Amy's Vest

I was just tossing around subjects for this blog, I am getting ready to go to Baltimore for the Stitches Fair and rather distracted and restless as a result, when I read a comment by Amy. She wants to knit an adult vest based on the Playtime Vest (ages 4 - 10 year olds) (see http://www.cabinfever.ca/ under Patterns and Kits.

Here is our sample from the CabinFever shop.

You CAN take a pattern which is entirely the wrong size and work it in a different wool for yourself. In general you are following the original pattern. But the particulars are up to you when you do the switch.

The whole thing is based on your new gauge. So do a square with the appropriate needles for your wool and count how many stitches you are getting in 1" (count the fractions of stitches). You might be getting 4 1/4 sts = 1". Use this number as your gauge and then when you work out the numbers for the vest change any fractions to a whole number larger or smaller, your choice.

Measure your bust and decide how much ease you are adding. Multiply the number of stitches in 1" (above) by the final measurement you've decided on. For example: If I want a 42" vest and I get 4 1/4 sts per inch then 42" x 4.25 sts = 178.5 sts for the vest body. Round off to 178 sts.

I would follow the basic instructions for the vest substituting your own numbers. If the pattern says to cast on with a smaller needle - cast on with a needle 2 sizes smaller than your body sized needle. Work the body.

This pattern has armholes bordered by 5 stitches in garter stitch. Keep a close eye on the photo because the garter stitch edging starts before you split the knitting into the front, back, front. As long as the garter stitch border when you start is centred over where the bottom of your armhole will be, you'll be fine. But check the proportions. A 5 stitch garter border on your armholes will look different than they would on a child's vest. This is where your judgement comes in. You'll need to widen the bottom cast off of the armhole so that the shoulders come in to where you are placing them. Or else work shaping beside the garter stitch border to bring the armholes in to where the shoulder should be.

The other spot to watch is the back of neck. Measure the back of your neck and add an inch or two to accommodate the border you are going to work later, multiply by your no. of sts in 1" and work the back so that this is the number of stitches left for the back of neck. On the Fronts, work the V-neck shaping until you will have the same no. of stitches for the shoulders that match the back and work straight up.

I am still rather disjointed here. What I might suggest is that you work up the small size and then you can see what is involved in the pattern. You will have a better idea of the changes you will need to make.

It's not as hard as it seems. You have to look as you go and make the adjustments you think will give you what you envision. I would advise making a schematic of a vest (just a simple drawing will help a lot) and measuring a vest you own to get the armhole depth and back of neck measurement.

Check, check, check as you knit so you can see how it's going to look. I think this is a great project for changing gauge and size.

This is your mission if you decide to take it. This message will NOT destruct in 5 seconds. Good Luck Amy,

-Deb

Now Where Was I

I'm back and trying to pick up the pieces. I'm painting my living room and it's a mess. At the shop I'm teaching 2 afternoon classes a week and I went to 2 guild meetings this week. That's where the time has gone.

It seems like I have done very little designing and I have to get back to finishing up some projects. My socks want to be knit starting at the side seam. Is this totally weird? I don't know. But every time I pick them up I start at the centre back, knit to the side and then say OK here we go. So these are going to be written from the side and we'll see what happens. My fingering lace socks are finished but I'm going to do them in another colour for the photograph and final writing.

I redid the lace sock in DK Wellington Fibres 60/40 mohair/wool and they feel very luxurious on. They'll be house socks for the winter. And now I must get it down in writing.

-Deb

Thanks Houston.

"We knit in Houston", Vicki wanted me to tell you that. I saw lots of evidence too.

Although it was very hot to me (91 degrees - if that was here in Ontario we would all be warned to stay at home) but it's business as usual in Houston. Several knitters were wearing wool socks which totally surprised me. We all wore sweaters in class because of the air conditioning and one of their guild projects recently was a shawl and I saw several beautiful ones being worn.

Here they are with their scaled down sample top downs and one on a doll. Terrific.

Vicki was my welcoming committee and started off my weekend with wonderful stories of their group. Betsy and Judy wined and dined me and we had a marvelous time.

Mary Lee and Amy are the retreat coordinators, past and present. Thanks for inviting me and everything went smoothly due to Amy's hard work. And I met Kaki Gemmell - can you believe that! We figure somewhere we must be related - so nice to meet you cuz.

And Laura gave me a great idea for putting darts in a vest and now this project has jumped into my project bag and I'm casting on today.

It was a terrific group and lots of very interesting questions came up in class which was wonderful. An engaging and friendly group. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Thanks to everyone.

And if you make a top down send me a photo and we'll put it on the bragging board.

-Deb

I'm Ready Houston

I've gone over my class notes, I've selected sweater samples and put them in my brand new suitcase, I've got my clothes out of the closet and I've almost picked my knitting projects for the trip. I'm ready and very excited.

Tomorrow I'm flying to Houston Texas to teach at the Houston Knit At Night knitting retreat.

We are going to be designers for the weekend. With some guidance from me the Houston knitters are going to make a Top Down sweater plan on Saturday. Lots of talk about fit and variations which can be done as you work.

I truely believe that any knitter can design. Techniques are your tools but understanding how a sweater construction works means you can change it to accomodate your body shape and your knitting style. Knitting style is important. Are you obsessed with small details? Do you just plow ahead over all obstacles? Do you need symmetry?
I am particular about increases. I want my knitting to flow. If a lovely increase stops me in my tracks every time I come to it, I don't use it. I will use a 'good enough' increase that keeps my knitting flowing. I also like to read my knitting on the needles. I don't want to have to consult a chart for every single line of the sweater. It must have some sort of logic that makes sense to me so I can knit along on my own. I recently designed a lace cardigan which requires charts but I only have to check the beginning of every line to make sure the edge is correct and then I am off and know what I am doing. A glance is all it takes. That makes the knitting experience good for me. Have you given any thought to what makes it good for you?

I'm looking forward to seeing what makes these knitters tick. It will be fun,
-Deb

In The Bag

What's in your knitting bag?

An inventory of my bag contents:

Needles: 18 circular needles, 9 sets of dnp, 2 crochet hooks

Projects: 3 individual socks in progress, 1 lace cardigan, 2 hats.

Notions: 1/2 lb. of stitch markers, 2 pr. folding scissors, 2 measuring tapes, 2 calculators, several elastics, 2 boxes of safety pins, 5 sewing up needles, 1 bulldog clip,

Books: 1 Button Up Your Top Down, 1 Kid's Knitted Hats.

Patterns: 1 sock pattern in progress, 1 lace cardigan pattern in progress, scrap paper, graph paper.

Camera + 4 batteries.

Emergency supplies: 1 granola bar.

I was astounded to see it all out. I hope my massage therapist isn't reading this. She'll reeeally hurt me next time for carrying all that around. But how can I part with it.

And why is it out anyway? I found a squashed banana at the bottom of the bag last night. Yuck!

-Deb

P.S. Yes I'm going to put all of it back in.

Door Number Three

I've been polling knitters and sock #3 won.

The lace design closer to the toe seems to look better. I started the lace pattern 6cm/2 1/4" from the very tip of the toe. Sock #1 is now being reknit into a sock #3.

A short post just to keep you informed.

-Deb

Three

One more sock and I'm there. The pattern is in a rough state but the beginning is there. It's terrific working on such a small project because I generally reknit everything including the sweaters I am designing. The Spring Breeze pullover was done in walnut brown, navy, red and finally turquoise. The lace cardigan I'm working on is being knit a second time in denim just because I love the colour.

Sock number 3.

You were expecting a little more?

Patience is a virtue. But you don't have to have patience, you just have to wait.

-Deb