Little Red Nordic Sweater
Topic: nordic knitting

The third time is always the charm in necks, I have found. It's nice to know this up front, so you don't mind ripping back a little to get it right. Even non-experimental knitting patterns sometimes need to have the neck redone to look good once on. So, when you are making a neck and you think you are done, you are NOT done, so don't cut the yarn yet. Loop that last stitch on a stitch holder and try it on first with the skein dangling.

This little sweater looks a little oversized for the neck, but it is an outdoor sweater, and bigger is better when dressing a tot. I love the neck hem finish!

The second Nordic sweater is coming along in a pastel color combo, and I have started to write the pattern. It is MUCH faster to just knit, but writing as I go makes the pattern a little more readable.

The weather has been just beautiful lately, and I am spending a lot of time outside in the Rabbit Barns, so knitting takes a back seat! Once it gets too hot to work outside, I'll be logging more hours on the needles.

Immersed In Nordic Color Patterns
Topic: nordic knitting
I spent last night with my charts, my sweater and the SciFi channel.

I really, really love knitting with color. I have kept myself tied down to aran and gansey knitting for the last 3 years and I am DELIRIOUSLY happy with the change. The next two sweaters are evolving as I knit this one, and I cannot WAIT to get to #2.

Last night I pondered how to raise the back of the neck with a few short rows. Normally, I put them all in the collar, but I will experiment and see if I can live with them in the yoke.

By 10:30, my eyes were blurry, and the chart reading was getting muddled, so I took out my post-it-notes and blocked out everything but the row I was working on. (This is quite necessary when you have to keep one eye on Battlestar Gallactica, which repeated an episode I MISSED last time around.)

Yoke Join and Even Decreases
Topic: nordic knitting

Jenny wants to know how to make all the yoke decreases happen and still keep pattern chart continuity.

It's relatively easy to figure it out for one size. It gets harder to make it work for all sizes.

Yoked sweaters (traditionally)only require 3 rounds of decrease spaced equally from the midway depth of the yoke to the neck. However, having made a number of these, a la, Elizabeth Zimmermann, I know they do not fit as well as they could. So, going with Meg Swansen's altered method, 5 rounds of decrease will be employed. This last shaping allows for a more gradual stitch number change, and better fit, IMO. My Sheep-In-The-Round and Icelandic Flecks and Diamonds sweater patterns are made that way and I adore wearing them.

I have fallen in love with the look of the traditional "liced" Sedestal sweater. Most of them are drop shoulder, steeked affairs, and that will be an added step that goes beyond the scope of this pattern. But that does not mean we cannot borrow the wonderful stitch patterns that we find on them! Putting Sedestal row patterns on a yoke sweater design means having the luxury of solid color rounds in which to work non-interfering decreases. Voila! Problem solved. Now only stitch numbers/repeats will be an issue.

The yoke pattern I am working with has the following repeats: section 1: four; section 2, sixteen; section 3, eight; section 4; four. So, after each decrease round (and there will be 5 of them), I need only remember to check that the decrease round results in a number divisible by the following section. However, I have discovered an interesting characteristic of the 16 stitch chart...I can safely eliminate 2 stitches per section about 2/3 of the way through it. This will allow the 5th round of hidden decrease to happen at a nicely spaced spot.

Moving right along...
Topic: nordic knitting

The sleeves in this size take so little time. I normally hate working with two colors on double pointed needles (although I LOVE my Crystal Palacedouble pointed bamboo needles), but with the more efficient use of my right hand it is now simple.

I finally got the tension I was looking for at the beginning. I knit on the loose side, but it is easier on my back, which likes to spasm when I do too much knitting and not enough exercising. (I come from a LONG history of left shoulder/back issues and have learned how to TAKE CARE)

My biggest challenge has been to figure out where to go from here. I designed a yoke chart last night that totally charmed me, and now the trick is to make it work along with the shaped decreases AND for 8 sizes. Stay tuned!

Nordic sweater #1...stitch dominance
Topic: nordic knitting

It's been a while since I did a lot of two handed stranded color knitting, and although I am pleased with myself for learning to use my right index finger better, I always forget which hand will allow the color used to dominate. I have to relearn with every project. I sure could use a cute trick to remember if anyone wants to share.

At any rate, the bottom of this sweater (the entire bunny chart)was knit with the white color in my right. The top part (licing) was knit with the white in my left, which allows the white stitches to POP OUT, which is what I am after. I believe the explanation is that the left hand allows the yarn to hum along UNDER the stitches, and the right hand OVER the stitches. At least this is true for how "I" carry yarn.

But, since I am planning to knit 5 sweaters before I write the pattern, this is fine. I will leave this snafu in this adorable sweater (I love red!) and it will be a springboard for discussion at the retreats.

St. Andrew's Cross
Topic: nordic knitting
What is it about traditional stitch patterns? I have spent weeks poring over Nordic books and magazines and web pages. I have looked at old, new and new age sweaters. I keep going back to the early stuff. For some reason, it feels right.

So, I have decided a good chunk of the yoke will be the ever present St. Andrew.

And licing. This (these) sweaters will be all liced.

I feel better. I can now cast on.

The baby sweater will be first. Stay tuned!

Project for the near future
Topic: nordic knitting
I am just about all packed and ready for the Rip Van Winkle Knitting Retreat next weekend. So ready, that my mind is drifting towards the Next Big project.

I have been planning a Nordic sweater for about 10 years. Along the way, I have dabbled with Nordic designs in my patterns to see what I like. I like vertical patterns, and I also like "licing". This is tricky to combine, but I'm working on it. My favorite design to date hails from the Faroe Islands:
. No licing in that one, but it's brewing. Those Faroese knitters don't lice...but they make a real pattern out of filling space. Simple and effective. But, not lice.

I peruse the 'Net hunting for pictures of what I like and I have a folder of them on my desk. I was just at Ann's Sheepshots blog(since she was so nice to send me a note about the bunnies on BareHare, and she has the cutest little hat pattern posted on April 12 sporting Truly Nordic stuff.

It's all good.

The Nordic Sweater that is brewing will be made with Heilo and I have 46 colors I am looking at out in the shop. Hard to decide. But, I always make a hat to get started, and the week after the retreat will see me embarking on one.