Tag: cotton yarn

Sweater Weather

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Well, okay, it’s not the same as sweater weather anywhere else. Which is why my new sweater is an open-weave crocheted sweater made in a sport weight cotton yarn.

A woman wears a green crocheted sweater and blue camouflage leggings standing in front of a green and white wave painting on a white wall.

The pattern is The Betty Boyfriend Sweater by Natalia McHayle (@taliacrochetcreations on Instagram) and the yarn is Cotton Pure in Linden Green from Purl Soho.

Back view of a woman wearing a green crocheted sweater and blue camouflage leggings standing in front of a green and white wave painting on a white wall.

The pattern is super easy and quick to work up. I finished it within four days, including sewing seams and adding the ribbing. Somewhere along the sleeves I accidentally added 10 rounds, which worked out nicely because I like my sleeves to end either above my wrist or in the middle of my hand.

Close up of the side seam detail of a green crochet sweater near the bottom edge ribbing.

The sweater is made in two flat panels that are then seamed up the sides and at the shoulders. You add the sleeves working back and forth in the round, which I totally missed the first time through. It’s not only written in the notes, but the joins are written in the instructions, too. I just happened to miss it both places until I was at the end of the first sleeve and realized there was no instruction telling me to seam it. I have a habit of messing up the first time through on a sleeve, though. Really would like to break that habit, honestly.

Close up of the neck ribbing detail of a green crocheted sweater

You add the ribbing on the sleeves, neckline, and bottom edge perpendicular to the edge and seam it when you get back to the beginning.

Close up of the shoulder seam detail on a green crocheted sweater.

The yarn is a dream to work with, too. I had a full ball left and ended up making a bag and a belt from it. My hands don’t really get fatigued when working with cotton yarns like some people do, but this one is very soft and shouldn’t give you too much problem if yours do. It’s even machine washable. These pictures are straight out of the dryer. It is so nice against the skin when wearing the sweater, too. I couldn’t wait to wear it today to take these pictures, and am planning to actually wear it again tomorrow. More detail available on my Ravelry project page.

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Adventures in Grafting

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I often see knitters who have a general disdain for grafting, or Kitchner stitch. I don’t know why. I love how it makes it easier to make things in the shape you want. Take these dishcloths, for example

I tried three times to get them square by working them corner to corner, but the knit corners were always rounded and the final corner always ended up way too long. Finally I just decided to work two halves at a time, making two triangles that I then grafted together. Perfect squares every time.

Here I’m going to take a little bunny trail to give you the basic formula:

Basic Diagonal Dischloth

Materials

  • 100% cotton yarn (I use Peaches and Cream from Michaels because it is readily available and feels nice on my fingers)
  • Size 7 or 8 knitting needles (preferably circular, but you can use whatever you can find)
  • Yarn needle

Instructions

  1. Cast on two sets of three stitches (either working from different ends of the same ball of yarn or two different balls). From now on, instructions are written once to be done on each set of stitches.
  2. Knit row
  3. Knit one, make one, knit one, make one, knit one
  4. Knit row
  5. (RS)Knit two, yarn over, knit to last two stitches, yarn over, knit two
  6. (WS)Knit two, purl to last two stitches, knit two

    7. Repeat last two rows until sides measure as long as you want them. I use my hand and make the sides reach from my wrist to the end of my middle finger. You can decide how long you want yours to be. End on RS row. Graft together with WS facing in. This is where having them on circular needles will help, but you can always transfer one side to the empty needle if using straight needles.

    This next one takes the grafting to the next level, though. I started on each point and made diamonds. Or at least aimed to make diamonds. I ran out of the self-striping yarn, so I continued on from that point as if I were making a regular two-sided square. Then I connected those two pieces, and grafted the outside pieces to the straight edges.

    I’m really liking the options making things in pieces gives me. I’ve always tried to make everything in as few pieces as possible, but perhaps having a little more flexibility makes the extra work in putting it all together at the end worth it.