Letters
Easel Sweater: Canvas for a Wild Yarn
Dear Kay,
I’ve been off in a pixelated color dreamworld the past few days, working up this Lichen and Lace Worsted into an Easel Sweater, the quick pullover from Field Guide No. 3: Wild Yarns.
I’ve finished the four pieces, and I’ve spent a fair amount of time gazing upon the patterns that have emerged from this variegated color, Woods.
It really does capture all the shadows and brights that I see when I wander through the Tennessee forest.
It’s a little trippy, really. When you start out up close, you see all sorts of great colors.
Step back a bit, and patterns start to emerge.
And when you climb up on a kitchen chair and look down, you start to see all manner of bears and foxes and plaids and galaxies and suns.
The sleeves are worked in one of my favorite murky yarns, Rachel Atkinson’s Daughter of a Shepherd. This is her Hebridean/Zwartbles blend, in a fingering weight I doubled to get gauge.
It’s undyed. It picks up the superdark brown in the Lichen and Lace Woods.
You can see on the front and back where I joined a second skein of yarn at the bottom of the armhole shaping. Totally different rhythm of color.
About halfway through, I decided I wanted to sew up this Easel Sweater with the reverse stockinette as the outside rather than the stockinette called for in the pattern.
It just looks kind of cool, broken up blurps of color.
I’ve already washed and blocked these pieces. It’s going to be interesting to see how this ferocious curl behaves when I work mattress stitch on it for a reverse stockinette pullover.
Small dramas, y’all. I’m in for the small dramas these days.
Love,
Ann
I love reverse stockinette in wild yarns! I think it shows the beauty of the yarn much better than the stockinette side.
Can’t wait to see the final product. So glad to see when reverse stockinette comes into its own. Chloe
Ann, you always have a knack for trying new ideas. I like the way the yokes look different from the body, just by changing skeins. Thanks.
I think that’s also a bit because the sweater widened there so more stitches were made per row.
Your sweater is beautiful Ann! This sweater is definitely one I wish I could knit!
You could definitely try. This would be a good first sweater. The visual impact is from the yarn, not complicated stitches. And, if you are not happy with the results, unravel it and make a scarf.
Love the colors. Your sweater would be perfectly camouflaged in my New England backyard.
Okay, I am going to ask. What causes edge curl to persist even after blocking? We have all experienced it, but I don’t know why this happens, sometimes I have to pin my work down to measure it, even when it is on the needles, because the roll over is so bad, which on socks isn’t a problem, but it sure is when it is a seamed garment. Any answers or remedies?
A four part article from TechKnitter on taming the curl:
http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2010/12/curling-scarf-rescue-mission-part-one.html
http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2010/12/curling-scarf-rescue-mission-part-two.html
http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2010/12/curling-scarf-rescue-mission-part-3.html
http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2010/12/curling-scarf-rescue-mission-part-four.html
Here’s a good article from TechKnitter
https://techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/03/mysteries-of-knitting-part-1-tale-of.html?m=1
Four links explaining suggestions for managing the curl:
http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2010/12/curling-scarf-rescue-mission-part-one.html
http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2010/12/curling-scarf-rescue-mission-part-two.html
http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2010/12/curling-scarf-rescue-mission-part-3.html
http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2010/12/curling-scarf-rescue-mission-part-four.html
Oh, that’s not just a sweater! It’s an ADVENTURE! Love it.
Ann what size did you make in the easel sweater and how many needle sizes did you have to go up to get gauge? I am a 38 bust but usually wear a turtle neck underneath my sweaters
Here is a great video on dreaming mattress stitch, by Roxanne Richardson.
https://youtu.be/rmJCcj0TZ-A
“seaming”
“Small dramas.” You’ve absolutely defined what keeps me going these days, and this yarn demonstrates that beautifully.
This sweater has been on my to-do list since it was published. No-one ever said I am a fast worker, but now may be the time to get to work on it. It is exactly my style and I have been having trouble finding some knitting that keeps me excited during the pandemic. Thanks, Ann!
Try using a crochet chain stitch instead of a mattress stitch to sew it together. I find it really helps the curling and gives a much neater edge.
Oooh, this is an intriguing idea! Thanks for sharing.
Love it. Can’t wait to see it finished!
LOVE IT! Funny enough this week I was thinking about knitting my first Easel. I guess it’s meant to be!
I’m also working on a reverse stockinette sweater! Mine is a top-down improv sweater, in Noro Silk Garden. With random stripes of Noro Silk Garden Solo thrown in when I get the urge. I’m having so much fun, and the purl side looks like an impressionist painting. When not knitting, I have a habit of taking it out of the project bag so I can admire.