The great Wardrobe Challenge

In my spare time, I do things like sew, costume, play music, write, sing and all those other creative type things. This month's fun is brought to you by the great Wardrobe challenge (sewing with a plan). This concept has been featured in Australian Stitches for many years, and has fascinated me. One night, in the middle of writing report cards when everyone else was actually elsewhere, I spent about four hours searching the interent about sewing a wardrobe. I found this article, about sewing a wardrobe:

http://www.timmelfabrics.com/wardrobe.htm

Of course, I missed the contest by more than a month, but such is life. Since I didn't know it existed, it was hard to join it. But, since I had just finished a bias cut tank top and a prarie style skirt of a rayon print from my extensive stash, I thought I should come up with something to go with it.

Then I found a similar contest, on Sewing Pattern Review. I liked two things about it: I didn't have to buy anything to join (this is an issue for me, since I have a pattern and fabric stash that resembles a small store, and have no need to purchase something just to join a constest!), and the bottom line was that we were all winners, since we ended up with a great wardrobe. So, I joined Patternreview.com, and took the plunge and started a wardrobe. (Did I mention that I love to sew?). Since I had just finished the blue skirt and bias cut top to match out of the scraps, I thought I should try and coordinate a comfortable summer wardrobe to go.

The rules are pretty simple:

At least 3 bottoms; more tops than bottoms; at least one accessory, and it all has to work together.

The tops:

Simplicity 4076, view F and E (the Knot top), with sleeves from view B.

White cotton lycra, trimmed with lingerie lace

Lilac cotton single knit (with no stretch!)

and navy cotton lycra.

The pants:

Burda jeans pattern: 8085, done in over embroidered black stretch denim, and in a mid weight navy stretch denim. (I had to lengthen the top with lace, because it looked too short. )

The tank top is one I drafted from my moulage, and I made 3 tank tops, and a white t-shirt from the pattern (so far...).

Last, but not least, I sewed a couple of pairs of knit capri pants (navy and aqua). I think my wardrobe is pretty close to done (although, I do believe that this is beyond my limit...everything still goes together, and is mix and match. Of course, to prove it, I have to actually not be wearing it, or having it in the laundry.....

A stash'ing opportunity

I picked up a copy of Knitting for peace as a birthday present. I liked one sweater in particular that was knit with a center panel front and back, and then the sides and sleeves were picked up and knit downwards to the cuffs. The link to the original orphans for orphans sweater is here (and it is cute!)

http://www.tropicalyarns.com/index.cfm?PID=22&ProdID=79


Liked the idea, made the sweater, and hated (absolutely HATED) the neckline, which is very low in both the front and the back. Probably appropriate for the Russian Orphanages, but not my cup of tea. But the construction was unique, and interesting, and the stripes were cool. I used up a lot of wool, created two sweaters, and moved onto working on one for my daughter, but with a slight difference.

The orphans for orphans pattern only goes up to a size 6 or so, and my youngest daughter is a size 10, so I decided to try my hand at a similar sweater, with a few differences.

I call this the 'Swatchless Striped Sweater'. The nice thing about this sweater is that it uses up odd balls of wool, and has interesting stripes that do not need to be matched across the front and back of the sweater.

Swatchless Striped Sweater:

Key measurements: desired finished chest measurement, center back neck to wrist measurement, sweater length from top of shoulder to desired length, drop of the front neck (on adults, roughly 3 to 3 1'2 inches, on children 2 to 3 inches, depending on size), desired depth to underarm.

Yarn, assorted lengths in roughly the same weight. Needles appropriate to the yarn choice: circular needles are needed to accommodate the large number of stitches when knitting the side panels.

Unswatched Back panel:
Start by making an educated guess about your wool, and casting on roughly 6 inches worth of stitches for adults, 5 inches for older children and 4 inches for younger children and toddlers. Keep track of the number of stitches you cast on. (The width doesn't need to be perfect, just a rough guess--necklines for adults are anywhere from 5 to 7 inches across). Knit for a bit; if you like the look of what you are knitting, keep going until the piece is roughly 3 inches shorter than your desired back length (2 1/2 inches for the bottom finish, and 1/2 inch allowed for the back shoulder drop). If you don't like your knitting, pull it out and start again, trying different needles, or a different number of stitches. It isn't a 'swatch'--it is the back center panel.

Front Panel
Cast on the same number of sts as the back panel, and knit a second piece, this time shorter than the first piece by 2 to 3 inches (the neckline depth). Measure your piece across, and calculate your gauge (just to give you an idea of how many stitches you will need to cast on at the top of the shoulder, and to determine your ratio of pick ups when you pick up the stitches along the sides; mostly your sweater is determined by knitting and measuring!). You determine how deep to knit the side panels onto the center front and back panels by subtracting the width of the center panel from half the desired total circumference of the sweater, and dividing this by two (one half on each side of the panel).

Change yarns wherever you want, or when you run out of a ball and have to start another. This is a stash reducing sweater--use all the oddballs up, since the stripes are unique and do not need to be matched, there are not a lot of worries about not getting everything 'perfect'. You can play with patterns, too, if you want (although I didn't with mine--just knitting up all kinds of different yarn bits).

Picking up for the sides:
Lay the panels with the front panel on the right, and the back panel of the sweater on the left, with the top (cast off portions) in the middle. Pick up stitches along the front (on my gauge, I picked up 3 sts every 4 rows), cast on the calculated number of stitches needed for the depth of the front neck (2 to 3 inches) plus the depth of the back neck (1/2 inch), then pick up the needed number of stitches along the back panel. Make a note of this number somewhere (so that you pick up the same number of stitches on the second side!) Knit the sides, to the desired depth you calculated.

Sleeves:
Calculate the number of stitches to 'cast off' for the underarm depth (minus your hem treatment). Put the number of stitches for your desired armhole depth onto a spare thread on the front and the back (to be grafted together after the sleeve is finished), and then knit down the sleeve. I decreased 1 stitch every 4th row, each end, until I reached the desired wrist width (roughly 25% of the desired chest measurement), and then knit until I reached the desired center back neck to sleeve measurement without the 'hem treatment' (ribbing, moss stitch, garter stitch, something non curling is best). Then I finished the sleeve with the non-curling hem treatment (in my case, 2 1/2 inches of ribbing). Complete the second side same as the first. Graft the sides together, and then pick up and knit the stitches around the bottom for the desired hem treatment (in my case 2 1/2 inches of ribbing).

This one is fun, and really gets the extra bits of wools 'gone'.

The knit up the stash conspiracy...

Have you ever noticed that when you are knitting from stash wool, inevitably, you get to the last 4 rows of the pattern, and ...
you don't have enough wool.

You are reduced to cannibalizing swatch, and then digging in the amazing stash to find that no, you really don't have enough wool the right colour to finish the last 4 rows at the shoulders of your conservatively cabled pink sweater. You have 12 other colours/weights/varieties of pink that do not go, and many other balls in colours that will simply not do without re knitting a significant portion of your sweater. So, you break down and go purchase another ball (a Pounder, no less) to finish that last 6 rows or so of your sweater. You have knit a significant portion of your stash.

But it is getting BIGGER!

Is anyone else out there finding this?

Besides me?

This has happened on the last 4 sweaters I have knit:
The pink cabled wonder, made of Bernet Pounder (love it, needed another ball of Pounder to finish the last 8 rows, and the button band, even after cannibalizing the swatch);
The green pullover (ripped out the swatch, knit it in and was still short that last 4 rows; luckily was able to find a hidden ball languishing; it is another pounder sweater);
Purple eyelets from Kids, Kids, Kids (last 4 rows are in a different wool, in a different colour; yarn is NO longer available, too bad, so sad....but at least the sweater looks pretty with a darker contrast, and I didn't buy anything);
The sweater for my MIL, at Christmas (purchased 2 new balls to finish; needed only 3/4 of one. Now, of course, I have enough to start a sweater with the leftovers from hers, but I will need to go and buy more wool if I want to finish it).

I got lucky with my burgundy sweater. After I cannibalized the swatch to finish the neckline, I had exactly 19 inches of wool left. This burgundy sweater is a reincarnation of a cream sweater that I made from Wendy Knits. There is no more of that wool to be found anywhere. I love the new sweater. It fits me. It doesn't hang off my body like it belonged to my much larger husband, or would fit us both together. My SIL looks great in the original sweater. Obviously, I (being a mere 5'1", and having lost 10 or so pounds going to the gym regularly) had delusions of grandeur when I was making that sweater. The pattern worked fine, my tension was fine. But, it is a fact that my SIL is 5'10, and statuesque, and, like I said, she looks great in my cream coloured sweater.

Knitting up the stash

Stash busting seems to acutally be working. I am knitting up a storm. I have completed 2 sweaters for me (one green, set in sleeves in the round, sweater using EZ's percentages and Spun out 21; a second lovely red set in sleeves in the round, adapted from Wendy Knits). I have most of a third one on the needles, and part of number four....

Knitting is happening here. Amazing.

Pictures...?
Did someone say pictures??

Oh, well, hmmmm

Once a month, whether I need to or not...

I actually write a blog entry. Since I am trying to do way too many things, this can be a challenge.

Today, I am wearing my handmade cream sweater, made from the leftovers of my knitting olympic challenge. I finished my very first set in sleeve sweater in the round last week--that was WAY cool to do, as I have never cut a steek before (nerve wracking, ladies, nerve wracking!).

I am participating in a number of groups at work (groups aimed at spending money; groups aimed at making the transitions between grades and schools easier in a second language, groups just for the sake of groups), as well as updating my own, and my two school's websites. Needless to say, knitting and actually taking the pictures and posting them is turning into a challenge.

So,
Here is my work website:
http://chatt.hdsb.ca/~olahwinfielde

There are a number of great knitting links on the knitting page. Check it out.

This has been a busy week, getting back to school and realizing that no, contrary to my firm belief, I apparently had NOT put the plans for the week in my day book before I left school on the Friday before Christmas. Needless to say, life has not been quite as smooth as I had wished (but it is going well). The kids are ajusting to the changes, and mostly they did their homework for me over the break: try something new. Notice the difference: TRY, not do it perfectly, but try it. It might not work smoothly (like the child who 'played dead' after a car went by--not something he will try again, and certainly not what he expected would happen!), but then again, you might actually like salmon for dinner!

In the interest of trying something new, here is a simple lace edging for the Striper Stash Busters:

Cast on 10 sts.
row 1, and all odd rows: knit all sts.
row 2: k2, yo, k2tog, yo, knit to end.
row 4: k2, yo, k2tog, yo, knit to end.
row 6: k2, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, knit to end.
row 8: k2, yo, k2tog, yo, k2tog, yo, knit to end.
row 10: cast off first 4 sts, knit to end (10 sts remaining)
row 12: knit (This is the spot to change colours of yarn, if you want to do a pattern, or just use up the stash for knitting).

My blocks needed 8 repeats per strip, and 9 repeats per block of 80 rows, plus one on each end for neatness. These will be put on like quilt block edgings: first the short ends, then the long sides, after having been knit separately.

You can, of course, cast on more, or less (although, I don't think less than 6 sts cast on will give you a nice edging to keep the blanket from rolling in). I think I will try it, for fun.

Happy New Year's Day

Happy New Year! We rang out the old and in the new with a party at a friend's house, and visiting my father in law in the hospital.

My father in law had a 'minor' stroke Friday (although he is a lot better) and will be in the hospital for a while. Is any stroke a minor stroke? The funniest part of this, in my opinion, is that he now speaks French better than he speaks English (and he didn't speak French a lot before this!). But, he can communicate, he can eat, and he is beginning to move around. So, be thankful for small blessings.

Today is New Year's day, and the first day that I propose to not go shopping (except for essentials, of course, like food). I can't even include sock wool, since I have a large bucket full. So, in the interest of surviving this new year, I will be joining the Knit from my stash group, from Wendy Knits...

Check it out here:

http://wendyknits.net/stash2007.htm

Stash Buster Striped Blankets

I got a copy of Sally Melville's Styles, and thought I would take her advice about sorting by colour... 14 large buckets later (and I don't think we found all the bags of wool around), I made the decision to create a pattern for something that would use a LOT of stash up, quickly. Really quickly. I mean--really! So, using some of the ideas from Styles, mostly about picking 3 adjacent colours on the colour wheel, and the handy knitting machine, I came up with a basic knitted blanket.

Knitted Blanket
On the knitting machine, I use a setting of 10 (gauge roughly 4 sts to the inch), cast on 60 sts, and knit 400 rows. Change colours every 10 rows; this can be done as blocks of colour with 4 dark and 4 light strips in each block. Knit 6 strips, sew them or slip stitch crochet them together. Block. Decide that you need an edging. Start drinking Reisling (or Rickard's red, or other beveredge) while you think about what edging you should use...garter stitch, not more than 10 sts wide, preferably something that will be easy to change colours on a regular basis.


The first blanket is red, purple and blue. I sewed it together with mattress stitch. By strip 3, I was definitely thinging that there must be a better (faster, easier) way to do this--maybe slip stitch crochet. I didn't know how to knit in the ends, so it will take approximately 17 years to sew in all the ends. They stick between your toes in your sleep, and drive me bananas. I may just decide to line it with fleece, so that Nicole doesn't whine for years.

Blanket 2 for daugher two, Patricia, was made with blues and greens and purples. I figured out how to knit in the ends as you go--much better, although some of the backs slipped to the front, and created a speckled edge along one side. This one has a crochet edging, which I don't think is the best choice, but I love the colours, and I love the pattern. .

Blanket 3 is all wool, and only 4 strips wide. I changed the pattern so that there are blocks of colour: 4 dark and 4 light strips of each 'colour way' to 400 rows (5 blocks of colour). Slip stitch crochet together, and this one will have a garter stitch edging. 3 strips sewn together so far; this one only has 4 strips, as it is for the sofa.

The plan is:
pinks, purples, whites (one for each of the twins, and one for my goddaughter)
green, blue, grey, and purples (2 youngest nephews)
red, purple, blues (oldest nephew, and godson)
whites, greys, yellows and greens (husband, our bed)
amish (read this as as loud as possible, rainbow colours (one sister)
romantic colours (pinks, reds and blues) (Mother, youngest sister)

Knitting for Christmas, and beyond

This is another hats post (I really do love the hats pattern--it is so flexible, and easy).

This one is done with two strands of worsted weight yarn, on 8mm needles. Cast on 30 sts. Create wedges by knitting to 22 sts, then turning around and knitting back; knit to 23 sts, and knit back, and so on until all the sts are used up. Continue until 5 wedges have been made--and then check your size. You may need another full wedge, you may not. If you don't, then cast off and sew together.

My niece walked in while my nephew was trying one on, and said: Awesome hat--where did you get it, and can I have one? (all in one breath, no pause!).

These are fast, and easy, and really good stash reducers.

Baby Surprise, Preemie Sized

This is a collection my ramblings on trying to create a preemie sized baby sweater based on the Baby Surprise Sweater by Elizabeth Zimmerman. The original was published in Knitter's Magazine (first in issue 14, then reprinted in issue 41, both of which I own), as well as in Knitters Workshop, and The Opinionated Knitter. This is an origami type of knitting pattern--knit all in one piece, with only the shoulder seams to sew.

I played with the proportions using the desired guage, desired size, and the adult version, published in The Opinionated Knitter, to get a preemie size sweater that would be easy to knit and not have any seams in any uncomfortable places. The magic is in the folding; to discover how to fold it, please purchase one of the patterns. An inexpensive reprint of the original is available from Schoolhouse Press; or, you can go the more fun way and purchase The Opinionated Knitter that contains both the adult and baby versions, along with a lot more interesting stuff that is worth owning. (Both Knitters magazines are out of print, sad to say.) I can say that, without the pattern, I could not figure out how to fold it! Really, please respect the copyright issues and purchase a copy of the original. You won't regret it!

A note: this was developed as a charity knitting pattern, and cannot be sold for profit; the original copyright for the concept belongs to Schoolhouse Press, and Elizabeth Zimmerman; this pattern is copyrighted to me. If you do use my pattern variation, your 'cost' of use is a sweater knit for charity.

Baby Surprise, Preemie size

guage 6sts, 6 ridges to 1 inch (although, as EZ says, babies come smaller and larger, so play with it) using baby sport weight/sport weight wool and 3.5 mm needles. This makes roughly a 3-5 lb preemie sized sweater, about 11" in circumference.

The sweater is knit first from cuffs to elbows in two pieces, and then joined by the cast on that runs across the top of the shoulder. Markers are placed at each point; these become the decrease points, that run from elbow to the underarm along the back of the sleeve, and then the increase points that run from underarm to about belly button across the front. Length is added by knitting back and forth along this center section, and then the entire outer edge is knit up with a garter st border. In keeping with EZ's original idea, button holes are placed on both outside edges. This sweater is more fun when you change colours with abandon, and is a good way to use up your stash.

Sleeves: (make 2) Cast on 22 sts. Knit 3 ridges (6 rows).
Increase row: k3, *m1, k4 * end m1 k3
Knit until there are 8 ridges, in total.
Join: knit across first sleeve (rs), pm, cast on 55 sts, pm, knit across second sleeve.
next row (and all wrong side rows) knit.
Decreases:
(rs) Knit, decrease 1 st on each side of marker, knit, decrease 1 st on each side of marker, knit. (In the original, this is an sk2, which I found harder to keep in a straight line).
Next row, (and all ws rows): knit.
Repeat for 11 decreases. There should be 33 sts between markers, which is roughly the width of the back.
Increases:
(rs): knit to marker, m1, sm, k1, m1, knit to second marker and m1, sm, k1, m1, knit to end.
next row (ws): knit across.
Repeat increase rows until 9 ridges have been worked.
Note: EZ added increases about the 3rd ridge down across the back to provide fullness for the diaper, about every 7th sts.

Neck: Next two rows, while maintaining the increases on the public side, bind off 4 sts at each neck edge.
Next 4 rows, while maintaining increases on the public side, bind off 2 sts at each neck edge.
Work until there are 64 sts between markers.
To lengthen the sweater, work on the center 64 sts only until 8 ridges have been worked.
Border: (rs), work across center 64 sts, pm, pick up 8 sts along the lengthened edge (1 between each ridge), work sts placed on hold (center front).
Next row: (ws): work back, sm, work across center 64 sts, pm, pick up 8 sts along lengthened edge (1 between each ridge), work sts placed on hold for center front.
Work for 2 ridges total.
(ws): K3, *yo, k2tog, k5*, end yo, k2 tog, k3, m1, sm, k1, m1, knit to marker, m1, sm, k1, m1, k3, *k2 tog, yo, k5*, end k2 tog, yo, k3.
K2 more ridges. Bind off.
Fold and sew shoulder seams with a flat seam. (This is most amazing form of knitting orgami I have seen!). Sew buttons on left for a girl, or buttons on right for a boy.



Variations:
Any texture that has a 'square' ratio for knitting will work for this pattern. I have used a variation of two colour knitting, varying garter, seed st. and double seed st. in the stripes, with colour changes on both the public and private sides. As long as you maintain the decreases in the correct placement, and end the final edges with garter st, it looks very cool.

Enjoy, and knit a couple for a preemie near you!