Tag: sample knitting

Finished Object – Framed Sweater

Leave a comment

I finished this sweater two weeks ago, delivered it to the shop a week and a half ago, and am only just now getting around to writing about it. The good news is, if you are looking to make one for Rhinebeck, you’ve still got 2 months. If you are just here for the mathematical details, it’s at the very end.

The front view of a knit sweater with pink and peach color work on the body and sleeves in a pattern of squares filled with “sunbursts” of alternating colors and purple hem, cuffs, and shoulders.

This is the Framed sweater by Andrea Mowry of Drea Renee Knits, her Rhinebeck sweater release this year. I was asked to knit a sample in Malabrigo Rios for The Altered Stitch, my LYS.

The back view of a knit sweater with pink and peach color work on the body and sleeves in a pattern of squares filled with “sunbursts” of alternating colors and purple hem, cuffs, and shoulders.

Unfortunately, for these pictures, my dress form only went small enough to show this at 0” of ease. Seriously, my dress form literally only went down to 34.5 inches around the chest, which was actually lucky that it fit, just doesn’t show it with appropriate ease as called for in the pattern. But I guess if you like your sweaters with no ease, this demonstrates that for you.

Close up of the inside of the neckline of a pink and peach color work sweater with purple details showing the floats and pickup edge.

As cool as the outside looks, I almost love the inside more. Though its resemblance to a Good Humor strawberry shortcake bar often made me hungry while working on it. One tip I will give for this neckline (and really any neckline where you cast off while working shaping/shoulders), use Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-off even though you will be binding off in knit stitches only. Keeps you from having a neckline that doesn’t fit over your head.

A finished knit sweater with pink and peach color work on the body and sleeves in a pattern of squares filled with “sunbursts” of alternating colors and purple hem, cuffs, and shoulders laying flat on a light wooden floor.

Now for the details in one convenient place:

Size made: Size 1, finished chest measurement 34.5 inch circumference

Needles used: US 5 (3.7 mm) for ribbing, US 7 (4.5mm) for body

Color A (hem, cuffs, and shoulders) – 68 grams (approx. 142.8 yards) of Malabrigo Rios in color 282 Leo (less than 1 ball)

Color B (lighter color in body) – 135 grams (approx. 283.5 yards) of Malabrigo Rios in color 695 Peachy (less than 2 balls)

Color C (darker color in body) – 132 grams (approx. 277.2 yards) of Malabrigo Rios in color 057 English Rose (less than 2 balls)

Extra construction notes (in case they help): I used the Tubular cast-on and bind-off suggested in the pattern on the hem, cuffs, and collar, but used Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-off for the part of the neckline that is picked up for the collar. 

If you choose to make this sweater, especially using this yarn, feel free to ask any questions and I will at least try to steer you in the right direction.

Follow me on Instagram and Ko-fi.

Sample Knitting – Bestitched Shawl

Leave a comment

A bright knit shawl in pinks, yellows, and greens wrapped around the neck and shoulders of a green adjustable dress form

I recently (as in just this weekend) had the chance to knit a sample of the Bestitched Shawl by Witching Hour Knits in yarn by Rebel Yarn Co for my LYS, The Altered Stitch, for the LA Yarn Crawl. I had three and a half days to finish it, including blocking time. So it was really more like two and a half.
A knit shawl in pink, green, and yellow, being held at a diagonal

I picked up the yarn on Saturday afternoon, and cast off Monday afternoon. Probably would’ve had it done Sunday, but I was working with slightly less yarn than the pattern called for and had to rework the end a few times to win yarn chicken.
A close up of a knit shawl in pink, green, and yellow wrapped around the neck and shoulders of a white woman looking toward the camera

So my advice is, if you want to make this shawl in this yarn, go for 2 skeins and you will have a nice bit left for a matching headband, mitts, or possibly even short socks.

Project Details:

400 yards of Fingering Weight Yarn

Size 8 knitting needles

Finished Object – X Marks the Spot and Going on a Treasure Hunt

Leave a comment

Recently I was able to make a sample of the X Marks the Spot Shawl for The Altered Stitch for the LA Yarn Crawl. I used Tosh Merino Light by Madeline Tosh, starting with Jade and Candlewickheld together as colors A and B.

Velma’s Sweater was color C, and it started giving me awesome 70s vibes. Probably appropriate given the name of the color.

Around this point is where I was able to somewhat memorize the lace portion of the pattern so I was able to work on it while helping with homework.

It also got too long for the section of the table I started on when I added in a pink-toned one of a kind color as color D.

With a red-toned OOAK as color E, the nearly finished shawl was almost as long as the table.

I finished the full shawl in 9 days, and then made a 60% width sample of the short version of the Going on a Treasure Hunt crocheted shawl, moving the colors around a bit to accommodate what I had left of each color. For reference, the colors are OOAK Pink as color A, OOAK Red as color B, Velma’s Sweater as color C (with a small bit of OOAK Pink at the very end of the third section), Jade as color D, and Candlewick as color E.

Final weights:

X Marks the Spot – (On US 10.5 knitting needles)

Jade – 34 grams

Candlewick – 69 grams

Velma’s Sweater – 61 grams

OOAK Pink – 62 grams

OOAK Red – 31 grams

Going on a Treasure Hunt – (On size I crochet hook)

OOAK Red – 44 grams

OOAK Pink – 22 grams

Velma’s Sweater – 39 grams

Candlewick – 23 grams

Jade – 43 grams

I really enjoyed working with this yarn, so much so that I’ve already bought a couple more skeins to work a new shawl pattern I’m developing.