Finally!

Excuse the smarmy look, I don't know where that came from.



...I actually knit a sweater I like. It doesn't fit quite as nicely as I'd have liked, it's a little loose (damn you gauge) and I think I made the yoke a little tall, but I am absolutely thrilled with the construction method. Knitting the stockinette in the round and the garter stitch flat. I must say that I am rather impressed by my cleverness, and though it may be too bold to say this, I think I can feel EZ smiling down on me from heaven for doing what she does best: using one's ingenuity to avoid purling. 'Nuff said.

As I said before, this yarn is the reincarnation of the Zupa Viking Cardi. From that sweater, I learned that I hate knitting flat and I hate sewing seams, or even thinking about sewing seams. This sweater is basically the complete opposite. Glory.


The info:

Pattern: Garter yoke sweater of my own design, using EZ's seamless yoke sweater scheme with a great love for the February Baby Sweater. I have been better about taking notes when I knit lately, but going back through my knitting notebook everything I wrote down about this sweater is completely useless. I have no idea what any of it means or how to use it to improve my future sweaters. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink, I guess.
Yarn: Rowan Scottish Tweed 4-ply in Lewis Grey. 12 balls, I think.
Needles: #3 Bamboo


The low down on construction:

Cast on body plus 9 steek stitches. All borders are in garter rib. Added waist shaping. Joined sleeves and body after working false seams. EZ's yokes are shaped by three K1, K2tog decrease rounds: One halfway through the yoke, one at 3/4 and one at the neck. I worked in the round, in stockinette, for half the yoke. Worked first decrease round, then cast off steek stitches and began working back and forth in garter stitch for rest of yoke. I threw in a couple short rows when I began the garter stitch, as well.

When finished with yoke, steeked front of stockinette body (no reinforcement), picked up stitches for button bands along entire length of cardigan, and worked them in garter rib as well, binding off in purl on the right side. Picked up stitches along neck and button band and worked tiny roll hem. Wove ze pits.


Why didn't I reinforce the steek? Because I'm a bad ass, that's why! No, but seriously, a combination of thrills and pure laziness. Also, I had 9 steek stitches, which is like riding a motorcycle with training wheels. I was going to do a crochet steek a la Eunny, but I was also irresistibly, masochistically drawn to the idea of doing it without any reinforcement. As a test, I steeked my swatch and pulled at it a bit. It seemed to unravel only when I pulled it vertically. Made a mental note not to pull it vertically, then cut. I whip stitched the steek facings down, and after a bit of wear they are all felty with the body of the sweater and not going anywhere. I swear my sweater has not fallen apart, exploded, been torn to shreds by ravenous hordes, or cursed by the gods. FEAR NOT THE STEEK.