Episode 42: Sweater Nostalgia

Episode 42: Sweater Nostalgia (41:28)

First Sweaters
Noro Retro Prep
Cardiganized retro prep
Bad Penny
Harold's Sweater
First Cardigan
Mini Sweater

First Sweater Recommendations
Child's placket pullover from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Tempting from Knitty
Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Simple Knitted Bodice
Tilted Duster
Maude Louise
Kyoto from Knitty
Cleo from Knitty
Jenny's orange tube
Nicole's first seaming: Simply Marilyn
Salt Peanuts, first seaming
Fitzgerald, 3 needle bind off screw up
Rogue
Central Park Hoodie
Zephyrstyle.com
Cropped Cardigan by Blue Sky Alpacas

Knitting Fantasy Life
Hemlock Ring Blanket
Interlocking Balloon scarf
Backyard Leaves
Bulky sweater coat?
Rowan Iceland
Sideways Spencer
Turtleneck Pullover alla Buffy?
Gretel Beret
Turtleneck Shrug

Music
Dig Met Out: Sleater Kinney
Fever Dream: Iron and Wine
U-Dot: Continental
Rhinocerous: Continental

Comments

[Jocelyn]

Hi Ladies,

Just finishing up listening to this episode, and I wanted to mention that Annie is re-working the Sideways Spencer. She's been chronicling (sp?) it on her blog, Anyway, while you wait for the new and improved pattern, you can work through your stash a bit more! See you soon, Nicole (and both of you at Stitches).

[Leslie]

Great new episode, though it brought to the forefront of my brain knitting mistakes I have made, especially when it comes to sweaters. A few of my first sweater attempts were baby sweaters, but would you believe I didn't know there was a special invisible seam so I whipstitched the seams?! I'm so embarrased!!! My first adult sweaters were rotten (the knitting was fine but the seaming, even though by then I understood about mattress stitch, was terrible) and ended up at Goodwill. More recently, my Arwen and Sesame sweaters were passable (decent seams, though the fits of the sweaters on me are so-so) and my son's "kindergarten" sweater was fine, though my gauge was off, which is similarly embarrasing because by then I should really have known better. I have had the sweater bug lately but I finally want it to be perfect -- perfectly seamed and perfectly fit. I will probably go with Hourglass but I'm not sure. Oh, and Jenny, I made the Backyard Leaves scarf from Scarf Style -- great project, if you're still debating. Thanks for a great episode!

[Jenny Girl]

My first sweater was a disaster! Tried to substitute yarn, HA! Bad move. Realized half way through seaming that it looked like a blanket. Since I weave ends in so well, its still waiting to be frogged. Someday!
My first sweater will be that top down number from IW with the openwork at the top. Love Buffy too.
Also, gave your pod cast an honorable mention for a make my day award. Because you do! Keep up the great and hilarious job :)

[Sydney]

I comment to you as I sit and impatiently wait for my rowan 4 ply cotton to arrive and dream of casting on a million other projects. The hemlock blanket is....beyond words. I can see it in my house, just how to get it onto my needles. FYI...first sweater was one for my daughter (bottom up), organic cotton, it is lovely with the exception of a row of twisted stiches on the back (it was my first knitting project period with: three needle bind off, piecing, decreasing, increasing, button holes, and picking up for collar).

[aija]

Man, I listen to yall and want to start knitting Imogen for myself before it gets warm!! Ergh,... my one and only adult sweater attempt has stalled and I don't want to even look at it, let alone finish it and wear it-- it's fine, just, I don't love it anymore.

Jenny-- for your vest pockets, EZ has a tutorial on "afterthought pockets" that may be good and get you knitting again on the vest-- like her afterthought buttonhole, I think you just cut into the knitting and pick up live sts, knitting down into a pocket shape. I forget what book that's in... but yall prolly know :)

[Stacey]

Thanks for mentioning my crazy Kyoto! Maybe I should say my sweater was inspired by the Kyoto pattern. I swapped the yarn for what I had, which was bulky weight acrylic on size 10s or 11s. Definitley not the Takhi cotton on size 5s, as written in the pattern. I haven't worn it in forever, as the yarn feels awful and it began pilling right away. I didn't have a clue back then!

[Sarah]

I think I must've been slightly crazy when I knit my first sweater. I did Blanche-Neige from Knitty (really a collared jacket), which I wound up knitting on size 2 needles. Oh, and did I mention this was also my project for the Knitting Olympics? Unfortunately I did not finish in time, because I ran out of yarn and the color was backordered at Knit Picks when I needed it. I did eventually finish it, but it just didn't look good on me. The fit was okay, but the collar just flops open. Still, I conquered my fear of the sweater with it, and I don't have the heart to frog it or get rid of it even though I never wear it.

[Ruth]

Thanks for another great show! It's nice to have you guys back from break. It's very cold here today, and I'm wearing my first sweater (which was also my first knitting project, period), in Yorkshire Tweed Aran. The sweater was originally too short and too wide, so last year I steeked it, added bands and bottom ribbing and a wide collar, and voila! It's not perfect now, but it's awesome for cold days.

[Deborah]

I think you should rename the podcast. Instead of "Stash and Burn" it should be "Fantasize and Obsess"! Now I've got Sideways Spencer and Hemlock Ring on the brain (and I swore I would never knit another blanket). Well, anyway, it's fun, so thanks for another great episode!

[Courtney]

Great Episode :-) I made the Hemlockring blanket, I loved it!

[Sydney]

Okay another question. I LOVE ROGUE and was all set and thinking about Eco Wool but I live in Florida so thought that may be too warm.....so what would you suggest????

PS. I can say I have enjoyed my "yarn porn" looking for yarn.

[Nan]

Funny how both of you did your first sweater in the round. I have been knitting for over 3 years now, and I finally knitted my first in the round sweater. My first knitted sweater was in pieces and I dreaded sewing it together. Although it is the worst sewing job in the world, I still wear it because it is so warm. My husband makes fun of it every time I have it on.
Thank you for the great podcasst.

[Sally Villarreal]

I'm not sure what I count as my first sweater. The two crocheted disasters from when I was in middle school? The top Mom never wears? The v-neck cardigan from the first SnB that was way too big for my sister? I like to think of my Cherry Bomb as my first, because it worked.

I think you're worrying too much about the m1 increases. I think they look fine. (Now that I know the right way to do them.)

It's weird what you start convincing yourself when you are too close to a project. That's why I love my knitting groups. When they all come to a consensus about something, I'm happy.

Seaming is where things go wrong for me. Of course, redoing seams is where I skip centimeters to make pieces fit together where they shouldn't.

Giving blankets that need to be handwashed depends on the recipient, although I think blankets (at least in my house) need to be washed more often. Mine take a beating.

For kangaroo pockets, have you tried Wonderful Wallaby? (That's been around for a while. It comes in several sizes, from babies on up.)

BTW- I think the Orange Tube came up nicely.

[T2]

After listening to this episode I think I have to take the plunge and make a sweater for myself. I've already gone through the babysteps you mentioned; I've made a tank and a baby sweater. So now I've got some serious pattern reading to do. Thanks for another great episode.

[Diane]

Regarding Tempting, I knit Tempting II and it is not knit from the top down, but from the bottom up. The designer is quiet sweet, but very tiny! I had to add short row shaping and alter the neckline for the reasons you stated. Here's a link to the photo on my blog http://knitmentia.blogspot.com/search?q=tempting+II

[Diane]

Regarding Tempting, I knit Tempting II and it is not knit from the top down, but from the bottom up. The designer is quiet sweet, but very tiny! I had to add short row shaping and alter the neckline for the reasons you stated. Here's a link to the photo on my blog http://knitmentia.blogspot.com/search?q=tempting+II