Inspiration
The Garments of Logalong
It’s only natural that, at least as far as can be gauged from the #fringeandfriendslogalong hashtag on Instagram, the Fringe and Friends Log Cabin Knitalong is dominated by glorious blankets. After all, the log cabin knitting technique is rooted in the traditional quilt block of the same name. In its most elemental form, log cabin—knitted or sewn—yields square shapes; it can require some doing even to stretch a log cabin into a rectangle.
Garments, needing to cover a three-dimensional human body with parts that bend, are a bigger challenge. It’s a fun puzzle: can I use this technique to make a garment I would actually wear, that doesn’t look like somebody picked up a potholder and pieced it into a sweater?
The first log cabin sweater I ever saw was in Debbie New’s landmark book, Unexpected Knitting.
Unexpected Knitting is holy writ to me, never more than 10 steps away from my desk, but I did not like this sweater. I wanted to like it, and I could see that it would be fun to knit, but I couldn’t see beyond the blocky bulkiness and utter lack of drape.
The next log cabin sweater I remember seeing was this one, from Rodarte’s Fall/Winter 2011 collection:
It was thrilling to see designers I greatly admire playing with one of my favorite motifs, but I didn’t really like this sweater either. So literal! It teeters on the line between handmade and homemade; at a minimum it needs a good blocking. It failed my personal test of “would this look ok in real life, or would I need to explain it to everyone constantly?” (When a non-knitter asks me, “did you make that?”—I die a little. If a knitter asks me the same question, I puff up to nearly double my size.)
In Search of a Wearable Log Cabin
My solution: start with a sweater pattern I love, and use it as a template. Knit a piece of fabric to fit that template, using log cabin technique, but in a yarn (Sylph) and at a gauge (sock-ish) that I hope will yield a sweater I don’t have to explain because it is, first and foremost, an ordinary nice sweater.
Here’s where I am on the back of the sweater right now:
I’ve nearly done the underarm increases.
Then I’ll knit, in reverse stockinette stitch, for a few inches more to give the sleeve openings some depth, and do the neck and shoulder shaping according to the pattern. I’m planning to use the same arrangement of log cabin strips (a u-shape) for the front of the sweater.
Nagging little doubt: I overshot the width of the body a little bit. I hope my sweater doesn’t end up swamping instead of draping.
Keep Your Eye On
The ingenuity of knitters is amazing. Here are a few garments-in-progress that I’ve been watching as closely as Olive scans the back yard for deer and box turtles.
I can’t wait to see Jaime Konerman-Sease @jaimeks model her beautiful circle skirt.
(Edited to add: I didn’t have to wait long. Check out Jaime’s circle skirt.)
I’ve watched as Megan Minier‘s plan for a log cabin vest with shawl collar has gone from this:
To this:
I’m on the edge of my seat, Megan; please update!
Chris of @makeandwear is trying to decide whether her log cabin top will be diagonal or squared-up in its orientation. She seems to be leaning diagonal, despite the extra construction challenges. (I have Dress Form Envy. It seems like having a dress form helps a lot with making clothing out of squares of fabric.)
Like me, Casey Rich @gingerpidge is working on a pullover. (Unlike me, Casey can sketch.) Her palette is so so so me me me.
Jamie MacCarthy @gummywormbelly is on a similar mission. Her “weird log cabin sweater thing” is making me wish I had ventured beyond monochrome. Next time!
Diana Sorbo @disorbo signed up early for Pullover Club. Is it going to be monochrome or multicolor? Has she given up and started something else? Phone home, Diana!
If I missed any log cabin garments out there, please let me know. Right now, the log cabin garment band may be a happy few, but I feel like we’re onto something.
Love love love the ingenuity of all you Knitters! Rite On!
Fascinating to watch these coming together (with the blankets too).. I am with you in hoping you find drape and not swamp.
So check out Ann Weaver’s Rothko series.
Wow. Wow! WOW!
These are so damn good, thrilling to see, can’t wait for the finish shots. Kay, the monochromatic grey drapey sweater takes it to another level.
I’ve been so inspired by all the knitters who are venturing into log-cabin garment territory. So many fantastic ideas! Might have to join in, especially after seeing this cute top from 2015: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/victoria-top
Would be perfect for Spring/Summer
Oooh, Victoria looks very do-able, and pretty quick in worsted weight! No Sleeve Island, either. May have to play with that. The wish list grows ever longer…
I’m in with a garment too Kay. Please look for @elenicekraemer. I thought it was a very good idea at first. Now I am not so sure. I’ve been having so many new ideas while knitting… no time to try them all…
I have been dreaming of a garment much like Diane’s as I knit away at my blanket squares. I am excited to see a real life rendering of what I have been imagining!
Oh, man, these are all so cool & INSPIRING!
I never thought about the different “takes” on “did you make that?” and have now a bit anxiously rewound my mental tape on a little community event last Sunday where I zeroed right in on a woman wearing a cobalt blue, densely-cabled cardi. Relieved to say I opened with, “Did you make your sweater it is beautiful I love it!” so even though she didn’t knit it herself, she knew it was a compliment and was happy to share it’s provenance – Ireland! – and it’s wardrobe status: very warm, often worn, and much enjoyed 🙂
An old friend at the same gathering was wearing a handknit (by herself) vest that – upon (ahem) questioning – turned out to have been made from yarn (spun by herself) made from the fleece of a sheep raised by another woman at the same gathering.
NB: this was NOT a fiber-related event.
Although I love all the garments, this comment was my takeaway from today’s post too. I definitely have mixed feelings when asked this by non-knitters vs. knitters.
You are going to love your sweater. I’d wear the Rodarte but using only one color gives your sweater a certain French tone. I’m presently knitting a sweater that has vered away from my swatch gauge. I too am hoping that I’m not wearing a tent, when finished.
Do not give up on Team Monochrome! I spent my whole (brief) time log-cabining pining for some nice grey. On grey. On more grey.
That sounds like sarcasm, and yet it is not.
I so love watching these sweaters come together. 🙂
Inspiring! Thank you for sharing these. Could it be that my neglected sock yarn stash is destined to become a log cabin garment? I hope so.
I am on team monochrome garment but with a very different construction. It seems to be working ok, but time will tell…
The projects look great, so exciting. Found the Modern Daily Knitting book at the library today. 2006 log cabin blankets and a bathmat. Didn’t join this knit a long, but very inspired!
I‘ve long imagined that this pattern
https://www.ravelry.com/projects/sms/klaralund
could be log cabinified…
Not being the designing type myself, I find the creation of these garments thrilling. Each one is a fun, lovely surprise. Look what you have inspired!
I’m right with you in your review of the first two sweaters. Not doing it for me. But your sweater! The sophisticated combination of logs and luxe. I like yours best of all.
Am especially excited by the circle skirt! Ms. Konerman-Sease indicates on Instagram: *If you’re wondering what kind of sorcery this is, all is explained on my blog (follow my bio link)*
Okay, I’m too stupid for words, or at least for Instagram, but no matter what I clicked, I couldn’t find any information about how the triangle blocks are constructed. Nor could I find her bio link. I think I can tell the method by looking, but I’d love to read any details.
Thank you in advance for your help!
https://reclaimedcraftblog.wordpress.com/ is the link you’re looking for, I believe!
Love all the creativity and innovation, and it’s inspired me to try a log cabin pullover design. Thank you!