cosmicpluto knits!

cityscape, the first

Since my Cityscape sweater pattern has been up on Twist for a little while now, I though it was high time I told you about how it came about! I just took these photos and the sweater’s a bit rumpled from being in the closet all summer – but it’s sure to get worn this autumn.

Last winter I had the idea of a circular yoked sweater with a skyline around the yoke. Bottom-up circular yoke cardi? Easy for me to work up. But it took a bit of trial and error to get the chart just right. I looked at various actual skylines, skyline line drawings, and other graphic representations, but in the end I just made a grid up in Illustrator and painted in the squares until they looked right.

For yarn, I had 2 colours of Dream in Color Classy that I wanted to use – grey for the main colour, and a deep blue (Midnight Derby) for the background of the skyline. These colours are pretty subtle against each other – the skyline isn’t in as high contrast as it is in the Blue Moon BFL version.

I knit up the first one very quickly in February 2010 – here it is!

There are lots of differences between my first prototype and the final version that ended up in Twist. This first one was knit in quite a heavy worsted weight, superwash yarn. The gauge is 5 stitches per inch, and I had a 50-stitch skyline chart. Also, I ended up knitting this version back and forth, including the colourwork (the sleeves were in the round though). Purling colourwork? Tricky. Especially as this type of motif isn’t as rhythmic as more traditional fair isle type patterns, and the repeat was so big!

Cityscape 1.0 has more buildings that are different heights, which necessitated weaving the yarns in between the taller bits. I always find weaving a little bit annoying, but I know how to do it more easily from the knit side – from the purl side, whew, it was really fiddly! Once I was done though, I was really happy with how my concept had turned out. Only then did I sketch it up and submit it to Twist for the fall issue.

The Blue Moon BFL sport that I used for the Twist version is very different in character from the Dream in Color, and I loved knitting with it – it’s a tiny bit hairy, really wooly, but soft. And the colours worked out great! I knew that I wanted to do a thinner gauge, because it would be easier to see the buildings. I do kind of like that my worsted weight version looks a little less like a pattern up close, and the skyline is more apparent when you stand back a bit, it’s like a bit of a surprise! But with the thinner yarn and a slightly pared down chart (40 stitches) I could have more sizing options and make it a bit easier to knit.

I knew I wanted to do a steek for the Twist version, because that purl colourwork really was a pain, and it was difficult to get the tension right. It was my very first real steek, and it went totally fine! I sewed the steek down by hand and just went for it. Even if you’re scared of steeks, I’d highly recommend trying it out. Plus, at least the body portion of the sweater is all solid, so it isn’t quite the same as cutting up a colourwork-all-over sweater!

With these darker colours I went for pretty pewter buttons – I really like them.

So, overall, Cityscape 1.0 really was a prototype. I was really happy to be able to contribute this concept to Twist, and even happier that because I knit this initial version, I was able to make the final pattern that much better! Of course, I can’t wait for sweater weather so I can get some more wear out of mine.

aguas sweater, part 1

I’m busy busy finishing up a big Secret Project, but of course since that’s nearing completion I’m thinking ahead to the next thing! I thought it might make for some interesting blogging if I work through the idea and execution with you all. I can’t promise it’ll be done soon or anything, but anyway. Onwards! Today – concept and construction notes.

So here’s the sketch of my idea. I had the a while ago – it’s not a revolutionary sweater concept of course, I’m sure everyone’s seen (or owns) a cardigan like this! It’s also similar in shape to my Rayne Wrap Cardigan that I released nearly three (whoa) years ago.

One big difference with this sweater – the working title of which shall be “aguas” – is that it has set-in sleeves and seamed shoulders. This will help it sit better on the tops of the shoulders, and means a better fit through the sleeve and shoulder. I haven’t quite decided how I want to do the sleeve yet, but I’m thinking a fairly slim fit and perhaps ending just below the elbow.

Aguas will be knit from side to side, like Rayne, but in pieces to be seamed together. It’ll have the traditional cardigan pieces of a back, two fronts, and two sleeves, but knit from side to side. I drew up a quick schematic of how I’m planning to make the shaping work.

As you can see I’ll be casting on at the centre front and work across to the armhole and side seam. The fronts are long and extended for the drapey ruffle at the front. Many of the storebought versions of this shape have sort of a shawl collar at the back of the next that extends down the fronts, but this one will be more straight down without a collar.

I want to use a lighter weight yarn with this incarnation, so I’m going with Malabrigo Sock in, you guessed it, the colour Aguas! I’m afraid I’m not very creative with working titles.

Up next – knit this whole sweater in fingering weight stockinette? I do love stockinette, but maybe not that much. So stitch pattern ahoy!

button, button

Finally made it to Fabricland for some cheap ‘n’ cheerful buttons. I love fancy ones, but sometimes pewter or ceramic are just too heavy.

a minor setback

Crap! I was up into the thumb gusset of my first glove (and at the end of the first ball of Baby Ull) when I discovered that the wrist is too big. I have puny wrists and hands, people.

So I just had to rip back 5 inches. Of fingering weight. In a glove which was over 17 inches long so far.

At least the good news is that I have to decrease more, and more quickly? Maybe it’ll go faster this time.

hibiscus revisited

Some of you may have noticed that I’ve deactivated the Hibiscus shawl pattern from my Ravelry store. I’ve done this so I can reknit the pattern to investigate some problems that people have been having.

I’m knitting it up in some nice merino sock yarn from Maple Creek Farm, a Rhinebeck vendor that has great yarn but I don’t think sells anywhere else! I’ve been working away at it and I’m almost done. I’m also taking this opportunity to add stitch counts throughout the pattern.

The pattern should be back up for sale very shortly. I’m also going to continue donating a portion of the sales from this pattern to Haiti relief through February. I haven’t calculated the total for the January fundraiser yet, but I know it’ll be an amazingly generous amount!

Thanks to you all for purchasing patterns and helping to donate. If you’ve had your eye on any of my patterns, you’ve still got one day to contribute a portion of the purchase price to MSF and the Red Cross.

Hope you’re keeping warm this weekend.

on focus

Thanks to everyone for your generosity – today I was able to donate $1000 to MSF! I have to wait a little bit for my credit card to clear up to donate more, but it’ll keep on coming. I’m planning to take a look at the end of the month and see what more I can send off.

The yarn above is three different balls that I wound the other night, for three different new projects. Somehow I’m feeling a bit lacking in the sweater department at the moment – I tossed (donated) a bunch of sweaters when I moved and I’m sort of feeling the wardrobe gap. What I really need is some neutral coloured sweaters, so I tossed the stash for awhile and came up with these.

Top one is Colinette Jitterbug for a lighter weight version of a side-to-side cardigan I knit awhile back (you know I don’t think I ever blogged the finished version, I’ll have to do that).

Bottom left is Handmaiden 4ply cashmere, less blue and more grey in real life. I only have 5 skeins which might be a bit tight for a sweater, but we’ll see. I might do a pullover instead of my standard cardigan.

Bottom right is some label-less, DK weight merino that I bought at Rhinebeck in 2008. It’s super light and fluffy, really like a handspun with a really wholesome, rustic tweedy look to it. I’ve already cast on for a simple cardigan! My goal is to knock out a couple of really basic sweaters for everyday wear, since that’s what I seem to be lacking.

Of course, it isn’t like I don’t have lots of other things to knit! One of my students asked me a few weeks ago how many projects I have on the go at once. Current answer is way too many, obviously. In my sweater-knitting mood I even dug up this brown Casbah sweater which has been sitting in a bin for over a year! The body and upper yoke are done and I just need to knit the buttonbands, and the sleeves down from a provisional cast on.

I know I can’t just go casting on for more sweaters since then I won’t be able to finish any for awhile, and that’s not useful at all. So I’m going to try and buckle down and get some WIPs off the needles.

Aaaaand…..GO!