Help

Well I was moving right along enjoying to the max the knitting and here we are. I finished chart M3 and my sweater measures ~22.5 inches. According to the instructions, it should be 21.65 when I am next to done with the next chart M4. I know I am off but I like it like it is , longer. I just need your help to figure out what I need to do now. I know that the sleeves will have to be wider I guess to fit the steeks, but I deal with that when I get there.

I am planning on knitting chart M4 complete because I want to see those roses like they are. I need to figure out when to start casting off for the front neck. In the pattern it says knit M4 and when pieces reaches 21.65, cast off 34 + 5 steeks ( I am doing the middle size). Since I am past that length and I have not even started chart M4, how many rows in general of chart M4 do you knit when you had to cast off so I can use that as a guide? Or what should I do, I do not want to rip, it is not that I do not want to do it, I like it like it is now and desperately want to find a way to do it.

Assuming that you and me can figure out the above question, now the second. Somebody I think Annie, after casting off the necessary stitches, added back the steeks stitches to keep knitting in the round, but if you do that, how do you then keep casting off 2 stitches every other row to shape the neck.

I am getting all confuse here, so I am stopping until I hear from you or I can understand this, I keep reading and reading the instructions and nothing clicks.

Thanks and looking forward to your input

Aurita

Completed

Well, here it is, all done, steamed, buttons sewn on, and photographed. The buttons were from Joann Fabrics and are absolutely perfect on this cardigan, and were fairly inexpensive as well. The button band fabric is the best I have ever made, being very firm and even. My buttonholes leave something to be desired however, but I suspect I will get better at that in the future.

After looking back on the techniques, I'm not sure that I would change anything, except to attempt to knit in the rose border. Mine looks messy on the inside but looks great on the public side. Okay, I would change one thing: I would knit the armhole steeks in pattern instead of having extra steek stitches. That way, I could custom size the cutting of the steeks to absolutely match the sleeve width. (My sleeves matched quite well, but sometimes they don't.)

This is my most successful stranded sweater thus far, but now I have to take it off. It's way to warm!! Come on winter!!!

It has been a real pleasure being part of this KAL. Thank you everyone, and especially Jeanie and Astrid for organizing and putting up the blog site.

Sweater finished !

Fresh from the needles .......

love,

Astrid.

xoxoxo

Update on my sweater

Wao that is gorgeous, I wish I was that close. Right now, I am on row 37 of chart M3 and I am getting worry. I have 5 balls of gray left and 2 of the white, besides a little more than half of the working gray and a tiny amount of the working white. I don't see how it is going to be enough but I also don't know how much more I will need and i have to order it overseas from Astrid. I am doing the mid size cardigan.

Do any of you have any idea of how much to order or should I wait until I ran out completely and see where I am? I am afraid there will be not by the time that i use all of my balls and I absolutely love this sweater but also I do not want to go ahead and order more of what I need. Advice please

Aurita

Home Stretch

I'm done with the knitting, but have a little bit more duplicate stitch to finish up and then the buttonholes need some attention. (I did a 3 stitch buttonhole instead of the 2 the pattern suggested.) I will probably not do any embroidery on the button bands, mainly because I've run out of steam, but I sure do think it would look great. Buttons have not been found nor purchased yet.

I'm mostly very happy with how the sweater turned out. My techniques are improving greatly, with all the help from everyone.

One other note: I ordered and used almost all of two more balls of the gray. I knit the medium size which was very generous.

I have loved watching everyone's progress. Thanks, Astrid.

Steeks !

Just made the steeks, my husband was taking pictures over my shoulder..

I chose to make not a zig-zag stitch, but a stretchy lock-stitch.

The shoulders are now closed as well and I'm off to sew in the sleeves.

After that the collar :)

love,
Astrid.
xoxoxo

Making progress

I am making good progress on my sweater and enjoying every minute of knitting it!
No pics right now but I am just about to finish up chart M3 and then on the roses and all those colours.
Has anyone wondered why there is no M5? for this sweater? makes one wonder doesn't it?
Hope you are all enjoying knitting this wonderful sweater as much as I am
Thanks Astrid..
btw, I am using some Canadian yarn. Briggs & Little from New Brunswick. A little more friendly to my yarn deprived wallet at the moment but wonderful just the same. Will need a good vinegar soak when complete but that is ok.
take good care everyone and Happy Knitting!
Susanne in cooler Edmonton, AB Canada

Sleeve 1 finished and close-up rose border inner side

Hi everyone,

Just finished the first sleeve and asked my DH to take a picture of it.

Also a close-up of the inner side of the rose border, so you can have a good look at the spaghetti.

On with sleeve 2 :) Hope you all are having a great weekend.

love,

Astrid.

xoxoxo

Think I have messed up

Okay I have messed up good this time. Don't ask me what I was thinking my brain must be mush or something.
The 188 stitches for the ribbing is for the entire sweater correct not just half of the sweater. The sweater is being worked in the round so there is no side seam right!
I think I need to finish one big project at a time instead of doing 3 big projects at the same time. I have gotten 2 of my projects confussed! ouch!
Thanks for the help for a crazy lady right now!

Question about front ribbing

For some reason my mind will not wrap itself around knitting this sweater. I am just working on the back but I have a couple questions about the front of the sweater.
I understand about adding the 5 extra stitches for the front of the sweater for the sweater band. 2 things I cannot understand is where to put the extra stitches for the armhole streeks need to be added, I have read the comments and the directions and I know my sinuses are driving me crazy but I don't get where to add them. I am making the small by the way!

Also when you are working the ribbing for the front, how did everyone do this, Can I cast on half the stitches for the ribbing with one ball of yarn then cast on the other half of the stitches for the ribbing with another ball of yarn all on the same needle. Then I thought I would knit the 2 halves separate on the same needle but using 2 balls of yarn knitting them until I needed to start the first row of the body of the sweater then I would knit the 2 halves together with 1 skein of yarn and go from there. That way the ribbing would not be cut it would already be separated! Does this sound right?
Thanks for the help!

Some pics

Hi Everyone,

Here are pics showing the rose border I knitted on the body of my sweater, plus the spagetti on the wrong side (which, as you said, Cindy, I'd prefer not to display). Cindy, your knitting is gorgeous...it's so interesting to see the sweater with the body and your knitting of the shoulder is so superior, I think, to sewing it together. About the button bands.....although the model's sweater has the rose border on the button bands, the directions don't describe that. My inclination is to do a plain gray button band, with a red stripe....but I'm fascinated to hear what others think. Astrid and Cindy, I'm so grateful to you two for forging ahead so that I can benefit from your experience! Annie

Sleeve Lined Up with Body

For your viewing pleasure, a completed sleeve lined up with the body. It looks as though it will be a good fit, although next time, I would knit the body up to the neck with no steek, keeping it all in pattern, and cut a slit for the armholes. That way, if the sleeve did not fit correctly, I could adjust the size of the slit. I'm committed at this point.

The sleeve has been steam pressed and everything evened out quite nicely. The body has not been pressed yet but should improve as well.

I have used up all my gray yarn and have ordered more from Astrid, with a couple of inches to go on the second sleeve. She says she has plenty on hand, so not to worry. You could use another color for the facing if you wished in order to stretch it. My sweater is the medium size and I actually made the sleeves somewhat shorter than the pattern indicated.

Now I am thinking about the button bands. I'm thinking of putting on duplicate stitch after they are finished. Can't imagine trying to knit in buttonholes AND knitting the rose border too. Anyone have other ideas? Maybe I'll wait until Astrid paves the way!!!!

I adore this yarn and pattern.

Sleeve started

Hi everyone!

I'm back, a year older ! :) Had a great birthday, thank you all so much.

I started on the first sleeve and again, the roses were the hard part.
I'm knitting the sleeve in the round as well and because you don't have such a long row, it tends to curl up on the needles, therefore it's quite difficult to determine the right lengths of the different yarns on the back.

But, it worked and a picture will follow later.

Is anyone else doing the sleeves? And how did you do the rose border there?

love,
Astrid.
xoxoxo

View of Duplicate Stitch on Inside

In order for people to help decide which technique to use for the rose border, I've posted a picture of the inside of mine. Normally, I would not show this in public because I don't care for the look of it, much preferring a nice, orderly series of floats. But it is what it is. You can see the green floats above, before I did the duplicate stitch. And in addition, you can see the three-needle bindoff of the shoulders. I love that part.

Are You Having As Much Fun As I Am?

This is the greatest knit project I ever have been part of. I am working on the rows of graphs around the chest part. I am substituting a graph I found but it is still gray and white. I am so jealous of those of you that are done with the roses rows. I can't wait to get there. I will cast on a steek for after I bind off the neck stitches too so I can keep working in the round also. Come On Roses Rows!!