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Knitting Friday: KAL for a sleeveless top
Just when my teeth are finally resting from pain (for a while at least), DH has come down with a wicked cold and since my camera is tricky when it comes to uploading pictures (read: he's the only one who does it well), I have no pictures loaded today.
However, I want to start this KAL today so we'll go without pictures and if you want to join in, here are the supplies you should have.
Supplies:
Needles: US 8 in 16" circular or DPN, US 8 in 24" to 32" (for the bottom hem) and US 10 or US 10.5 in at least 24"
2 skeins of DK wool (DK is one step above sport and one step below "light" bulky) for a total of 460+ yards. (This amount is my size, you may need more, see below.)
stitch markers (I use knotted strands of yarn)
2 safety pins: 1 to mark the first stitch in the row and 2 as a spare to mark a mistake, etc.
row counter: based on the difficulty of your pattern choice
Your Pattern Choice: speak of the devil!
Here is the simple lace pattern I'm using:
Row 1 and 2: K around
Row 3 and 4: *YO, K2tog* around
(You will be working in the round so you'll get a stockinette stitch "base")
However, you can use any pattern you wish by keeping these facts in mind: 1. Your stitch count with double at the end of your neckband and the number of stitches you increase to here will be amount you work for the entire yoke. 2. At the armhole, you will bind off the same amount of stitches for each armhole and then cast on the same amount of stitches for each underarm. 3. This final amount is the number of stitches you will work until you bind off.
Example: For my size top, I cast on 80 stitches with US 8, work the neckband, doubled my 80 stitches to 160, changed to US 10.5 and worked on these 160 stitches for 5". Then I bound off 30 stitches at the arm and, on the next row, I cast on 10 stitches at each underarm so I worked 120 stitches for the body.
So, if you decide to pick another pattern, make sure the stitch multiple for that pattern matches
the number of stitches you're working with on the top. (Of course, you can fudge things a bit; work with 164 stitches on the yoke or cast on 12 stitches each underarm instead of 10.)
Making a swatch: I hate swatching and by now I know the number of stitches I need with the needles and yarn I use but you should swatch. But first you have to take your measurements.
Taking your measurements or customizing your pattern using the lace pattern above: (Numbers in parentheses are used just for examples.)
1. Take your chest measurement and make a swatch using the larger needles and the lace pattern above (on yarn which you are going to use or yarn of an equal weight) to see how many stitches you will need to get the chest measurement. (130 stitches)
1a. The lace pattern above is very stretchy and also clingy like ribbing so I don't block my swatch nor the final garment. It's your call based on your pattern whether you block the swatch or not.
3. Take the number from #1 and add 20% to it. (130 + 20% = 156 sts)
4. Round that number up or down to the nearest 10s number (130 + 20% = 156 sts., rounded to 160.)
5. Take the rounded number and halve it. (160/2 = 80 sts)
6. Cast on the number in #5 as your neckband stitches. (More on the neckband next week.)
7. Although we only need the number in #5 right now, we'll be using the number in #4 later.
How Much Yarn Do I Need:
OK, I'll be honest. Except for when I made my Mario blanket which was a series of knitted squares and when it was easy to know the number of squares I needed so measuring yardage was easy: I DON'T HAVE A CLUE.
My advice is: Buy the yarn where you can return unused skeins (most places allow this.) And, buy a skein more than you think you need. It will make life easier.
OK, that's it for today. It's time to get your supplies together and work out a swatch.
Next week: The neckband - different styles you can use.
P.S. Here's a picture of a top similar to the one we are making but also so very different:
http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/tina/tina.html
However, I want to start this KAL today so we'll go without pictures and if you want to join in, here are the supplies you should have.
Supplies:
Needles: US 8 in 16" circular or DPN, US 8 in 24" to 32" (for the bottom hem) and US 10 or US 10.5 in at least 24"
2 skeins of DK wool (DK is one step above sport and one step below "light" bulky) for a total of 460+ yards. (This amount is my size, you may need more, see below.)
stitch markers (I use knotted strands of yarn)
2 safety pins: 1 to mark the first stitch in the row and 2 as a spare to mark a mistake, etc.
row counter: based on the difficulty of your pattern choice
Your Pattern Choice: speak of the devil!
Here is the simple lace pattern I'm using:
Row 1 and 2: K around
Row 3 and 4: *YO, K2tog* around
(You will be working in the round so you'll get a stockinette stitch "base")
However, you can use any pattern you wish by keeping these facts in mind: 1. Your stitch count with double at the end of your neckband and the number of stitches you increase to here will be amount you work for the entire yoke. 2. At the armhole, you will bind off the same amount of stitches for each armhole and then cast on the same amount of stitches for each underarm. 3. This final amount is the number of stitches you will work until you bind off.
Example: For my size top, I cast on 80 stitches with US 8, work the neckband, doubled my 80 stitches to 160, changed to US 10.5 and worked on these 160 stitches for 5". Then I bound off 30 stitches at the arm and, on the next row, I cast on 10 stitches at each underarm so I worked 120 stitches for the body.
So, if you decide to pick another pattern, make sure the stitch multiple for that pattern matches
the number of stitches you're working with on the top. (Of course, you can fudge things a bit; work with 164 stitches on the yoke or cast on 12 stitches each underarm instead of 10.)
Making a swatch: I hate swatching and by now I know the number of stitches I need with the needles and yarn I use but you should swatch. But first you have to take your measurements.
Taking your measurements or customizing your pattern using the lace pattern above: (Numbers in parentheses are used just for examples.)
1. Take your chest measurement and make a swatch using the larger needles and the lace pattern above (on yarn which you are going to use or yarn of an equal weight) to see how many stitches you will need to get the chest measurement. (130 stitches)
1a. The lace pattern above is very stretchy and also clingy like ribbing so I don't block my swatch nor the final garment. It's your call based on your pattern whether you block the swatch or not.
3. Take the number from #1 and add 20% to it. (130 + 20% = 156 sts)
4. Round that number up or down to the nearest 10s number (130 + 20% = 156 sts., rounded to 160.)
5. Take the rounded number and halve it. (160/2 = 80 sts)
6. Cast on the number in #5 as your neckband stitches. (More on the neckband next week.)
7. Although we only need the number in #5 right now, we'll be using the number in #4 later.
How Much Yarn Do I Need:
OK, I'll be honest. Except for when I made my Mario blanket which was a series of knitted squares and when it was easy to know the number of squares I needed so measuring yardage was easy: I DON'T HAVE A CLUE.
My advice is: Buy the yarn where you can return unused skeins (most places allow this.) And, buy a skein more than you think you need. It will make life easier.
OK, that's it for today. It's time to get your supplies together and work out a swatch.
Next week: The neckband - different styles you can use.
P.S. Here's a picture of a top similar to the one we are making but also so very different:
http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/tina/tina.html
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