You could be forgiven for wondering what I’ve been knitting when not on a train doing the Hedera socks.
I do have a second projects on the go!
Yes, YES, I KNOW. “One WIP at a time” is my mantra – but a travelling sock doesn’t count. So there! 🙂
My current “not travelling” project is Emily – another (that’s the third!) from the Kim Hargreaves Heartfelt book. Unusually for me, I’m knitting Emily because I really like the finished garment, not because I want to actually knit the pattern. Does that make sense?
This one…
And I’ve had some Kid Classic in stash for a while…a perfect match!
I’ve been slugging away at Emily when I’ve got home from work, on the rare occasions I haven’t slumped, unconscious and snoring on the sofa.
I started Emily one evening when I was really tired and wanted some “nice easy knitting”. I didn’t get it 😯
Emily starts with combinations of knit rows, purl rows and simple lace rows to give a pretty ridged edging insted of a boring old rib. I had to pay attention…..
Then I did the front, which unsurprisingly started with the same pretty edging.
Knit, knit, knit….I finished the front while merrily knitting at Guilty Knitters…
I proudly held the back and front togther to get a feel for the finished garment…
I said a stream of rude things, out loud, on a Sunday morning in a busy Starbucks 😳
Somehow, in one of my “I should have known better than to try this” nearly-asleep-knitting sessions, I’d managed to put and extra ridge in between the two lace rows on the edging!
I know it’s not the best piccie but can you see how the left one is shorter than the right one 🙁
I decided to do something I don’t normally do. say, “Bugger it” and leave it like that. I’ll ease the stitches to fit when I sew up.
You’d think that’d be enough drama for one garment wouldn’t you?
I had nearly finished the first sleeve – an odd construction – the cuff is added later – I’ll tell you about how it’s done when I get to it. I looked down the knitting and I’d split the yarn on a stitch – about 5 inches down!
I wasn’t going to frog it so I dropped the stitch all the way down and picked it back up again – wanna see?
I have given some of my knitterly friends palpitations when they’ve seen me calmly doing that in public, while chatting and sipping coffee nonchalantly!
The sleeve is now done…
The back and the fronts are ready to be joined together like this (in all their unpressed, just dragged out of the knitting bag glory)…
I’m on the final sleeve…this is normally where I pick up speed but this is so boring to knit!
I’m really suffering for making a boring knit for the sake of the end result.
I guess it’s showing in all the blunders!
That looks great Susan,cant wait to see it sewn together. 🙂
Dear D,K and BI,
I’ve been searching everywhere on the internet to find someone who had finished an Emily jumper and had used short rows for the shoulders. It is such a gorgeous jumper that I didn’t want to spoil it with my usual clumsy stepped shoulders. Looking at your pics, it looks like you’ve done it! I’m having a nightmare trying to work out the short rows. I’ve done a sample piece and am just about to sling it out of the window in frustration.
I wonder if there are any pearls of wisdom you would mind passing on to me. I’ve knit short rows before, but never managed to convert an existing pattern. I’m especially confused by the fact that for the back I have to cast off 6 stitches at each end (I’m doing the second size), then I have to cast off some stitches in the middle. Arghh!
With many, many thanks in anticipation.
Alyson
Hi Alyson
Yes, I did short row the shoulders. Converting is a mind bender the first couple of times you do it but it’s worth it.
I’m not sure if it’s the “textbook” way of doing it but this works for me…
Assuming the smallest size, you have just knit 3 rows on 17 stitches…
When I get to the instruction to “cast off 6 stitches at the start of the next row”, instead, I unpick 6 stitches from the row I have just knit, wrap and turn and patt to the end of the row. (I now have 6 “abandoned” stitches that should have been cast off and 11 “Live” stitches).
Next row, would be knit the 11 live stitches, turn and cast off another 6 stitches.
Instead I knit 11 stitches, tink the 6 stitches (or just count 11 minus 6!!), wrap , turn and patt to end. (you now have 12 abandoned stitches and 5 live stitches)
Last rows work a row and cast off last 5 stitches..
Instead I knit 5 stitches, pick up and knit the wrapped stitch, knit 5, pick up and knit the other wrapped stitch and knit to the end and put all the stitches on a holder, ready to do a three needle cast off with the long tail you’re going to leave!!
The shorter version is :-
Patt 2 rows. (not 3) on 17 stitches.
Patt 11st, wrap, turn (leaving 6 stitches behind)
Patt to end
Patt 5st, wrap, turn (leaving 12 stitches behind)
patt to end
Patt 5st, pick up & knit wrap, patt 5st, pick up & knit wrap, patt 5st.
Leave a long tail of yarn (for three needle bindoff ) and put stitches on a holder.
Does that help???
Good luck
Susan