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7:03 am
May 20, 2011
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I'm interested in knitting sweaters with no seams, or as few as possible. I've tried the two piece sweater, bottom -up, and the top down. Now I'm interesting in a better looking fit. I'm trying a top down construction with fitted sleeves. Has any one a suggestion of a pattern I coud check out. I love to read pattern books with history of the construction and area they orginated from.
11:29 am
May 5, 2010
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Hi galagal … as to seamless sweaters, the first name that jumps to mind is EZ, Elizabeth Zimmerman. Her books are more of my generation (baby boomer +), but her ideas are totally classic and totally removes. I don't have her books at hand (packed for a number of reasons) but she's was an obsessed creative knitter that didn't take herself seriously at all. There is a couple of top-down sweaters in her expanse of ideas, but am positive that it does not involve fitted sleeves (calculation of this would be an ugly bear so am intrigued someone has attempted it). A top-down is usually a round yoke or a raglan for joyful ease of uncomplicated counted increases. I have knitted a number of seamless sweaters, all bottom-up I confess, because I preferred raglan with V-neck, switching to rows to accommodate the neckline. These basic sweater ideas set up a blank to fit in patterns from books of knit patts … I had a fondness for cables or lacy rib knit.
One of her best ideas in a seamless: incorporate a purl stitch in the face of stockinette for a faux seam in sleeve and body (two stitches, one on each side). Not only does this provide an end reference for a round, but it gives a perfect place to change balls invisibly. Plus washing a wool sweater requires laying flat and the "seams" will allow reference for straightening body and sleeves to dry … some seamless sweaters develop a subtle spiral twist depending on the yarn (had this with handspun). FYI, this woman was the first to do Moeibus knitting … or at least write about it!
Check out Knitting Without Tears and Knitting Almanac and Knitting Around. The first has 4 seamless sweaters, but found gems in everyone of her books. Don't expect detailed instructions as hers involves a tape measure, gauge and a basic math for custom fit. And yet, she has earned her affectionate nick of EZ! HTH!
11:31 am
May 5, 2010
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Oh pffft! sorry, the sentence ending "totally removes" should end "totally removes stress from knitting". Yeah, I think that second cup of coffee is in order now. ;^)
1:14 pm
May 20, 2011
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Thank you, I have heard of these books. I just found a course offered at Knitting University – Top down Sweater with fitted sleeves. Sound interesting, I'm going to give it a try. Are you coming to the Sept retreat???? I can't waite, both of my daughters are meeting me there.
Hope to see and meet you
7:01 pm
May 5, 2010
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galagal said:
Hope to see and meet you
Whoops, just took a quick look at your profile … of course, if you have a knitting shop you have the Knitting Doyen part of your learning curve. Now you'll have to enlighten me to who, what, where is the Knitting University? A quick google has netted zip of interest with the name. And, alas, I'm too far away to do the September retreat.
Truly, I'd love to know how someone is doing a fitted sleeve and sweater from the top down without having to graph the bugger. Saddle-shoulder maybe, or hybrid of a saddle shoulder with partial raglan … that has possibilities! Tell me there's a picture somewhere? ….. ;^)
10:51 am
May 20, 2011
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Sorry, mindless moment- needlecraftuniversity.com, that should get you there. I seem driven to attempt sweaters of different assemblys this summer. I look better in fitted sleves so I'm interested in this one. The class started with two sandles being knitted and the st.s held with extra yarn. Then we knitted the back yoke. We picked up stitches from the saddle co st across the center back neck then picked up st. across the secd. saddle. I then knitted to the top of the armholes.Placed the st. on thread and the same process ( a little different ) for the front. Now I'm waiting for lesson #3. Which will start with the neck edge. Just give me the info on the fitted sleeve, is what I really what to say, BUT I'm trying to be Claim and WAITE. I love to knit and be creative and have fun with it. how about you/<img class="sfsmiley" title="happy-flower" onclick="sfjLoadSmiley('happyflower.gif', 'happy-flower', 'http://chickensintheroad.com/wp-content/forum-smileys/', '
', '1');" src="/wp-content/forum-smileys/happyflower.gif" alt="happy-flower" />
2:55 pm
May 5, 2010
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I will check out the site, thank you! The construction of the sweater starts with one of my favorites, a saddle shoulder which is cool for a pattern continuing down the sleeve. So many possibilities. Although knitting both front and back to the bottom of the armhole must bring really focused short rows for the sleeve cap … pick up all along the armhole [or portion] and then work back 'n forth … oh boy, get out the cheat sheet or row counter! Not a beginning class by any extent, particularly since individual gauge might require row adjustment …
In my sweater knitting days [here CA winters are not conducive to heavy or fuzzy sweaters] I delighted in patterns with "teeth", a challenge so to speak. I am an impatient knitter. Yes, that sounds like an oxymoron, but simply means doing plain stockinette stitch makes me crazy. Interesting shaping or traveling cables or messing with color/yarn changes is what drives the project for me. Now that I deal with arthritic hands, I've turned to quicker projects such as socks, gloves, odd-shaped scarves, etc. Need that quicker gratification and I like DP needles.
Completely get your, um, patience in waiting for the next lesson … I'd be gnawing the needles or trying to figure it out myself. <img class="sfsmiley" title="whip" onclick="sfjLoadSmiley('whip.gif', 'whip', 'http://chickensintheroad.com/wp-content/forum-smileys/', '
', '1');" src="/wp-content/forum-smileys/whip.gif" alt="whip" />
4:03 pm
March 8, 2011
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I just finished "the wonderful walloby"…it's a seamless, bottom up knitted sweatshirt complete with from pocket. It was the first adult sized sweater I've even made. It was fairly easy and straight forward. I like that when you buy the pattern it covers everyone from infant to adult sizes. I've already started another one.
4:04 pm
March 8, 2011
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OI! Its "The Wonderful Wallaby" …sorry lol
5:49 am
May 20, 2011
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Yes, it's just that kind of sweater – full of math and traveling cables. I've got another one on my needles from the "Country Weekend Knits". I'm using size 2 circulars. I knit my socks on size 2,9" circulars and it's fun and quick but this sweater is the slowest knit I've ever done. It"s bottom up and at the top are the cables etc. It's not too cold here in north Al. so I knit with cotton blends, but My girls and their husdands, kids live in Mo. and WV. So I do enjoy a beautiful wool or HP yarn. Have you touched the new yarn out by Kollage "Rivetting" (?) It's the recycled blue jean yarn? It's really soft and ,26 guage , drapes so pretty. I just finished a short sleeve pullover and it wears really nice. Lots of colors to pick from. I see in the current "Knitters" mag there is a pattern for a beaded vest using this yarn. I marked that pattern for later ,looked interesting. Thanks for all the feed back, <img class="sfsmiley" title="wave" onclick="sfjLoadSmiley('icon_wave.gif', 'wave', '/wp-content/forum-smileys/', '
', '1');" src="/wp-content/forum-smileys/icon_wave.gif" alt="wave" />
I've received the rest of the info on the class. We're using short rows to knit the top of the fitted sleeve. hummmm. Does any one think I could knit backwards across these stitches, instead of turning my work every row???? I'm going to think about this for a while, first have to change instruction from dp's to circulars.
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