How did the first week of the fall knitalong treat you? Did you have fun picking colors and swatching? We did, mostly. We really loved seeing all the great creativity that you’re bringing to the project when you visit the shop.
Danielle, Trudy, Kim, and I are all actively knitting away on our Westbournes. Some of us got gauge perfectly on US4s, just like the pattern called for (Trudy). Some of us had to go up to a size 5 (ahem, Kim), and some of us had to go down a size (me.. true story: I’m knitting a sweater on size 3 needles in a month and a half. Hi, my name is Katherine, and I think I have a problem.) The point is, we experienced a whole mix of gauge results, from too tight to grossly too loose. Wherever your gauge landed, we’re with you.
We also found some variations on a theme when it came to colorway selections. Kim is knitting Tulipa for the main color and Oyster for the stripes. Trudy is knitting Storm Warning (a babette, a warm lighter grey) with several options for stripes. She’ll either be striping with Pewter or Fantasize (pink) Northumbria or Some Like It Hot (a riotously vivid pink from Skein Australia). Danielle is working with Slate for the body and French Marigold and Coos Bay for the stripes. I’m working with Franklin for the main color, and Spring Lettuce for the stripes. I’ve also got Fine Lady that I want to use for a single contrast stripe, but the exact location is still TBD.
This KAL is a marathon, not a sprint. We’ve all moved past the short rows and firmly into the raglan increases. Before we go any further, can we all agree that German short rows are an amazing thing? I was introduced to them on another project earlier this fall (Luna2, a fantastic bit of colorwork in garter stitch), and they immediately became my favorite. It’s so simple, clean, and efficient, which just feels so appropriately Germanic.
For now, we are all working the raglan increases. Trudy is hoping to separate her sleeves this weekend. She is knitting at a breakneck pace and I’m afraid she may lap us. Kim and I are in the thick of the increases. I cast on a size 40 back when I was uncertain about gauge and whether I could make a fabric that I liked (it was a dark time, full of quiet cussing and a whole lot of trying to convince myself I’d like a gauzy striped sweater). Since I resolved the gauge issue, I’ll be doing extra raglan increases and will divide the sleeves off when I’m at the numbers for a 42. I like to be a bit more covered up in my hand knits and this will give me extra fabric at the top of the sweater. All’s well that ends well.
Next week, we start striping! Get excited! And, if you miss us in the meantime, you can always find us on the Ravelry forums and in the shop. Happy knitting!