I don’t have much to say this week. The Side cardigan has been a challenge to say the least. I restarted it four times but I’m in a good place right now. Currently, I’m worried about when I have to switch to dividing the arms. Here are a few pictures and videos below.
As the title says, I’m struggling with the Sode sweater. It’s a cabled cardigan that you have to use several charts in the same row. The pattern does state that it is recommended for advanced knitters and now I’m guessing I am not an advanced knitter after all. I’m ok with intermediate. Maybe I should stick to intermediate. I’m not giving up. Yet. I need to be in the right mind space and right now my head is going in a million different directions at once. The rows I did knit were done with the help of the tutorials included with the pattern. You can find them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8WChKL24mQ
The good thing is said direction is cleaning and organizing my house. Trust me, I do not do enough of that. Every year I do Dry January. Basically, I cut out alcohol for a whole month after over doing it between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. This year I’m hyperfocusing on tea. I’ve taken our junk cabinet and turned into into my coffee/tea hutch. Take a look!
I’m still working on two other projects in addition to the Sode. First is my cross stitch. I’m 80% done. The second is a simple shawl which I’ll write up another recipe for. I don’t feel comfortable calling it a pattern because it is loosely created based on common knowledge. I want to create videos that help people knit it from start to finish. It’s just a simple triangle shawl with bilateral increases in every other row. That’s all. It’s spun from home spun and gold thread so I wanted to use the yarn for something simple that will show off the colors. I think this works.
Here is my latest update.
I set out to knit hats for this winter and began with a very simple recipe. This a women’s small hat as I made it for my teenage daughter. I cast on 84 stitches using a long tail cast on, using worsted weight wool of the andes yarn from Knit Picks. The long tail cast on is stretchy and easy to learn. You can cast on any amount of stitches as long as they are a multiple of 4.
My gauge for this is 18 stitches and 24 rows equals 4 inches by 4 inches. Anything close will do just fine for this project.
Once I cast on the stitches, I join them in the round, with my circular needle tips held together. You can use any size cable if you are willing to use the magic loop method. These circulars in my tutorial were 16 inches, not 8 inches as I stated in my video. I had to use some elements of the magic loop as it was just a slight bit too long.
Once the yarn is joined in the round, start the 2×2 ribbing. This is done by knitting two and then purling two. This is why the number of stitches cast on has to be a multiple of 4.
Continue the ribbing for two inches.
Switch to stockinette (all knitting). Continue for 4-6 inches of stockinette (6-8 inches in length overall.
Use the tapestry needle and move the stitches from the needles onto the loose yarn. Cinch the hat tightly and sew it closed. Sew on a pom pom or other decoration if you like.
Happy New Year. I’m a few days late. I’ve been posting to YouTube regularly while promising to update my webpage. That didn’t happen. Life is crazy with a full time job, three kids, three cats, four chickens and perhaps, ADHD brain? I finished the Darkwater Sweater pattern by Jennifer Steingass and I’ll post that separately here with the video that shows my progress. I really enjoyed this pattern and had the focus to follow it through. My coworker asked if it was a Christmas present and I believe I beamed when I told her I made it myself.
My goal now is to knit the Sode sweater, which is a Cabled cardigan designed by Hiroko Payne. However, I’m already overwhelmed. I couldn’t get the gauge quite right so I think I’m going to knit one size for width and another for length. I am going to cast on this afternoon when life is quieter and I can focus. Right now my brain is busy with getting ready to ski with my middle child. We’ll go for an hour plus and I’ll be home before lunch time. I’m no longer in any kind of shape to be skiing, but it’s quality time with the middle child who doesn’t have constant, intense needs.
I’m also reading the Principals of Knitting, which is a great big book about everything you ever wanted to know about reading. I’ve borrowed it from my library and read a few pages each night before going to bed.
Happy 2025. I will be eating, drinking, breathing knitting this year!
Here’s my New Year, New Project Video
Here is my weekly summary on my knitting/crafting projects.
Knitwerks 