I’ll Knit If I Want To: Episode 187

Welcome to I’ll Knit (& Spin!) If I want To! I asked y’all to send in some of your questions (from everything from fiber arts, to designing and on!) so I could put together a little video for y’all every Friday doing my best to answer your questions!
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In this week’s episode we cover:
1. Hello! I was hoping you could talk about button bands. More specifically, I just finished knitting up my first cabled cardigan and the button band was constructed after knitting the cabled body. I picked up stitches on both sides and knit the length of the body and then after knitting the bands on both sides, the neckband was picked up and knitted. The cardigan turned out great, however the button band is a little wavy when buttoned, even after carefully blocking my garment. I’m looking for tips on ways to make the band more tidy. Thank you!
2. I love your podcast and look forward to the release every Friday! I have made several of your sweater patterns and they are the ones at the top of my hand-knit wardrobe rotation, so thank you! I currently have the worsted weight Harlow hat on my needles with two different souvenier yarns, one from Northern Michigan which is a true worsted weight, and the other from Scotland which is a lighter weight worsted, but the combination is looking great and the brioche is forgiving enough for the yarns to work well together. Anyway, my question is regarding needle length. When the pattern calls for a 16" needle for knitting in the round, what exactly is the 16 inches? The cord length? Cord and needles? I feel like this is a rookie question, but it is bugging me! Thanks for always having such good tips and information!
3. I'm nearly done knitting a top down sweater but have realised I'm not happy with the length and it could use an extra inch above the ribbing. The ribbing is wide and tedious so rather than rib back I'm tempted to perform sweater surgery, cut above the ribbing, add the extra inch, and then graft back together. The problem: my sweater grows a lot with blocking (and has already been blocked) so how do I graft at the correct tension? Do I match my tension to the blocked sts, or try and graft tighter, to allow room for growth when I reblock it?
4. Hi Andrea! I'm almost finished with my first stria cardigan and I'm already planning to make another one. For the second one I want to add some short rows to bring the neck up a little, but I don't know how to do that in the half fisherman's rib that the cardigan is made in. Do you have any tips? Or is this just a bad idea? Thank you in advance!
5 .I feel this is such a silly question but… I am afraid to wear my knits!! I will wear a sweater out and when I get home I take it off because I’m afraid that lounging it in, cooking in it, cleaning in it, or even my cats with ruin it. Help me get over this fear. I would love to have a 100% handmade wardrobe but fear stops me!
Today I am wearing The Shift Cowl!
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Ask a question for next week’s Q&A: forms.gle/pKM9...

[@ishageens5831]

"What a gift to your body to clothe it in something so beautiful" is an amazing mantra! It's something I tend to forget myself (especially when struggling with body image), but this sentence really put it in black and white for me. Thank you for that, Andrea!

[@daniellejohnson3364]

Such a positive and impactful answer to the question about wearing our knits, made me feel the feels! My husband who’s often secretly listening to my podcasts said “darn, she makes me want to learn to knit” 😂😂 maybe someday I’ll convince him to really learn ❤

[@amandamfenton]

My tip for wearing your knits or other clothes that feel 'too nice' for regular wear at home is to get some aprons! I have several linen aprons that I pop on for cooking, cleaning, watering outdoors, etc. Gives a little layer of protection between me and messes.

[@cbtringali6799]

The way you answered the final question is one of the many reasons I so look forward to your videos each Friday. In addition to all the great knitting wisdom shared, your joy, authenticity, and generous spirit radiate through your smile and cheerful voice. Thank you!

[@sarahburke8955]

I remember being afraid of "messing up" my handknits... it is a process, sort of like carrying a leather bag every day. You have to be okay with a little bit of imperfection over time, which only makes the garment more special and well loved!

[@MichellePerkins-t6p]

Adding to the chorus… your beautifully thoughtful answer articulates in words what we all feel in our hearts. ❤

[@kristinahill3708]

Am I the only one crying at your answer to the final question?? Precious. Thank you. Such a beautiful perspective.

[@dreareneeknits]

🥹🥹🥹

[@jeanneb6320]

Don't wait for The Special Moment to wear/use something precious, instead, the moments become special by you wearing/using the things!

[@TheMkv08]

Your response to the last question was so empowering! I'll never think about my finished knits the same way again. Thank you, Andrea!

[@northwestknitting5993]

I loved your advice about wearing your knits, something I totally support! Then mid-way through your advice, an ad came on and the actress said, "Be courageous! Change is good!" which was reinforcing what you said, and made me have a good laugh. I love to wear my knits and if I get a compliment I always say "I knit it!" because I want to normalize making. It's my little struggle against fast fashion, and a celebration of the craft. Thanks for the episode!

[@dreareneeknits]

I always do that too 😂 “l made it!!” Hehehe, can’t help myself!

[@amyclawson7]

Wow! I have been knitting for years and never knew that the inches of needle was the cord and the needle combined!! Thank you for this enlightenment! Hahahahha Can’t wait for the new cowl. I just finished my first shift shawl and I am in love! Gonna do a cowl next!!!!

[@needlesandbark]

Hot dang! For a 16 minute episode I was not expecting to be moved to tears, Andrea!

[@dreareneeknits]

🥹🥹🥹 thanks for being here!

[@colleenraymond623]

Another sweet pair of glasses on you! Great colours! Yes, I need another Shift Cowl! The one I have now is at the top of most enjoyable knits I've done so far! 😊

[@bonnadowns524]

Another gorgeous cowl and those colors are just stunning👌💗💝🙏

[@phyllisburke4141]

I’m a fan of frogging when necessary. I think about my knits the same as I do about diamonds…they are made to be worn and seen.

[@ShilohPianoandCelloDuo]

What a beautiful answer to question #5. Celebration indeed with one loop to the next... Love your podcast and love knitting to all you great advice.

[@hildelevine5643]

Your Weekender sweater photos inspired me to wear mine (and any handmade, for that matter) to hike in cool weather. It's perfect for that!

[@nicolelafontaine1720]

I am so glad to hear your creative juice is flowing ... Looking froward to discover your new creations.

[@juliesellars969]

This may be a morbid thought, but like all my 'precious' things, perfume, scented candles, good dishes, bath bubbles, and my handmade things - I use them, I do not save them. Life is short, use them and wear them. I've seen and heard too many stories about people saving things 'for good' or 'for best' and then not ever getting to use them because they've passed on or something has happened. Embrace the day, you never know what is coming tomorrow.

[@Marielm1]

How I got over treating my sweaters as china to be kept for good. I made one acrylic sweater. I wear that for planting or washing the floor and then pretty much wear my “good” my wool sweaters for EVERYTHING else.

[@bronaobrien1661]

Thank you Andrea. This is a really lovely episode with lots of great knitting tips!

[@carrieknits]

I just finished my Throwover (my first attempt at color work) and I love it! As luck would have it, we went up to the mountains last weekend and it was chilly enough to wear it for the first time. What a joy! Excellent pattern, thank you!

[@dreareneeknits]

That is awesome!

[@sunnyw4148]

I wear my hand knits as much as possible. And when things start to have lots of snags or whatever I wear it in the morning when I snuggle with my cat. When things are done, well it is an excuse to celebrate what I made, all the memories I created when I wore it, and now I get to make something else.

[@emilyvk1098]

Suzanne Bryan has a really great KZbin tutorial for button bands. It's called "picking up stitches - perfect button bands".

[@allnaturalnutknitting4272]

My second hand knit sweater (a dark purple) had cleaner with bleach dumped on it. Eeek! I ended up doing duplicate stitch to cover it up. I can still tell where it happened so I also keep enough of that yarn set aside to re-knit the bottom half of the body, just in case I get sick of it. Despite that I say wear your knits.

[@MissSholia]

It's indeed a bit scary to wear our first hand knits. By wearing them though, you can see that they don't get all damaged and ugly. I have sweaters that I've worn for years and that still look great after a little shaving once in a while. I knit all my things with animal fibers and I find that they don't get stained as storebought clothes do. It's much easier to remove let's say spaghetti sauce from them than it is on a storebought sweater because it doesn't penetrate as fast and as deep on a woolen knit. Okay, I wouldn't push it by wearing a pale gray hand knit sweater when I cook spaghetti sauce but seriously, I find animal fibers knits easier to care for than storebought clothes. I think maybe it can be more difficult to decide to wear handknit socks because they will get a lot of wear and get more dirty. But, as you suggest, it's always possible to mend them!

[@nadinegoffart487]

I completely understand that someone doesn’t want to wear hand knit sweaters at home. I have a set that I always wear at home for sitting with a cat in my lap that likes to “make dough” or with the dog jumping and playing or when cooking… Other and more delicate sweaters I never wear at home, only outside and/or for work. When I arrive at home, I immediately change my sweater. When a sweater is getting old and doesn’t look very nice anymore, it becomes an “at-home-sweater”.

[@kellyrathmann7502]

Love the part about wearing your knits regularly.

[@TS-wv2yl]

I love the round bookshelf behind you. Did you make it from something else?

[@marilynsullivan4361]

I wear my hand knits a lot, but if I know I am going to be around a certain little dog, I just don’t wear them. I know I will hold and hug her and that her little toenails catch on everything.

[@jacquelinebaker8879]

I am knitting my first Free Your Fade shawl. Last night fading in the second color I noticed my hands were stained. I am afraid to continue knitting until I figure out the best way to prevent ruining all the colors, which are lighter, with the dye transferring onto them. Any suggestions please.

[@2653ID]

When I click on the link at the bottom to ask a question, I always get the message Dynamic Link Not Found. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks

[@RobinHester-bv5gw]

What colors of the spincycle yarn did you us for The Shift?

[@BeccainHawaii]

Lol, I'm just about to to finish The Shift. I just randomly clicked on this video.

[@dreareneeknits]

I hope you love it!

[@veneidig]

Just finished night shift shawl!!

[@dreareneeknits]

I hope you love it!

[@redwingedfiber1066]

✨💛✨👌🏽💖🌞🧚‍♀️

[@StudioStacy]

It looks like the link to the form is not working. At least it's not working for me?

[@fjellrosastrikkepodcast]

I really wanna know how many patterns you write in one year. AND is it many of those that dont get published??

[@dreareneeknits]

Oo good question! I write a minimum of 12, but it’s usually more. And I would say there is usually about one a year that ends up on the cutting room floor!

[@Stephcrochet_knit]

Dear Andrea I've been trying for 2 days to use your Google form to ask for help to find my right size for the weekender crew. I took a pic of my ribbing & posted it to Insta & hashtagged you. Help please I very frustrated & at the point I'm about to just give up knitting because I have yet to successfully make a top to fit. I cast on for size 6 finished bust of 58 with my actual bust being 50. The back ribbing is supposed to measure 28 inches however mine measured 18.5. What am I doing wrong? I'm using 3.5m for ribbing & recommend dapple yarn. I am a tight knitter. Do I just go up in needle size? I'm so confused help gratefully appreciated

[@dreareneeknits]

Hi there! In the last page of your pattern you will find the email to use so we can answer a specific pattern question like this one! ❤️

[@emilygiraudin4624]

I always wear my knits …

[@pennismith741]

Totally agree, I would frog it back. But Amy from NE knits just grafted her DRK everyday sweater.

[@patternandcraft]

Why not just make the ribbing longer?