My computer is back and working well, phew. Now that we've finished working a couple of shows things are settling down to a more even working schedule. So I'm back. My blogging time-out is over.
I now have to figure out where I am on all my projects:

The Pullover Book ideas are coming along. The work on circular yokes continues. This is my second shot at working out the numbers and it still needs work so this is going to the frog pond for the second time. Third time lucky I hope. I'll explain why in another post.

I also want to include a raglan with a crew/scoop neck since they are still my fav. I have a couple started, well more than started in this case. This is knit in fingering on a 4.0mm needle for a looser gauge of about 6 sts = 1". Lots of drape.

This crewneck has a centre panel of cables with lace holes. I like the cable moving into the stocking stitch without the side purl stitches. Gives a nice centre line.

Other work is getting ahead of me. Lots of knitting and little or no writing of patterns yet.

The square neck top is really nice on. Now ends to sew in and writing to do.

The stripes are all knit. Ends to sew in and buttons to sew on. Then I must get this written up. More on that in posts to follow. I'm back and ready to get going. Are you ready to start the fall season of knitting?
-Deb

Back to the summer top. It's still summer so it's not too late.

One sleeve done. Yay. I've almost got the pattern written except for the sleeves. That's tomorrow's task, to write the sleeve while I knit the second one. Almost there.
-Deb
P.S. Brenda, I can't remember not having a belly either. Ha, ha.

Went away for the weekend and did NO knitting. Very, very weird for me but restful. Read a couple of books instead and now I'm ready to tackle the end of my square neck pullover.

I did indeed rip back and work different hip shaping. After trying it on a couple of times I decided that what my figure needs is a bit more fabric on the back. This photo is of the ribbing running down the side with 2 increases worked on the Front (on the right of the ribbing) and 3 increases on the Back (on the left of the ribbing). One extra increase worked on the Back gives more room for my backside. I'm going to do a bit more so that I end up with 3 increases on the Front and 5 increases on the Back. I think that will work better for a close fitting pullover.

-Deb

P.S. You're right Brenda, unfortunately I won't have it worked out for all sweaters but I'd be happy to have it worked out for Cotton Tweed since I use it a lot.  I'll have to see if I can apply this method to other sweaters.

Chez Lizzie, I do a similar thing. There is a straight 2" section for the waist. The bottom of this section sits at the waist. The first hip increase is at the waist so the sweater width gets ahead of my hips. Seems to work.

 

Waist Shaping

Waist shaping, it makes a difference. I worked a decrease before and after the side ribbing on each side, 2 times, for a total of 8 sts decreased. This takes the waist in 1 1/2" and when worn it does create an hour-glass figure. Even doing this on the back only, if you don't have a waist on front, helps to shape the sweater. And it also gives you something new to work towards as you work down the body, which is also important. For the hips, I worked increases back to the original number of stitches (a little further apart) and then took the hips out one more set of increases so that the hip is 3/4" wider than the Finished Bust. If more hip shaping is needed, the increases have to be done closer together.

I've been playing with waist and hip shaping for my own particular figure. On every sweater I do it a little bit differently to see if the results make the sweater fit better. Eventually I will know what to do with all my sweaters! I think here, I could have worked the hip increases closer together since there aren't that many and a quicker hip flare would make the sweater look better at the back. Hmm, I think there's another frogging coming up.

 

-Deb

P.S. Comments: t_a  Ha, ha, just another day at the office.

Hi Ann, Long time since we saw you, hope to remedy that soon.

 

Lyn and I spent the weekend at camp (a cottage, to southern folks) working on the Accessory Book. It's amazing how much work needs to be done at the end. We were trying to be adjust words to be consistent with the instructions. We added in some black & white photos. Today we moved pages around so you won't have to flip pages to find the stitch patterns when you want them. Also we check and recheck that all the information you need is there where you need it. I think we are very close to being ready to let it go. One more edit on Thursday and then it goes to the printer so they can do the proofs. Still several weeks away from publication.

Some last minute knits had to be done. Lyn knit a cowl on the drive up and I knit another mitten on the way back home. We'll need new photos of them.

I did have a bit of time to knit on my sweater.

I'm ready to do the waist shaping now. It's really comfortable to wear even as it is. Can't wait to get a little more done. That's Lake Huron in the background.
-Deb

I'm adding bust darts in the form of increases between the underarm and the largest part of the bust. These stitches are going to add 3" of extra fabric across the Front only. You can see that the sleeve stitches have been put on spare yarn at the Great Divide.

 It all starts with one stitch increased right beside the underarm cast on stitches at the side of the Front. Two navy markers are set on either side of the cast on stitches. The light green Marker is the Bust Marker. The bust increases will be worked next to the Bust Marker so that the number of stitches between the navy and light green Markers will equal 1 1/2".

I'm working down the sweater and have added 5 sts so far on each side of the Front (5 sts between the navy Side Marker and the light green Bust Marker).
You'll see that I'm working the underarm cast on stitches in a rib pattern. These stitches will do some of the fitting for me. These rib stitches will expand a little at the bust and come back in for the waist. I'll have to decide if I want to work more waist shaping or not. A few more bust increases and that will be done. Then I can cruise along, working the Panels and the ribbed side stitches. Still lots to interest me as I work down the Body.
-Deb

Back to sweater knitting, still my favourite garment to knit. The Square Neck is progressing after several changes. The question for me was where am I going to put some increases for the Bust. I'd like the Fronts to be 3" wider than the Back. This does a couple of things. Most of us are a couple inches bigger on the front because of the 2 obvious reasons. This is also a pattern based on a 3x1 rib. I don't want the wearer to stretch out the ribbing across the Bust so I'm adding in some more stitches for the bust area. There are a couple places to work increases for the Bust:
1. the bottom 1-2" of the Yoke before the Divide Round (double up the raglan increases on the Front).
2. on either side of the centre Panel (vertical darts starting in the Yoke).
3. angled darts worked between the underarm and the bust (angled from the underarm toward the bust).

I thought I would do vertical darts but they need to start before the bottom of the Yoke is reached. The knitter is already working raglan increases and keeping track of the Panel pattern at the same time, enough already! I decided against working double increases at the bottom of the Yoke for the same reason. Let's do one thing at a time. I know knitter's love that phrase At The Same Time.

I'm going with the angle darts worked at the edge of the underarm and angled toward the bust (the same darts as in the Need A Plus Cardigan book). To do this I had to reconsider the ribbing I had running down beside the Panels on the Front and Back. I took it out (handy crochet hook does the trick). Now I've hit the Great Divide and can start the Bust Increases. Yay. I also added one more detail. I should have a couple more inches done in a couple of days so you can see.
-Deb

I'm working away on my square necked pullover. It's an interesting exercise. I'm playing with changing the rate of increase on the different sections of the pullover to get the look I want. I increased on the sleeve sections at a slower rate than the Front and Back. This changes the raglan line slightly, flattens it out, away from a 45 degree angle.

I then stopped increasing on the sleeves altogether which is working. I was going to make up the full number of sleeve & body stitches by working increases every round at the bottom of the sleeve but this is the part that's not working very well. The increases worked every round are not happy. I also changed the rate of increase on the Body and that must be redone also. Too many changes at once I think.

I'm liking the neck though and the general look. I'm going to tackle the neckband on this sample and then cast on and begin again with a new approach to the increases. The fun continues.
-Deb (just a tiny bit frustrated)

That little bit wasn't a keeper either. Sigh. So I tried starting with the neckband and working the ribbing down.

The idea is to fill in some of the square neckline at the back with a ribbed neckband using short rows. I cast on and working down, worked short rows with the ribbing. It works, the back of neck is a good 1 1/2" higher than the Front and it's also narrower which will help it sit on the shoulders really well. But the directions need to be written out stitch by stitch and if the knitter goes slightly amiss then it won't work. There is too much room for error and frustration right at the beginning of the project.

So now I've decided that it would be best if the knitter works the body first. I'm going to suggest that the knitter work the neckband when they get to the end of the first ball of yarn. Then when they try it on the neck will be finished and sit properly. The directions will say to pick up around the neckline and work the ribbed neckband up. The short rows will be easier that way.

The square neck seems quite large but when it's worn will look more like this. And it will be filled in with the ribbed neckband too.
At least, this is my vision. Fingers crossed.
-Deb

Spring is about firsts. The first time you don't have to wear your boots, the first time you can go out without your heavy winter coat, the first time you can wear sandals, the first time you can wear short sleeves. Aaah, it's wonderful. I think if you live in a place that has no definite change of seasons you miss out on these lovely feelings. We're off to do a little 4 km hike today, a first for this spring.

So a first for me is to limit my knitting time. I'm under orders from the chiropractor to ease up due to tendinitis. So I have to prioritize my knitting. Not a bad thing I think, but really difficult. I have a couple of ideas rattling around in my head and am anxious to get them on the needles. But they are going to have to wait.

Today I'm spending my hour or so of knitting time on a square-necked top down. Just getting started. I've already scrapped the two starts I made earlier. This one's a keeper.

I can't wait to see how it works out.
-Deb