Sunday, April 08, 2007
SHORELEAVE SHAPING
Headin' for Shore
By now land is likely in sight and you may be getting anxious wondering how you'll get to shore without getting wet. Fear not, the captain is on the case. I've sketched up a little graph to aid you in the decreases that will bring you safely to shore. Once you have about ten inches of sleeve (or whatever you'd prefer), find and mark your row's middle twenty stitches. To do this:
- determine the total number of stitches you have on your needle and mark the halfway point with a stitch marker or loop of yarn
- next, count 10 stitches in one direction and 10 in the other (including your marked stitch), marking the beginning and ending of the grouping
- now, knit across to the first marker and cast off the 20 stitches marked.
- For the next rows, cast off according to the chart above as so:
- On the right side, knit across the row until you reach your 20 bound off stitches. Bind off 2 more stitches on this side of the neckline. You will now be working on one side of your neckline at a time, duplicating the shaping on the other side afterwards. Work reverse row.
- On next right-side row, bind off an additional 2 stitches at the neckline edge. Work reverse row.
- Follow instructions as above but bind off only 1 stitch. Work reverse row.
- Bind off remaining stitches.
- Join on yarn and repeat instructions for other side of neckline, binding off all stitches on the beginning of the right side row rather than the end.
Normally, you might make more decreases for the neckline but, in this case, the weight of the knitting is likely to exaggerate the neckline's scoop, hence the more conservative shaping.
All righty, feeling on sure ground now? I'll be away for the next two weeks so now's a good time to start working on your back if you haven't already. When I return, it'll be time to talk surface embellishment, by far one of the funnest parts, so heave ho until then.
Shapin up with the captain
Posted by Jane on 04/08 at 04:57 PM
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Sunday, April 01, 2007
SHIP TO SHORE: APPROACHING PORT
Ahar and all that. As I sail along, it occurred to me that it might be timely
to remind me crew that shore's ahead. I don't know where you all might
end up afore I gets to catch up or verse visa. So, I jotted out a little sketch of
what lies ahead so you'll know when to trim the sails relative to your position and all.
As you navigate your sleeves, keep in mind that you'll be marking your neck for shaping exactly midway across your stitches. Let me just
get out me compass to take more exact approximations. All righty, so, in keeping with the loose, adventuresome mood of our voyage,
let's say you'll be wanting to keep the sleeves equally loose and roomy-like. Supposing 10" is considered pretty roomy for you as it is for me
and you reach 10" of sleeve .measured from where you cast on the extra sleeve stitches. When you reach that point, it's time to start neck-shaping,
which I'll get into later this week.. Meanwhile, I'm posting this reminder in case some of you are sailing off ahead of me, paddling away
into the sunset, so to speak, and forget to ease up on the oars before you run aground.
Expect neck-shaping info later this week.
Yer Captain
Christiane emailed me a short time ago asking if it was too late to join our crew. I said 'never too late' since I'm always looking for a
spare rowing arm. Anyway, she paddled up real quickly and within days had reached here (see picture). By now she may even be right along side
us. Doesn't it look like one of those magical geodes?
