Monday, December 22, 2014

Sugar Maple Pullover

This fall, all I really wanted to knit was pullovers.  This one was a holdover from last year's to-knit list.  Last fall I intended to knit the original cardigan version, but this fall . . . it had to be a pullover.  Easy enough - just get rid of the front steek stitches!


I used the yarn and colors of the original pattern - Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Sport in a heathered green, with contrasting patterns in shades of wine, pale grey and white.  I don't remember the exact date I cast on, but I'd say that the actual knitting only took 2 weeks at most.  That was stretched out over about a month though, because of travel and blazer-making.

This sweater is worked in the round - body and sleeves worked separately, then joined at the armhole.  Which means that once you get to that point, it is a LOT of fabric to shift around.  Still, it's easy knitting - all stockinette, and the Fair Isle patterns are traditional in that no row uses more than 2 colors.

To change things up a bit, I decided to use a tubular cast-on.  The one I used here is used in many Brooklyn Tweed patterns, and I think it will become my go-to tubular cast on for working in the round.   It has a beautifully rounded edge and is nice and stretchy.



Once I had the tubular edges at the hem and cuffs, it didn't feel right to have a normal bind-off for the neckband.  Years ago I knew one that was sewn; I'd learned it from a Katia knitting magazine.  I still have the magazine . . . somewhere in the depths of my garage.  So I did some googling and found the very same one!  This one has the benefit of having photographs of each step too.



You can see the fold line in the top picture, going right across my stomach.  This one was in the drawer when I got it out for photos, but rest assured that it's already been worn.  I was worried that the wool might be too scratchy against my bare skin, but I wore it that way for an entire day and it was scratchy, but not unbearably so.

I really enjoyed this pattern.  The charts in particular I thought were very well done.  I have always loved yoke sweaters, so I think I'll be knitting this one again at some point in a different color scheme.


Ravelry notes here.

16 comments:

  1. Finally delurking to say how much I love this sweater. So pretty! I've been reading your blog for a long time and just wanted to let you know how much you inspire me! I only learned to knit about two years ago, and you post so many FOs that give me something to aspire to!

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    1. Thank you so much for those beautiful compliments, Jess! Truly appreciated!

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  2. This sweater looks so perfect for winter. Love the patterned yoke!

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    1. I am all about the yoke sweaters this year! Can't get them out of my mind!

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  3. Wow how does this take you only two weeks?? Can I ask what that means hours-wise. I always find it hard to judge how slow/fast I am. I can only knit about 1.5 hrs a day before my hands give in (arthritis). Do you knit for hours on end? Gorgeous sweater!

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    1. OK - there are some things you need to know! First off, I've been knitting for over 40 years! So I am quite fast, although not the fastest you'll ever see. I generally don't knit more than 2 hours a day for the same reason as you. So, if I worked on this sweater for about 14 days, with a maximum of 2 hours per day (although usually less) that would be a total of 28 hours. Also, this one is faster for me because it's mostly stockinette in the round, using larger yarn and needles than I usually use. So for me, that makes a quick knit!

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  4. TWO WEEKS!?! That is a feat of endurance and speed. The pullover is beautiful! I really love tubular cast-on for cuffs and hemlines. It looks very professional!

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  5. I'm a bit terrified of colourwork given the fact that I can't get comfortable with continental knitting. As such, I will live vicariously through your lovely sweater!

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    1. There are other ways to do it, but I've never been able to master any of them! So glad my mom made me switch to Continental at a young age!

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  6. You are making me hanker for a colorwork gansey project.

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    1. All this show and tell can get dangerous, can't it?!

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  7. Dang! This is amazing! I'm working on my first bottom-up sweater, and my first colorwork, so I'm extra impressed by this!

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    1. Ooooh, exciting! Whatcha' makin? I have to say, it's not my favorite method of construction - it's a lot of knitting in your lap once everything is together! But at that point you're almost done, so there is that :-)

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  8. great sweater, I'm amazed at you knitters and your talent!

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