Dear Ann,
Hey, it’s a busy day. I’m going for a ten-minute lightning round here.
Speaking of lightning, wonderful Wendy has made it rain! She blogged about her Cornerstone Blanket-in-progress, resulting in a renewed ka-ching sound from donations over at Citymeals-on-Wheels. Go look; I’ll even give you the link. Here you go. (And hot off the presses, more pictures here. ) It’s a beautiful blue-based version, in Noro Silk Garden. It tickles me to see a knitter of Wendy’s black-belt status hunkering down with the garter stitch. But for all her mastery, Wendy is a knitter; she puts on her point protectors one needle at a time. Everybody needs a little garter stitch now and then. Personally, I need a lot. Garter stitch smooths out many of the bumps in my road.
The other thing I wanted to do was show a picture of how the neck on my modified Riddari came out, and explain how I did it.
Riddari With The Original Neck:
Riddari With Modified Audrey Hepburn Neck:
(Photo is pre-blocking. Sorry but this is lightning blogging.)
The modification was dead simple and as low-math as I could muster. On the last decrease round of the chart, I made only half of the decreases, skipping every other decrease. The chart helpfully had this last decrease placed so that my modification isn’t noticeable unless you are looking for it.
See? The light grey motifs alternate in width between 2 stitches and 3 stitches, but the shape remains the same.
I eliminated the 2 x 2 ribbing at the cuffs and neck, opting for a plain roll edge.
I also did something very controversial at the underarms–I did a bind off of the live underarm stitches, instead of grafting the stitches together.
This was a flare of my Kitchener Avoidance Syndrome, yes, but I felt it was justified by the additional ventilation. I have a ski jacket that has underarm zip vents, and I always leave them open. This sweater will never be worn next to the skin. (And I could undo it very easily. But I won’t.) I know a lot of people wouldn’t make this choice but I hope not to get yelled at about it. I’m not trying to start a trend or anything.
Imma let me finish, but I have one more thing: the Lopi website has wonderful free patterns, including a family of lopapeysas in honor of the Istex company’s 20th anniversary, and a PENGUIN LOPAPEYSA which is the cutest thing ever. GO LOOK.
Love,
Kay
Hooray! I love the lighting round blogging ’cause it means more of you two. And that is always good news.
PS–Ann, I just finished Bowling Avenue and loved it!
Lovely sweater. Personally love the horsey one on the Istex site – may have to knit it for my horsey niece….
I like the vented armpit idea. I’m exactly the same with my waterproof jacket. I NEVER zip them up, so why not do the same with knitwear. I love this sweater. I would be very tempted to knit something like this if it ever got cold enough in the middle of the UK.
Love the sweater, and the modifications which I think make it more feminine-looking.
I avoid kitchener stitch too (which is why I knit socks toe-up). For underarms, I usually do a three-needle-bind/cast-off instead of grafting, especially as I rarely, if ever, wear sweaters next to the skin.
There is a Lopi color called “murky!”
Underarm vents=brilliant! And I love this sweater to pieces. Nice how big and loose it is. I knit a Lopi-ish pullover (Did I name it Cool Circles, or did the designer? Ah, it’s Circles Yoke) that pleases me but it’s rather fitted. Going to browse the freebies!
Underarm vents=brilliant! And I love this sweater to pieces. Nice how big and loose it is. I knit a Lopi-ish pullover (Did I name it Cool Circles, or did the designer? Ah, it’s Circles Yoke) that pleases me but it’s rather fitted. Going to browse the freebies!
You could always just do a three-needle bindoff under there if you got all crazy and looking for closure.
Ah..thank you! just brilliant all around.
(this lightning round thing is really good for us readers…hope it is for you too)
So true about the underarm vent feature! I’ve only had one garment with underarm zips (my riding rainjacket) and I never ever ever zipped them shut. Actually forgot they were there until one day I put my jacket on in a hurry and my hand went through a vent and for a crazy moment I though I had magically put my hand right through goretex.
Kudos on a bold design move! Form fits function! Sweater fits girl! Go you!
By the way, you know about this free lopilicious design tool, right? If not, you are welcome!
http://knittingpatterns.is/#/Design
Just when I think I couldn’t like you more, you confess to Kitchener Avoidance Syndrome. Yes, yes, yes! I know EZ would never approve, but dammit, I hate that like the plague and can’t do it right to save my life.
Quinn’s link is a revelation:
http://knittingpatterns.is/#/Design
Lopapeysa Generator!
Love the vents. Maybe it is because I live in MA now, but I think the original model looks a bit like a young Tom Brady!!!
I too, work around Kitchener at all costs!!
As someone who abhors any clothing throttling, I mean closed around my neck, I love the modifications! I think it still looks amazing and works really well!
Thanks (I think?) for the link–making it all too easy to go on an icelandic bender. Without the fun of visiting Iceland though. I love everyhting about yours, including the airy pits.
Gale – ‘Airy Pits’, I so want to call a jumper that!
Brilliant sweater. Love the 10/15 minute blogging.
‘Airy Armpits ! I love this set of tweaks to the original, and have had the above as a possible title for an as yet un-designed sweater for years, but lazily never got round to figuring out a good way to manage it. Now, thanks to you Kay, I have a way into (possibly) constructing it! Absolutely beautiful. I watched Viking Sagas on the BBC last night, everyone was wearing trad knitwear, it’s great!
Thanks for the shout-out. I find garter stitch so soothing after a complex knit. 🙂 Love your vented Riddari!
This Lightning blogging is so awesome! Thank you! My morning coffee is so much better with new Modern Daily inspiration. I think you guys are GREAT!
Oh, the penguinity!
Gorgeous! Both sweater and model! Loving the 15 min blogs…I am going to do that with the house…15 mins. tops ( like anyone notices anyway) more time for knitting! Happy New Year to you both!
Consider the sweater armpit vent trend started! yes, we are in control of our own knitting!
pit vent openings? damn- you are a genius!
Gotta say, I LOVE this frequent blogging….
AND the snippets. I love the snippets too….
That penguin Lopi is the cutest thing I’ve seen in awhile. How do you get the free patterns from the site?
Keep up the lightning rounds! I love having updates from you guys!
Amy S: You juat click on the name of the pattern and the pdf comes up and you can download it. Not the picture, the name of the pattern. Took me some clicking to figure out.
Is Airy Pitts a student at Hogwarts? (Sorry!)
Pit zips is what we call ’em in rainy western Washington state. Love the sweater; the open pits are smart! The Free patterns are fun, esp the penguins.
Hooray for lightening blogs. Hooray for underarm vents–brilliant idea. Speaking of lightening, there was so much to read today that now I’m late for work
Penguins!
Darn you! I am not allowed to buy more yarn (it’s a diet built by necessity and moving, not because I somehow have become unable to afford yarn), and now I must rummage through my stash to make a penguin sweater!