Free sweater pattern: Easy Sweater for adults by Leanne Dyck

Update:  Nice to know that my patterns are still being enjoyed. Hello to all my knitting friends. : )

I bet this is one of the easiest sweaters you'll ever knit. And it's quick. And it's free.

Drop shoulder sweater knit from the bottom up

Sweater measures

Chest:  36 (40, 44, 48, 52, 56) inches

91.44 (101.6, 111.76, 121.92, 132.08, 142.24) centimeters

Length:  22 (22, 24, 24, 26, 26) inches

55.88 (55.88, 60.96, 60.96, 66.04, 66.04) centimeters

Sleeves:  16 inches (40.64 centimeters) long

Knitting needles:  10 mm/15 US/ 000 Canadian and UK

Yarn:  I used Meldoy by Patons. This is an 100% acrylic super bulky yarn.
I knit the smallest size and used 6 skeins
Weight:  600 grams (100 grams per skein)
Yardage:  510 yards (85 yards per skein)
466.34 meters (77.72 meters per skein)
I recommend you add a skein for each size (i.e. 7 skeins for medium, 8 skeins for large, etc.)
But you could use a different super bulky yarn

Tension:  9 stitches = 4 inches

Stitch pattern:  Garter
Row 1:  knit--to end of row
Repeat row for pattern

How to work the knit stitch tutorial

Front and back (make 2)
Cast on 40 (45, 54, 59, 63) stitches
Work for 22 (22, 24, 24, 26, 26) inches

Sleeves (make 2)
Cast on 45 stitches
Work for 16 inches
I like to work my sleeves from the shoulder down.
It's really important to cast off loosely. You could even use a size larger needle.

Finishing
Sew shoulder seams (approximately 2 to 3 inches on both sides)
(5 to 7.6 centimeters)
Attach sleeves
Sew side seams
Add fringe
Here's how to make fringe

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Next post:  Sticking with our Halloween theme, together we'll take an adventure through Elizabeth Kostova's book The Historian (horror)

How to knit a button by Leanne Dyck

Knit easy lace by Leanne Dyck

Who hasn't admired and dreamed of knitting lace?

The Knitting Directory has a selection of lace stitch patterns. Each are classified 'Intermediate'. The instructions include gobbly-gop like this:  k1, *yo, k3, y0, k1 and k2, sl1, k2tog, psso, *k3, sl1, k2tog, psso

What if you are a new knitter? What if you don't know how to follow the instructions for knitting lace? Does it mean that you can't knit lace?

I have a solution...

Double wrap yarn

 

Simply wrap yarn around your needle twice.

The first rows of this sample is seedstitch. The results of the double wrap can be seen in the last row--cute and lacey.

Do the Combo

 

I knit the seed stitch using 4.50mm/US 7

Simply changing to 10mm/US 15 resulted in this lacey stitch.
My 'Queen Anne Lace scarf' pattern uses this method.

Knitting: the long and short of altering the sweater

Spring Garden is worked from the bottom up so adjusting the length is very easy. For a longer sweater body, simply keep knitting. For a shorter sweater body, simply stop knitting sooner. The Standards & Guidelines for Crochet and Knitting (compiled by Craft Yarn Council of America) lists hip length as 6" (15 cm) down form waist. Tunic length 11" (28 cm) down from waist.
Sleeves too can be altered. Cap sleeves work for 2". Short sleeves work for 4". T-shirt sleeves 8". Long sleeves 18".
Would you like a deeper neck line? Currently the neck line is 3 inches deep. 5 inches makes a nice deep neck line. In order to deepen the neck line you need to start shaping the neck sooner. You need to calculate when to start the neck. For example, say I want to work a sweater that will be 20 inches long.
20 - 5 = 15 inches
Now I know that I will need to start shaping the neck after working the sweater for 15 inches.
"Deeper, deeper, deeper," You chant.
Sure, why not.
20 - 8 = 12 inches
Contrarily, if you want a more swallow neck line.
20 - 2 = 18 inches
To summarize, simply subtract the neck line from the sweater body length--this will give you the number of inches you will need to work before starting to shape the neck line.
This pattern is found here
What other fun can we have with this sweater? Find out next Monday.
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Today I'm visiting Anne K. Albert's blog
Next post: In answer to a very interesting blog post: Encouraging during querying

Tension (basic knitting tutorial)

My gauge guide is a silver metal bar that many non-knitters may mistake as a ruler with a series of holes in the centre.
You may have overheard a knitter say, "Wow, this sleeve looks too big. I hope my tension is correct."
What does that mean?, you may have wondered.
Well...
Tension refers to the number of stitches per inch. For example, a pattern may list the tension as 5 stitches x 8 rows = one inch
Many variable will effect the number of stitches you get to the inch. For example...
-the weight of the yarn (finger weight, worsted weight, chunky)
-the size of the needle (4.50 mm/UK 7/US 7)
-how tightly or loosely you knit
Using my gauge guide, ensures that my garment will be worked in the proper portion.

You: Do you work an entire sleeve, back or front and then measure?
Me: No, you work a sample swatch
You: What's a sample swatch
Me: Using the yarn and knitting needles you will use for your project, cast on twenty stitches and work in Stockinette stitch for four inches.
Measure the swatch using your gauge.
Do you have a 4 inch by 4 inch square?
If you have six or more stitches to the inch, work and measure another sample swatch using a large needle. Conversely, if you have four or fewer stitches to the inch, work and measure another sample swatch using a smaller needle. When your sample swatch measures 4 inches by 4 inches you have the correct size needle for your project.

Some projects such as scarves don't need to fit. This is why no tension information is given on the patterns for such projects.
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Next post: Celebrating Mayne Island Little Theatre's anniversary.

Selecting yarn (basic knitting tutorial)

Today is election day in Canada.
I've voted but I'd much rather select yarn.

I've heard a few too many stories about new knitters walking into yarn shops and having clerks hand them yarn that looks like the yarn pictured below.
Understandably, most of the knitters that had this experience end up abandoning their needles.
What do you look for?
-light colour yarn
-evenly spun
Look carefully at the first picture. Now examine the second.
In the first picture, notice the little 'n' each is a stitch. If you take the time, you can count each 'n'.
In the second picture... Well, it's hard to see anything but a mixture of colour.


Happy shopping.
Good luck voting.

Basic knitting tutorial: Mattress Stitch by Leanne Dyck

Okay so imagine that you are finished knitting your hat or sweater. You have seams to sew. How do you do that? Well, (especially for projects such as hats) I like to use the mattress stitch or sew invisible seams. I learnt about this method from knitwear designer Lucy Neatby. Arrange the two edges so that they are parallel.

Thread the yarn tail into a darning needle.

Start sewing at the edge opposite the edge where you obtained the yarn tail. Using the threaded darning needle, weave the yarn back and forth from one edge to another. Ensure the edges remain parallel. Once finished weave in the ends and cut the yarn tail.

Decreasing (basic knitting tutorial)

In simplest terms, decreasing is treating two stitches as one. Slide the tip of your working needle into two stitch loops.

Wrap the yarn around the tip to make a new stitch. Pull the yarn through both loops.

Let the old stitches fall of the needle. Count your stitches. You have one fewer stitch than you had before you began decreasing.

Yarn Bands (basic knitting tutorial)

Read the Yarn Band

*

What size knitting needles are recommended to use with this yarn?

read the yarn band

*

Is this worsted weight yarn?

read the yarn band

The band will be labelled "worsted weight" and/or '3' or '4'.

How do you care for the yarn?

read the yarn band

*

What is the fibre content?

Is it a wool blend or acrylic? This information is also found on most yarn bands.

How can you avoid unwanted colour stripes in your knitting?

The dye lot number is listed on the yarn band. Match this number in each band to ensure no unwanted colour stripes. Some yarns do not have a dye lot number. All of these yarns are dyed at the same time in huge vats. The theory is that no number is required. Is this just a theory? My experience has been sadly sometimes yes.

Next post: Caring for a muse.

Wool (basic knitting tutorial) by Leanne Dyck

photo by ldyck--while in Iceland 

Wool

Some seasoned knitters insist that all knitters should knit with wool [natural animal fibre]. I DON'T AGREE! I firmly embrace the "KISS" principle—Keep It Simple Sweetie. When learning something new, I do not like to pile it on. I want to learn the basics and then I want to proceed from there.

Wool requires special care. You must learn to form a ball from a hank, to block your work, and to launder your wool garment. Knitting is a challenge to learn without piling on these additional lessons.

Synthetic yarn does not require blocking. It is sold by the skein, not the hank. Skeins can be knit from without having to form them into balls. Synthetic yarn is also easily laundered—simply machine wash and dry. Knitting with synthetic yarn is knitting without "baggage."

Beyond these considerations are those of price. Wool generally is far more expensive than synthetic yarn. If you are not sure you are a knitter, why break the bank on wool?

Still, wool has its allure. There is nothing like knitting with it for pure sensual delight. However, it is a pleasure best left until you have successfully completed a few knitting projects. 

That said, there are many fine synthetic/wool blends that offer the ease of synthetic and the luxury of wool. Look for them in your local yarn shop or on the web.

photo by bdyck of ldyck in sweater

Buying Yarn by Leanne Dyck

Buying Yarn

The Rural-Urban split

... Seen through rural eyes, an urban knitter need only open their front door to venture forth into the world of yarn. Rural knitters envision yarn shops on every corner. The reality may be sadly different. With big box stores vying for customers, establishing a small independent yarn shop is not easy.

Urban knitters chant, "Support your local yarn shop."

Rural knitters respond, "We would love to!"

Some rural knitters are fortunate to have wool producers in their backyard, such as Meadowmist Farm on Mayne Island.

For those who don't, purchasing yarn requires a long drive to the nearest city. This shopping trip is squeezed into a long list of tasks—not for the rural knitter, a day devoted to visiting a multitude of yarn shops.

The Internet is the great equalizer. Access to a computer allows both rural and urban knitters to shop until they drop while still being able to support local suppliers. 

Basic knitting tutorial: purl

Today we will put some purls on your needles.
You will recall, from last Monday's post, that the needle that is doing all the work we are calling the 'worker'. The needle that is simply carrying the stitches we are calling the 'carrier'.

Put the tip of the worker needle behind the yarn.

Thrust the tip of the worker needle into the old stitch.

Bring the yarn over the tip of the worker yarn and between the two needles. Bring the worker needle down into the new stitch.

Once the new stitch is on the worker needle pull the old stitch off the carrier needle. You now have a purl on your needles.

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Next knitting lesson: We will talk about yarn.

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Next post: My experience at the Writers' Union of Canada symposium

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Work on work in progress

Word count: 34, 610 words

A new sentence added: There are roses and kisses for everyone, but there aren't any for me--not for big loser Lyndi.

How-to knit garter stitch by Leanne Dyck

These are the steps I follow to work garter stitch...

The knitting needle in my right hand does all the work so I call it the working needle. The knitting needle in my left hand simply carries the stitches so I call it the carrier.



1. Put the tip of the working needle through the centre of the old stitch.

2. Wrap the yarn around the working needle.

3. Pull the yarn through the old stitch. Then pull the stitch off the carrier needle. Eventually all the stitches will be transferred from the carrier needle onto the working needle as the working needle becomes the carrier and the carrier becomes the working needle.

Knitting tutorial: Hank's having a ball by Leanne Dyck

Okay, so, you walk into your favourite local yarn shop. Look around, and find it. The perfect yarn. Trouble is it looks like this... You can't knit with it in this state. Question: how to transform a hank into a ball? Step 1: untwist Hank and lay him on your lap. Step 2: Find an end.

Step 3: Make several loops.

Step 4: Begin to form a ball.

Step 5: continue winding...

Don't stop until you have a ball.

Knit, Knitting, Knitted tutorial--tails

Did you know that your knitting has a tail?
Yup, it does.
Once you've finished putting your stitches on your needle, you will have two ends of yarn trailing from these stitches. One of these yarn ends will lead from the stitches to the ball. This is your "working yarn". The working yarn will be used while you knit. The other yarn ends will not be attached to anything. This is the "tail". The tail seems only to be around for the ride and it's not to be trusted. Indeed the tail is sly. It needs to be watched. If not closely supervised it can create all kinds of mischief.
Like?
It can make stitches disappear.
It can disguise itself as the working yarn.
The first problem can be avoided by ensuring that your tail is long enough not to pop through the last stitch. Leave a nice long tail. 

Unfortunately, this long tail can create the second problem. You see, it is easy to mistake a long tail for the working yarn. 

Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem as well.
Put an anchor on your tail.

I tie my tail in a figure 8.

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Web Tour:

I want to spin yarns--not dance with grammar.

I've done a few interviews. One interview question I've encountered is what time period would you like to visit. I've answered the 60s.

Yesterday, I changed my mind. Now I want to visit Shakespeare's England.

Ah, you think a romantic time.

Um, yeah, but that has little to do with it. What appeals to me is the freedom with English. Shakespeare was able to play loose and easy with English. This delights me.

I've been in and encountered many discussions lately about grammar...maybe too many.

In case you can't get enough. Here: http://www.englishrules.com/writing/2005/toward-or-towards

Work on work in progress

Word count: 29, 869 words

A new sentence added: I have to agree, to do otherwise would expose my jugular vein.

Knit, Knitting, Knitted tutorial: cast on by Leanne Dyck

My favourite cast on is the double tail or Contential cast on. Other people may call it other things, but that's what I call it.
Why do I like it?
Oh for so many reasons, let me count the ways.
Just kidding.
One reason is because it stretchy. I love a stretchy cast on.

To add more stitches just repeat this process.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow like ocean waves against the shore, or stitches caught by my knitting needle.