Twist + Shout Jacket Mods

Lapel collared Twist and Shout

I liked the jacket, but I wanted longer sleeves with close fitting cuff and a different finish on the fronts. Here's my mods:

5.50mm needles gave me the correct width but not row tension, 23 rows not 26, which meant I didn't have to do any mods to the body to lengthen it. The sleeves I made to my length, but the sleeve cap and armhole depth on the body needed to be shortened.

The sleeves:
Cast on 54. I reversed set up row for knitting in the round.
Begin K2, p2 K4, place marker then as reversed to next place marker, then k4, p2, k2. Increases every 6 rows (I have long arms) every 4 or 5 would be quite OK too.
Changed the sleeve cap to no repeats of the 4 row shaping, reducing the height of the cap.

The body:
Cast on 268 = 272 less 1 stitch on each of the sides so that K4, P2 rib was continuous.
Reversed the setup row so it starts on the right side. Worked the body piece, as written, up to the armhole.

The back from the armhole divide:
decreased as written, but continued to 54 rows from commencement of armhole, then did short rows for the shoulders (4 rows).

Shoulder seam:
3 needle cast off.

Fronts from armhole divide:
I'll deal with the collar and neck shaping first:
starting with the 3 stitch knitted edge:
do the collar increases from there so that **2 STITCHES travels into the body from the edge and ++1 STITCH forms the edge of the collar

NECK SHAPING: on the **2 STITCHES: do the k2 tog or ssk on the inside stitch. EVERY 2ND ROW. There will be a couple of rows when near to the shoulders with NO NECK SHAPING, which finishes on the MIDDLE K2 between the cables (ie there will be 2 cable panels to continue working on and 2 cable panels decreased by neck and collar shaping). Continue decreases on the k2 travelling to the side/shoulder seam. Finishing up on the same row count from the armhole; the 22 shoulder stitches and the 15 collar stitches.

Collar: starts on the ++1 stitch edge:
the edge is always k1 RS, P1 WS
there is always a p2 (RS) next to the K2 travelling rib so it can fold over.
These four stitches stay together (place a marker if preferred).
Therefore the increase (make one) is every right side row; on the edge side the marker; beginning with p1; until the collar 13 stitches or the width preferred, so on the right side you will have K1, p2, k2, p2, k2, and so on finishing with the p2, **k2 (that travels inwards, by the inside stitch knitting over the existing 2 cable panels and finishes on the middle k2.)

Shaping From the Inside marker:
The travelling ribs and cable panel will now appear to CHANGE DIRECTION:
Up till now the inside marker has travelled up the garment, maintaining the 4,2 rib.
There should be a K2 rib at the beginning of the cables on the edge side of the marker.
(whichever side it will be a k2, p2, k4, ...to edge) DO NOT DO this decrease ON THIS ROW ONLY. leave the K2 in place. Move the marker if you like to the other side of the K2.
From here on do a K2tog or ssk to keep this K2 travelling up to the shoulder.
YES there is ALSO a travelling K2 doing neck shaping.

Collar continues
do the 3 needle cast off for the shoulder seams.
continue with the collar knitting the last stitch of the collar with the next stitch on the back live stitches, ie finish with p2, start with k2tog, to middle.
do 3 needle cast off to join the collar.

Finished 27 October 2008

Twist + Shout Jacket

Progressing well on the body piece, which worked out really well. There is increase/decrease in the fronts every 2nd row, cables every 6th row, and waist shaping every 8th, none for 12, every 6th to keep track of, much easier in one piece. I didn't want a 6 stitch panel up the side and reduced each side by one stitch, to keep the continuity of the 4:2 rib on the side seam. I reversed the set up row as I didn't want to start on the wrong side. I'm almost up to the armhole divide. I'll do the back first, then the major changes to the front shaping:

That circular collar doesn't work, fit or look good so I'm going to do a lapel collar. The diagonal cable panel will change direction. Hopefully this will work out without too many rip and redos. I'm definitely not going to do the fronts as originally designed. I'll keep you posted, so to speak! (It did - only one rip back then I posted all the mods)

Cherry Swallowtail Shawl

Swallowtail Shawl pattern is available from the designer Evelyn Clark as a free PDF.

Yep, started what I brought home, 'tis the rule. What a gorgeous knit, lovely pattern and yarn, both, fabulous combo. It's a 6 row repeat pattern, so I should be able to do one 6 row set, for the rest of the week, as I've finished this week's focus project. No More Adding to Stash! Work on finishing a different project every week. So far so good.

Finished 15 Oct.

The Knittery yarn is 650m, and the Swallowtail, as written uses 400m, lots of extra to put into mine. When I finished the 14 repeats, I measured out about 4m and it knitted just over 1.5 rows of repeat 15, so 16 m would do for repeat 15; then I allowed 1 metre more for the each of the following repeats; doing 20 repeats would take an extra 120 ish metres, leaving plenty for the borders.

For the Lily of the Valley borders, one more repeat of each, four in all.

Peaked edge: did extra one extra repeat on the last 2 rows of the chart, then followed Evelyn's PDF instructions for the last two rows and cast off.

I really enjoyed making my first ever shawl. I had it on my shoulders last night, it was quite warm too. Now if the weather if kind, I will block it and put up it's final picture.

The Knittery's September Surprize

I WON!! ME!!!?? Normally I can't win an arguement... but it's official, I'm September 2008's winner of a skein of yarn from Daphne's theknittery.com. Daphne is due to have her baby any minute, but she assured me yesterday that she's still with us. I do wish her all the best for her and bub and that she enjoys her 2 weeks off work. (it's a toss up as to who will have the most joy in the next 2 weeks, Daphne and her bub or me and my prize skein!)

I took so long to choose something I'd like - so easy to have one of everything. I've chosen some 2ply silk merino "Autumn" colourway, to make a shawl. I will even take it's picture when it arrives. I love the chubby, it's my fav, unique and gorgeous colours, but I do have the Denim to reknit, I'm still committed to reducing my stash. I'll finish off my Police Blues rug, then onto the Daphne's September Surprise.