Dear Ann,
As the light faded yesterday afternoon, I snapped a progress photo of my Stopover for our Bang Out a Sweater knitalong.
A couple of hours later, I had both sleeves done. (13 hours in so far; I’m still keeping track.)
You know what this means: the Three Tube Situation is upon us.
The moment in a yoke construction garment when the sleeves and body are joined together on a long circular needle, ready to start knitting the yoke–thereby entering the home stretch of the sweater–is a fresh miracle every time. It’s so neat, so satisfying. Each time I do it I feel a connection, through a long line of clever knitters, all the way back to the unknown knitter who first figured out how to construct a garment this way. It just makes me happy. I don’t knit socks, as a rule, but the one time I turned a heel, I had the same feeling.
People who have never joined up the parts of a lopapeysa are always a bit skeptical and even shaky about it. The instructions in the Stopover pattern are short, and there are a bunch of numbers. But the clouds lift as soon as you read the instructions with the actual knitting in your hands. Just do it. Shut up and row, and all will be well.
A while back, I wrote up a little tutorial on joining up sleeves and bodies, which I called The Three Tube Situation. I offer it up to those who are not willing to wait for their personal a-ha moment about how yoke construction works.
By the way, did your Stopover yarn ever arrive?
Love,
Kay
Working away on mine. Half way through the second sleeve. The body and first sleeve are already poised on the long circular and ready to rip as soon as the sister sleeve is ready. Onward!!
I worked body to first decrease rows. I am currently struggling with the temptation to ditch real life concerns and devote myself to knitting. It’s very exciting to see how quickly the sweater is progressing.
This construction was truly an “aha” moment for me! I read through the instructions and thought… what the what?
However, I knit on and, just like you said, with knitting in hand, the instructions became crystal clear!
Also, genius move getting a shorter circular. I magic looped my sleeves and that is not a fast method for me.
I truly want to thank both you and Anne for inspiring this KAL – I learned so much and in less than 40 hours of time I have a sweater to keep me warm!
True confession–that shorter needle is not exactly the correct size, but I was fed up with double points, the yarn store was closed, and I just said WTH.
I’ve never knit a sweater like this. This is incredible! I love it and want to knit another in a different color scheme.
The lopapeysas are addictive. I maybe should have mentioned that.
Yes, my yarn arrived, I’ve gauged switched and started knitting! I forgot about about timing it though. Oh well, I’m not going for a speed record anymore, just going to enjoy the process while trying to finish two pairs of socks , a toy bunny and two shawls. I’m tired already!
My yarn’s been here, but I’ve got some other pesky projects to finish before I’ll allow myself to cast on. It’s killing me & there’s a good chance I’ll succumb to the temptation & stuff the UFOs out of sight for a while.
I can’t believe how fast this knits up! I started the 2nd sleeve yesterday AM and by the end of the Super Bowl, I have the sleeves done, joined to body, and 1-1/2″ of the yoke done! WOW!! All in just 7 days.
Still waiting on one color to arrive ???? ” Maybe today”, she said hopefully.
My needles arrived at 3 PM last Monday, and last night I finished the neckline! I have a few ends to work in and the underarms to Kitchener, then it is into the bath and a light blocking!!!! So freakin’ excited! My only problem was last night my brand new 16 inch 10 1/2 needles fell apart…so I just did the magic loop with the other needle. I will be making more Icelandic Sweaters…love, love love the construction of it.
Thank you so much for putting this great Knit-a-Long together, it has been so much fun to do.
That was suppose to me 16 inch 9 needles. not 10 1/2’s
I am really enjoying following along with this KAL – the pictures on the rav group are wonderful! Kudos to all you knit-along-ers!
And Kay, I have lost count of how many pairs of socks I’ve knit, but that feeling when you’re turning the heel? Every.Single.Time.
So glad to hear this, Quinn. Personally I have enjoyed a lot of knitalongs without actually knitting along. I never dreamed that this KAL would mean reaching the milestone of a First Sweater for some people. That is really satisfying. Once you’ve got one under your belt, you can knit all the sweaters. Someday I’ll knit another sock…..
My first Icelandic sweater. I hit the colorwork during the Super Bowl, which is fine because I would rather knit, but there were distractions. I kept chanting colors under my breath. At the end I looked at the sweater and the pattern looked funny, and my sister pointed out, “you’ve forgotten row 6.” I felt like that guy from the Panthers crying on the sidelines at the end of the game…
You have to keep this all in perspective, Noeknitter. Your situation was MUCH SADDER than the guy crying about a dumb football game.
But at least you could fix it–he can’t, poor guy.
Lol! (About Kay’s comment, not about your situation NoeKnitter – which hopefully has been made right by now.) Some people’s priorities are all wrong, right?
Has anyone been knitting this sweater with Plutolopi? I would love to try (thinking that the pencil-drafted fiber might work with my spinning wheel if all else fails. I have a shopping cart on Craftsy filled with Lopi balls (colors and choices running low) and can’t decide whether or not to bite the bullet. My stash has no Lopi in it, so I can do a bit of rationalizing. Seeing all those Instagram photos makes my mouth water and my fingers itch. The thought of a light-as-a-feather sweater has me wasting time every day trying to make up my mind about going forward with this, and whether or not to bite the Plutolopi bullet. But then the question arises: double the yarn? How many wheels to buy? While I might be considered “small” I’d be tempted to go for “medium” to be on the safe side. Then I realize I’ve overthought the whole thing and give up. Which is why I’m laying this out there, embarrassing as it is, for all of you to read. Please tell me to hang it up if my query is giving you, the experts, anxiety attacks. I get vicarious satisfaction out of seeing your well-wrought work.
Knit on!
Best to all,
Natalie in Arlington, VA
If my plutoloopy yarn ever arrives from Iceland, which it may not, I am really looking forward to knitting with it. I did have the chance to try out a wheel of the stuff at the Windy Knitty knit night (thankyouJULIE!), and it was not nearly as break-y as the Noro Rainbow Roll pencil roving I’d been experimenting with. Plötulopi is as light as air, and I can’t wait to make this sweater.
Re quantities, one wheel of Plötulopi equals about three balls of Lettlopi, which means you’ll have a ton of the contrast colors left over.
Your second try with Plutolopi has me more tempted than ever to wait for your verdict. Hope your yarn comes in soon!
If you check out your full cart on Craftsy be sure to take advantage of the multipacks for additional savings. I ordered 6 skeins of main color by purchasing a 5 pack plus a single one. Whole deal including shipping was $38.
I noticed the sale prices, Rosemary. Do you think 6 balls will suffice for a small-to-medium sweater? I’ve not yet purchased the pattern but do recall that one ball of each contrasting color was called for. Have I remembered this incorrectly?
Yes, so I got six balls of the main color plus one each of the contrasting colors. I’m making the small which calls for 5 in MC, but I’m tall so need to add length. Not sure yet if it will be enough…but hope so!
Ann might give a different answer, since she’s very enthused about using the plotulopi for the first time on her Stopover. I did not even think about how to estimate quantities if subbing plotulopi for Lettlopi—I would think you just need the same yardage?
My feeling is that it adds a little extra challenge/difficulty level if you have to deal with knitting a “yarn” that is so prone to breaking, so I’d knit my Stopover in good old Lettlopi. Lettlopi is its own kind of yarn, so it would definitely provide that New Yarn Experience, but it behaves like yarn.
Thanks, Kay. I’m sure you’re right. I’ve not even purchased the pattern yet. I’m going to continue to check in with y’all and and admire the beautiful work you’re all doing. If I jump in it will be using Lettlopi. Darn, this project is enticing me!
I started with the sleeve, to have a smaller “canvas” to practice the stranded knitting on. Knit back and forth on a 16 inch circ, then joined in a circle after a few rows and knit on dpns until I had about 50 stitches, then switched back to 16 inch circs. When I got to the “knit until 18 1/2 inches” instruction, I stopped and knit the 2nd sleeve to the same point, then put them both on my 40 inch circ and am knitting them 2-at-a-time. It’s taking a while, since I am knitting size XXL with long sleeves!
I’m also a little worried that my knitting seems tighter than my two (2!) gauge swatches knit in the round. But…I washed both of the swatches and they came out to a perfect 3.25 stitches per inch, so I guess I will just have faith. Or, “Shut up and row, and all will be well.”
With my unyarn in hand, I swatched for my Freyja. The ugly side of knitting reared its head as I jumbled figures all day Saturday befor picking a size and starting. At my rate and gauge it isn’t going to be banged out soon. Joining was a trial too, but I think I am finally on track. I may be slow, but am enjoying the adventure. More like a pop than a bang, but still fun. And so light and airy, even at 4.5 stitches per inch.
Joined the sleeves and went from three tubes to one. Knit my 2.5 inches, all ready to start the colorwork. What’s this? I have decreases and more plain knitting and another decrease? But I WANT TO START THE COLORWORK! Ok, whining done, almost there. Again.
Love your sweater (and I used your tubes instructions for Calidez, super helpful). Totally screwed up two fingers on my right hand dealing with the snow today, so won’t be seeing my sleeves on my WIP that is between me and a stopover for a bit, but I’m enjoying watching everyone else’s projects. Hopefully by the weekend.
Now THAT is the ONLY way to describe how to construct a sweater – any sweater – in the round. I actually understood every word of it. Thank you so much! My first – if ever – lopapeysa – will be all thanks to you. That’s how Donna Griffin made me do Summer Flies. Her pattern made it look easy. You two are my heroes.
BTW, I have been firmly ensconced in Advanced Beginner Land for the past 10 years and am pretty accepting of that. But, because I am basically lazy I made myself learn Magic Loop (from an actual person); and have had some of the happiest afternoons knitting and sliding my needles, knitting and sliding all day long and coming up with something really pretty at the end. It’s a matter of getting in the rhythm of it. I also used Sarah Hauschka’s booklet when my memory of the show-and-tell method faltered. Which it inevitably did, although the learning curve was actually pretty short and easy. I suppose it’s not for everybody, we all think differently – but I mention it just in case you haven’t learned yet and might find yourself in a situation where you might be dreading it. Thank you again, Kay, for that WONDERFUL tutorial.
Still waiting for my yarn, but bless their hearts, the folks at Tolt are sending me another batch. (I’m convinced mine never arrived because the post office literally moved across the street the day it was “out for delivery”.) I did cast on a Gilet court d’été out of sheer desperation this weekend; I’m going down to Madrona Fiber Arts on Saturday and I simply must have a sweater on the go. I hope now to have two!
Hey those are my colors!
1. Elizabeth Zimmerman
2. Cat Bordhi
3. Alice Starmore
4. Nicky Epstein
5. Kaffe Fassett
But there are others; I was looking for variety in influence.