Saturday 23 August 2008

Kitchen sink Kitchener

I've been wanting to knit this jumper ever since my friend Anna showed it to me the summer before last. I bought the yarn on sale along with that for Elli's HWBC, and have been dreaming of it since. I put it off and put it off because I thought I wasn't good enough to knit it yet, then bought the yarn and pattern for a more ambitious cabley project, and finally settled down to knit Catriona a few months ago.


I've really enjoyed the cable pattern, I love this yarn, I still can't wait to wear it - and yet. There's something prosaic about this jumper, far from the magic of which I'd dreamt. I knit some here, knit a bit there, didn't read the pattern properly and had to rip back quite a bit (measuring 55 cm from end of ribbing, instead of from cast-on edge), put off grafting the shoulders for a month, changed my mind about the length and frogged some more, and finally, amidst half-packed boxes and with half an eye on the Olympics, stitched the shoulder seams together.

I couldn't work out how to Kitchener in pattern (any suggestions?) and since the pattern didn't match up properly anyway, I knit two rows in stocking stitch before grafting front and back. I think it looks okay. Not perfect; the transition between reverse and right side stocking stitch is a bit abrupt, and the cables lump up a bit, but okay.


And now, as they say, I'm on the home strait. I wonder if my knitting mojo is lurking somewhere under the heaps of things I have yet to pack?

10 comments:

Krafty Like A Fox said...

I think it's the end of summer blahs--I've got about five half-done projects that I don't even want to look at (and one I cast on two days ago).

Anonymous said...

Lovely!! Gorgeous color :o)

Anonymous said...

That's so beautiful, and I'm SO seriously impressed. Your cables are amazing (and quite mesmerising to look at!) and I think the grafting looks really neat and nice. I have no tips to offer about how to graft in pattern... I've just had a look in my Montse Stanley and there's a section on how to graft different fabrics (reverse st st, garter stitch, ribbing and so on), which might be useful? Or perhaps not, if your pattern didn't match up anyway! I don't think you need to change a thing though - your grafting is immaculate and it looks perfect.

You must knit on - the sleeves are only small and you could definitely finish it in time to wear it to the iKnit day!

xx

Ink and Indigo said...

Very impressive! I'm about to start this pattern too, and am seriously scared about the grafting. Know what you mean about loss of mojo: my finished February Lady cardigan is sat in an unblocked pile, awaiting soaking and buttons. Blah.

MeowGirl said...

it's beautiful! such gorgeous cables.

a post on grafting cables:
http://wisehilda.blogspot.com/2005/10/advanced-grafting.html

there is also a way of creating visual aid by knitting a few extra rows in pattern with contrast yarn then copying that when you graft (http://www.tradewindknits.com/tbsoctoe.html). i read a post of someone who grafted the cables of their Rogue hood this way quite successfully.

and there is always the three-needle bindoff, which is good for a tidy seam where sturdiness is needed. but i think it looks fine as is, nice and smooth and unobtrusive.

Anonymous said...

Oh, it's beautiful. I love the texture and colour!

kim tori said...

Those cables are stunning. Well done!

Anonymous said...

Oooh, those cables are so...I can't quite find the word. Voluptuous maybe? And the gray is perfect.

I think the shoulder grafting solution you came up with looks great! Much nicer than non-aligned cables doing battle with each other.

I feel like I should know where you're moving to but I don't. Good luck with the transition!

xoxo

Anonymous said...

I remember seeing this when you posted a link to it earlier and thinking how pretty it was. Glad you are finishing it, it's stunning!
ANg

Anonymous said...

It is fabulous! And very inspiring :) I expect the mojo will leap out when the final box is packed - it always hides when there are Things Which Must Be Done. (I read somewhere about Swedish folklore that if you are good at housework the elves will finish your knitting. I aspire to something the other way round - one day perhaps I'll get really good at knitting and the elves will do everything else...)

Cecilia