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February 16, 2009

Cable-Down Raglan: One Skein In

So I restarted the Cable-Down Raglan I've been knitting. Mainly because I was not liking the holes I was getting around my increases. I spent a couple of days fussing over increase styles, swatching some samples, and then finally worked out that I did in fact want to use the increases recommended in the pattern, and restarted.

It's a very easy pattern, with a really simple cable pattern that is easy to figure out and work with minimal reliance on the chart. I dislike that the two cables are not compatible in size (one being 30 rows long, the other 28), but decided not to mess with it (it would be easy to make them both 30 rows long), at least this time.

There are great long swaths of stockinette on the sides of the front panel and along the back, which is fine but a trifle boring. Usually when I use a plain yarn, I go for a more complicated pattern to make it interesting; I like stockinette for really interesting yarns that I want to highlight, which this yarn, as nice as it is, is not. Here I am approaching the end of my first skein, just past the halfway point of the second diamond.

I'm making the 38" size, at least according to the sizing I'm following right now, so I'm still increasing through this repeat of the diamond chart. If it's a little too small when I finish that, I will make the 41" size which calls for a few more increase rows. My one major modification to this pattern is likely to be a set of short rows across the bust to add some room; I like to wear a fitted sweater but I don't like having the sweater stretch too much across the chest.

If you look at the neckline, you see it is all funky. I think this is because the cable pattern has a bit more flare to it than was accounted for in the design of the collar. I even tried to compensate for that by knitting the collar on smaller needles, but it didn't make up enough. Also, I haven't been knitting in the round enough to have a good consistency on gauge like I do knitting flat. That's something I just need practise to get right.

There are two solutions to this: one is to tear the whole thing out and restart (no). The other is to just pull out the neckline from the top and reknit it with a tighter gauge. That is what I will do. I think that had I known this I would have started this sweater from a provisional cast-on at the base of the neckline (where the first chart starts) and then knitted the collar up from the live stitches after making the rest of the sweater.

I have the whole rest of the sweater to contemplate exactly how I am going to get a decent collar up there. I'm guessing it will involve very small needles.

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Posted by ayse on 02/16/09 at 4:47 PM