11-05-2021

I’m “reswatching” with the upper back piece because I knit my original swatches quite a while ago. Will reblock this small piece to confirm that I’m working with the correct needle size…

Post-blocked upper back is 24st x 31R in 4” on US5 so I’m going to keep on…

This fabric is definitely open but I think it will be fine for a cardigan - it’ll have enough substance but it won’t be crunchy or too warm, and it is a summer over-garment.

11-05-2021

I’m working the first size till I split for the sleeves. At that point I’ll need to increase circ for my projected bust. I’ll also likely knit this piece longer than recommended (unless I opt to do bust darts). And I need to figure out where to split the front rib from the main part of the cardigan. I think I want to do it below the full bust (to maximize the profile of my underbust rather than full bust).

How to alter the garment so that it fits over the bust:: You need to increase ~3” (or 18st) in circumference at the armhole (or before). You’ll do this in a combo fashion:

Increase underarm stitches on body (and sleeve when picking up here, as necessary) by 2 on each side (4 st inc - because you pick up one stitch on each side of a centre line, you can’t do 6 st increase - only a 4 st or 8 st. I don’t think I need 20 st of inc overall so I’m going with the 4 st, which means my overall inc to get to full bust is 16, not 18 st).

AND

Do 2 extra RS +1 increases on the armhole edge of both front and back pieces (8 st - or 4 st inc over 2 RS rows: 1 st per inc row on each front (2st) and 2 st per inc row, one on either side of the back (2st) BEFORE the 48R yoke ends and then do 1 extra RS increase row, per above, to increase 4 more stitches and to make the yoke slightly longer given that our gauge is a smidge shorter than what the pattern calls for

14-05-2021

OK - I don’t know that I’ve ever used this many needles in one project:

Chiaogoo 40” fixed US 5
Chiaogoo 24” fixed US 5
KP Interchangeable (Nova) 24” US 5
Chiaogoo 40” fixed US 2
Lykke 12” fixed US 0
KP Interchangeable (the yellow metal ones) 32” US 4
Chiagoo 32” fixed US 3

It’s times like these that I’m glad to have multiples of the same sized needle in both interchangeable and fixed formats (and made of diff materials).

Thoughts so far:

I’ve done one other Julie W pattern - Vertex Vest. I can’t remember anything about making it except that it was interesting and it didn’t use the Cocoknits method (it was a Brooklyn Tweed release). This is my first undertaking of the method. I have the book and I’ve completed the worksheet.

I do think that one does need the book to “realize” these patterns, but not because they can’t be knit without it (I’m sure they can - and they’ll all look like real garments!). IMO, it’s because this method isn’t just about making a garment using a version of contiguous construction (a method which is also utilized by a variety of other designers) but it’s also about techniques that are a refined version of what you may be familiar with (angle and positioning of the shoulder seam, picking up stitches). And then there’s the worksheet which is a bit of a bitch to figure out, the first time around, but which will likely make the yoke knitting quite straight-forward. I’m a total note taker so I appreciate the format.

I do find this pattern well-written but there are a few spots (given the uniqueness of this construction and in light of the complicating factor that is the collar) where a bit of extra information would be useful.

I actually had to look up independent videos on some of the techniques used (that I’ve not tried before - lifted increases - or that I’ve never had much luck with: Judy’s Magic (Provisional) Cast On) because the information provided on those, in the book, was not adequately clear or shown well in the photos and the online videos were even less clear (to me, YMMV). This designer definitely has a way of thinking/communicating. If it’s not your way, there are other tutorials that’ll do the trick.

Provisional Cast On: A propos of the recommended provisional cast on, I did it and got a half-stitch offset when working the PCO cast-on row, which drove me nuts. I ripped back a few sections to re-start the ribbing and redid it using a crochet prov cast on. Second time, I got the same offset (which isn’t referenced in the pattern so I don’t know if I’ve done something wrong or if this is considered to be less observable than an actual seam). I did a bit of reading and the offset seems to be a given unless you do some fancy footwork to thwart it which I do not believe the pattern instructions consider.

I didn’t have the will to figure out how to mitigate the offset but it’s somewhat less noticeable than a seam and the ribbing that flows in either direction from that “seam” is entirely consistent with all rows above or below (except at the PCO join). But I prob won’t do a ribbed neckline of this sort again unless I can figure out how to mitigate offset.

Worksheet/Template: You really do benefit from the book when it comes to the method itself, which is well-illustrated and explained. It also clearly explains how to use a Cocoknits pattern to fill in the worksheet template. Without it, I would have been frustrated but, note, it takes a while to figure it out because it’s not immediately intuitive. Once you’ve done it once, I imagine it’s very straight-forward thereafter.

15-05-2021

Edge stitches: When working the 48 rows of the yoke, on WS, slip last 2 st with yarn in front. On RS, slip last 2 st with yarn in back.

Numbers at the point where you split for the sleeves aka section called Body:

Fronts (incl ribbed collar): 73 st (49 st plus 24 st rib) - this includes one extra st (on either front) than would otherwise be there because I increased the front neckline at this point…

Sleeves: 62 st put on holders
Back: 102 st

Body stitches added at the underarm- 7 on either side of the side body markers aka 14 st on either side of the sleeve stitches put on holders -

On first WS row of body, instead of doing k1/p1/k1/p1/k1/p1 slip marker p1/k1/p1/k1/p1/k1 because you have 1 extra stitch on each side of the marker (14 st in total instead of 12 st in total) you’ll do p1/k1/p1/k1/p1/k1/p1 slip marker p1/k1/p1/k1/p1/k1/p1

At the point when you split for sleeves:

• you have 2.5” remaining to get to the full bust - at which point you can decide if you want to do short rows… At the revised gauge of 31 st per 4” (or 7.75st per inch), I’ll need to do 20 rows before I get to the full bust. I will not separate either the ribbed fronts OR the side seams until after this point (at a min). Still trying to figure out when I’ll split for each and whether it will be at the same time…
• Your stitch counts are as follows (divergent from pattern’s), which now include front neckline increases and side body underarm stitches:

Left Front (from ribbing to side body marker): 81st
Right Front (from ribbing to side body marker): 81st
Back (from side body marker to side body marker): 116
Total body: 278 st

Remember that 18 of those stitches, on either side, are to accommodate the front ties. So if you remove 36st from the count, you get 243 st (the circ of the cardi). 242/6 (horizontal gauge, 1”) = 40”

As of now, after removing another 4st, my counts are:

Left Front (from ribbing to side body marker): 80st
Right Front (from ribbing to side body marker): 80st
Back (from side body marker to side body marker): 114
Total body: 274 st

• Note that you are instructed to do 3 more front neckline increases after splitting for the sleeves. I forgot this when I decided to add 18 st, then revised to 16 st, to accommodate full bust. As a result, I left off the final front neckline increases (which would have increased another 2st).
• Having said this, on the next RS row I decreased one stitch on either side of the 2 side markers - 4 more st decreased. I rec stopping here…

At this point, 270 st on body…

22-05-2021

Short Rows: One thing I will say - this designer describes creating shadow wrap short rows very clearly.

For future reference - Darts don’t seem to be particularly necessary for me (doing them in this pattern actually yielded a front body that’s longer than I would like) but, if I want a dart, then I want one that is between 4.5 and 5.5 inches in length, coming from the side seam. And I want it to be about 1” deep (maybe think of 0.5” deep here on in). Use this as a reference for next time (cuz horizontal gauge will determine the number of stitches that make up the depth of the dart and the number of turns will dictate the length that’s added in by the dart wedge.

In this instance, my 5” of depth equated to 30 st (at a horiz gauge of 6st per inch). To do 1” of depth, per row gauge, I needed ~8 short rows (or 4 back and forths on each side). For left side darts I worked on the RS (creating and picking up wraps on the RS). For the right side darts I worked on the WS (creating and picking up wraps on the WS).

I put 3 markers, in addition to the side seam marker, all 10 st apart: side marker, 10 st, m2, 10 st, m3, 10 st, m4. I worked 2 short rows for/at each marker (one on RS and one on WS) and picked up the previous short row wrap before creating the new one.

Splitting Front Ties and Side Body while also removing some ease from the bodice at the under bust: Having done the short rows at 2.5” below the sleeve split, and having done 1” depth of short rows, I want to do 2-4 more rows (0.25” - 0.5” depth) before splitting for sleeves and sides. I want to ensure that the tie closes under my breasts and I don’t see a need to make the sides that open that high up (esp as I’ll likely make this longer than instructed). Might as well separate them at the same time (as I believe that’s how it’s instructed in the pattern).

SIMULTANEOUSLY

I’m also going to remove 4 st (0.66 inch of ease) on each front body at the front neckline and at side body, below the bust, as follows AND remove 4 st from the back body - to align the numbers once again with the first size given that there appears to be a lot of ease in this garment and I don’t need it below the bust. Total st decreases over 2 decrease rows will be 12st (2”).

At 3.25” from sleeve split you will do 2 things - 1. split fronts AND then 2. decreases to front and back body as indicated below:

• First you’ll split the left front band from the bodice per instructions in pattern and work the left tie till complete.

Then do 4 more rows as follows before splitting the side body from the left front:

• RS - Work in pattern to red marker, sl m, k1, k2tog, work in pattern till 2 st before side rib, ssk, work to side marker, sl m work in pattern till 1 st after ribbing, k2tog, work in pattern till 2 st before side ribbing, ssk, work to side marker, sl m, work to 3 st before yellow marker k2tog, work in pattern till you complete six 6 st of the rib, put 18 remaining st on holder for working the rib separately (6 st decreased)
• WS - Work in pattern (note first 2 st should be purls to align with the 2 k stitches knit on that part of the knitting in the previous row…)
• RS - Repeat previous RS instructions above (except rib stitches are already removed)
• WS - Work in pattern

Stitch Numbers as of point where you split sides:

Front rib ties - 19 st on each side (remove from count of body circumference)

Front body to side seam marker - 57 st on each side (114 st total)

Back body from side seam marker to side seam marker - 108 st total

222 st in body circumference - 37” (what I’m going for)

What the first size in pattern calls for at this point (as body circumference minus ties): 60 st front body and 108 back body. So my version will be 1” smaller than that indicated for the first size.

Now split for side body…

Note that for the left front, the instructions worked for me (even though I had a diff stitch count). You just need to ensure that the ribbing works (and that you add a stitch if required as the selvedge for the side body rib edge).

I’ve decided to work a total of 7” from where the side splits (which will put the length of the finished garment at my high hip). I’m starting to question my removal of 6 front body stitches when splitting the front ties but I still think I’ll be able to block the lower bodice such that there won’t be any pulling and the grainline will run straight. Having said this, my full stomach (at high hip) is 37” so I’m hoping that there’s enough ease… No question - it’s a risk and I have to decide if I want to re-increase the stitches I decreased…

Modifying length of bodice: Pattern instructs a length from underarm to hem rib that’s 6.5”. That’s really cropped IMO - and I’m short and short waisted. Admittedly, I need more length to get over the boobs (which I accomplished by knitting longer but also by doing 1” bust dart - which doesn’t impact the length of the garment at the side seam) but even below my full bust, at side seam, I will have done 7” of length (including 2” rib on smaller needle). I’ll knit this almost 4” longer than instructed and it still won’t be long on me.

Setting up ribbed hem - Fronts: So I followed the instructions until I got to the last section before removing the second marker (wherein it is instructed to do (p1/k1)x3). Given that I didn’t have enough stitches to do this, based on my previous alterations to the front body, I did one more p1, kfb, k1 - aka, worked the sequence one additional time. Fortunately the math worked cuz I certainly didn’t plan it! Then removed marker and completed the final 11 st of p1/k1 rib. Total number of stitches for rib section: 71 st. Pattern indicates 73st so I feel it’s close enough… On the other side, the sequence was kfb, k1, p1 and I did that for one additional sequence aka 13 times.

Sleeves: I’ve decided to make the stockinette section as instructed - ~2.5” / 21R before switching to rib with smaller needle (US 3). But I may opt to knit the rib longer than suggested…

I did the ribbing as instructed but it was clear that the sleeve would be too large (the upper arm is already on the roomy side). So I ripped it back (removed the 10 inc stitches, that I’d just added, based on instructions) and I’m knitting the sleeve with of 74 st - not 84. I will also go down to US 3 if the 74 st as the US 4 appears to be too loose…

Ended up knitting 33R of rib on US3 for rib portion of the sleeves. This amounted to 3.5” of length at that gauge in rib.

I don’t like Jeny’s stretchy bind off. I used a regular bind off in pattern for the sleeves. This works just fine but I’d also try another stretchy bind off in another fabric. Just not nuts about Jeny’s…

23-05-2021

Final Thoughts:

• This is one of the most interesting and technical knits I’ve ever made and it’s compelling! An unusal and enjoyable process. And I love the end result - one of my fave finished garments to date and I’ve made lots of garments!
• The stockinette and rib pattern make this seem beginner-friendly but I would not recommend this for a newbie knitter because there is a lot going on. It all comes down to facility with a bunch of techniques that need to be done with a certain degree of confidence and facility or the garment may look less tidy than the promo pics. What helped me to alter this as I went is a lot of prior experience in knitting sweaters (and altering their size).
• Note that there is a lot of ease built into the pattern below the bust and the pattern doesn’t seem to pull in at all in this zone unless the tie is closed (and even then, I imagine that the under bust bodice would be rather swingy - esp given that the side seams are open as of 3.25” below split for sleeves).
• I was pretty careful to alter the bust circ so that the bands can come together without any pull and so that the ties actually sit below my full bust and I’m really pleased with the outcome.
• Nonetheless, to mitigate the potential that the lower bodice would be too floaty for my liking, I compared my (altered) post full-bust stitch numbers on the fronts (not including the 18 tie stitches on each side) and on the back - to the numbers instructed for size 1 - the size I knit till increasing for the full bust. As I require extra circumference over the full bust, I went up to modified size 2 during that part of the knit. I decided to revert to size 1 (more or less) to knit the under bust bodice. Stitch count on back body (108st). I actually made the under bust fronts 3st smaller on each side than the size 1, but the overall amount of ease is still adequate, I believe, to fit me well. Gotta say, I’ve got increases and decreases going on EVERYWHERE. I do hope the blocking mitigates visibility of my on the fly mods.
• If you’re wondering whether to go up or down a size (and I think, given the method, you should be able to use diff needle sizes to get gauge), I’d go down a size. I made the smallest size except for at full bust (went to size 2) and there’s still more than enough ease. I might do fewer bust increases next time. As it is, I’m knitting the sleeves smaller than instructed for the size 1 because they are too large (and not cuz I didn’t get gauge or cuz I have pin arms!). There’s a lot of ease built into this garment, on the edge of too much for my liking - which is why it’s good that the method facilitates modification.
• I don’t know if I did my short rows incorrectly (don’t think so) or if this combo linen alpaca/wool is being fussy pre-blocking. I do hope that this evens out quite a bit because I’m not thrilled with the current stitch defn. Maybe this fabric would have preferred German Short Rows… Update - the short rows turned out fine (vaguely visible if one scrutinizes). With this fibre, I’d do GSR. But I’ll try the shadow wraps again. I think, with a rounder yarn, they would work well.
• I’d cut 4 st from the collar because there’s more than enough ease in the sweater to do so without risking a fit issue at the bust and the collar is too high for my neck.

28-05-2021

Finished Dimensions Pre-Blocking:

Tie length (from point of front split: 9” on one side, 9.25” on the other (block to shorter length)
Length from top of the collar, centre back to hem: 21”
Length from underarm to hem: 10.25”
Note: back body is slightly shorter, so block to length of the fronts…
Length from underarm to edge of ribbing: 5.5”
Length from top of sleeve (where it meets the shoulder seam): 12.5”
Circ at full bust: 40” (does not include tie width…)
Circ at shoulders: 28” - 14” from shoulder tip to shoulder tip
Shoulder length from edge of collar rib to shoulder seam: 4” (slightly drop shoulder, wouldn’t want this any bigger on my frame…)

Armscye depth: Forgot to check…

Sleeve circ: Forgot to check…

Sleeve cuff circ: Forgot to check but blocked to 7”

Post-blocking dimensions: Didn’t check! Started wearing it and forgot. But it fits very nicely, on the roomy side in bodice and over full bust but well fitted in neck, shoulders and upper bust so the overall impact is a very comfortable garment that still looks put together.