cascade yarns

Finished Knit–“Scottish Ale”

Pattern: “Scottish Ale” available for purchase on Ravelry (I got it for free back in early release, I believe).

Yarn: Cascade Eco+ in the Lichen colorway

Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm)

Notes, Mods, and Commentary:

Well, I finally did it. I dug this damn sweater out of my UFO bin, where it has been hanging out since *gulp* 2018. One of my 2023 goals I talked about earlier this year is to knit from my stash while also clearing out some of the abandoned projects that are scattered throughout the house. So, I buckled down, promptly remembered why I hated knitting this project, and finally just slogged through it cursing and bitching the entire time. I’m not one to stick with a project I am not enjoying. Life is too short for those shenanigans. However, I promised G-Man this sweater, and it’s not his fault that I ended up hating the process.

I am not a fan of the construction of this sweater and it cured me of any desire to knit a seamed pullover ever again. The sleeve construction was such that the sleeve increases created excessive bulk in the upper underarm area (a problem noted by other knitters), and I was far too apathetic to re-math it. The center cables had a lot of tension between them (creating small holes), and the gauge was such that my hands felt fatigued frequently. As for the yarn, however, it was a good match for this project, because it held stitch definition like a dream. I believe I used about 3.5 skeins for it, but I can’t be sure.

Overall, he likes it, I have some needles free from the Island of Misfit Knits, and I can finally close the book on this project. While I make no promises on how many UFOs will get the same treatment, I confess it did feel pretty good finally finishing it.

Finished Knits

Pattern: Gradient Lapghan Block 5 which is part of the ongoing Cascade Yarns Knitterati 2018 KAL. It’s available for purchase on Ravelry.

Yarn: Cascade 220 Merino in Pale Lilac colorway.

Needle: US 7

Notes and Mods: No real notes on this one. It was easy and straightforward.

Pattern: Protest is Patriotic Shawl by Nycraft Craftivist, available for free on Ravelry

Yarn: Loops & Threads Woolike in Red, White, and Navy

Needles: US 4

Notes and Mods: I knit this as written, but carried the red and white yarns up the side rather than weave in 1000 ends. If I were to make it again, I would follow what others did and use white beads for the stars rather than the white yarn. The stitches are too small to really pop against the blue. Otherwise, I love it. Also, I was pleased with the yarn in general, and it’s a good option for projects on a budget.

 

Two More Finished Blocks for Knitterati 2018 KAL

So, just an update on my down the rabbit hole knit-a-long that I jumped into. I have completed two more blocks for the Knitterati 2018 KAL from Cascade Yarns. If you want info on the first block, check out my previous post. Three blocks in, and I can honestly say that I really am enjoying this project. Each block pattern is released in three week increments, and they only take a few days to complete. For me, these blocks are a nice break from my larger projects, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed this. I swing back and forth between being a product versus process knitter, which only verifies the fact that I’m a selectively schizophrenic fiber artist. Any-hoo, here are the squares:

Pattern: Gradient Lapghan Block 2 (available for purchase on Ravelry or free to those who signed up for the KAL newsletter).

Yarn: Cascade Superwash 220 Merino in the Stonewash colorway.

Needles: US 6 and US 7

Notes and Mods: I knitted the pattern as written, and followed Cascade’s advice to pin to dimensions then spray with water to lightly block. This yarn cannot be wet-blocked on this project because it will grow like crazy. Additionally, the first block had a weird ratio of stitch versus row gauge, so I am sticking to the pin-then-spray blocking method after learning that lesson the hard way. While I am following the KAL to the “T,” I am not a fan of the border and the picked-up stitches. If I were to repeat this in the future, I would mod the pattern to do a garter or seed stitch border to create a more even finished product.

Pattern: Gradient Lapghan Block 3 (see previous block)

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash Merino in colorway Artic Ice

Needles: US 8 (see notes and mods)

Notes and Mods: I was initially confused about the increased needle size on this block, and wondered if it was just personal gauge issue between designers but, after knitting it, I can tell you, the increased needle size is NECESSARY on this block. The lattice pattern creates more tension on the fabric, as well as the bobbles. I’m not ever going to discourage swatching, but I can tell you that the needle size difference between this and the previous blocks makes sense, so whatever gauge you are working with, take note that a larger needle will probably be necessary on this block. Otherwise, I think the pattern is cute and it’s been added to the Knitterati FO box.