Finally, Update
First we’ll discuss Mariah. As you can see, I decided to stick with the Elann Highland stuff to finish Mariah. The Pingouin yarn I got to replace it is just too heavy and I can’t make gauge. I have the back, one sleeve and the right front completed. I really don’t want to knit this anymore and I’m dreading the time when I join up for the yoke and I have a billion stitches on the needle.
I really hate this yarn. I wish I didn’t because it’s so cheap and it comes in all these great colours, but I’ve come to hate working with it. I love the Mariah design so much and I can’t wait to wear it, but when I pick it up I’m discouraged because I just can’t keep an even tension. The yarn is fluffy and when you knit slightly tightly the strand pulls and it goes thin. When you loosen up just a tad, the stitches look too puffy. It looks awful. I hope blocking will improve the fabric, but for now when I look at my work I cringe. The sleeve and the cabled ribbing looks great; it’s just the stocking stitch that looks like shit.
Here we have part of a cardigan knit in another yarn from Elann, but this yarn I adore. It’s also Peruvian wool, but it’s unspun and it knits up around 16sts/4″. It’s fuzzy and soft. The pattern is basically Firth from Rowan’s A Season’s Tale, but I changed the ribbing and I think I’m going to do a hood instead of a collar. So far I’ve knit the back, one sleeve and the left front.
Ah, yes…the Ribby Cardi! The back and half of the left front…excuse the horrendous photo. (All the pictures were taken indoors at night in a dark basement with a hideously bright flash and then photoshopped so as not to hurt the eyes.) Since we all know how much I love that Elann Peruvian Highland, the finish date for this one has been changed to maybe never. Besides that, the pattern seems really small and I think I’ll be better off designing my own to size. If I finish this, I’ll give it to my sister.
I seem to like to knit 3/4 of each cardigan before I go on to the next. I keep thinking that if I just knit one at a time, I’d have 2 completed sweaters by now.
6 Comments
Yeah, I have gauge on my ribby but it’s so loose and floppy that I don’t really like it. I used US#6 for that…but I knit pretty loosely. I prefer my fabric for things like sweaters and cardigans firmer than this. I just don’t know what to do with the yarn when I frog it. Maybe I can make something with it doubled.
Mariah looks fucking amazing. Nice job! I know you hate the yarn, but I love the color. I bet the stockinette looks better once it’s blocked. The sweater I’m making now needs to be blocked before I assemble it, and I’m dreading it. I NEVER block stuff. I’m lazy as shit.
Anyway, I can’t wait to see the finished product.
Susie · Feb 23 · 9:28 am
I actually like blocking stuff. The way it feels when it’s dry and you unpin it and pick it up for the first time…oh, so nice! And keeps its shape. I wish I could block Mariah before I put it together, but all the pieces are on stitch holders and I’m too scared to block them that way. When all the pieces are done, I join them on a circular needle and knit the yoke back and forth. Fun! Not looking forward to that part.
Well, regardless, it looks good in the photos! I’m sure a dunk and a block will help in the end…
Eklectika! · Feb 24 · 3:40 pm
I hope so. In the photos the stitches look pretty even but I assure you, they are not! But Elizabeth Zimmermann says repeated washing and wearing even out the worst stitches…so I am going to trust. And then never use Elann Peruvian again!
ah, elann peruvian highland. *sigh* I have it in lime and purple for a ribby cardi and cannot get gauge either, unless i knit it on like 9s which will pill like an online pharmacy i’m sure. I am thinking I will find a decent gauge, wash the swatch, and then redesign the pattern myself for that gauge. Since I have to anyway, to make it a larger cardi on the bottom than the top since i’m rather curvy these days. I’ll be watching to see what you do! That Mariah is looking beautiful - I hope you can find the motivation to finish it!