I’ll Knit If I Want To: Episode 197

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. Andrea my questions include how to pick a size of sweater when the sizes are far apart. The pattern I am looking at is a raglan pullover using a DK weight yarn by combining a fingering weight yarn and a lace weight mohair. I assume the main measurement is the bust size from the pattern. These are listed in the pattern as Bust measurement of: 33.5 (36.25, 39.25, 44.25, 48)(51.5, 56.75 ,59.5, 63.25) inches, etc. The ease should be 2 to 4 inches. So with a bust of 38 would I would use the 44.25 inch size? That would be my bust measurement of 38 inches plus 2 to 4 inches of positive ease = 40 to 42 inches for the finished garment. (Excess of 4.25 to 2.25 inches) I was a gymnast inn college so have more muscle in my shoulders anyway….Am I overthinking this or do I go with other measurements first? Thank you Andrea for all the hours of lecture that you have helped us with. I have enjoyed it emensly.
2. Hi Andrea, I’m wondering which program or app you use on your tablet for following patterns. I’ve always been a mark-up, print-out knitter. Usually these days I put my pattern in Notability and mark it all up in colors with my Apple Pencil, then print. I’d kind of like to do it all on my tablet. I have a subscription to Knit Companion but I find it maddeningly difficult to use. Also a spinning question: I’d love to know exactly which weaving bobbins you use as storage bobbins. Thanks!!
3. Hi Andrea! This weekend I cast on your STRIPES! sweater. After completing the third increase round I realized that I have been doing make one left (ml1) instead of left lifted increase (ll1)... as the pattern calls for. woops! I've watched a couple tutorials on the ll1 including yours, and I'm wondering why you slip the stitch that you are using for ll1 instead knitting it? The other tutorials that I've watched have you knit it, not slip it. I'm also wondering why you chose the ll1 over a mll? I'll be fixing my work tomorrow and I'm just curious to learn more about this new to me technique! Happy Friday and happy knitting :)
4. I would love to knit one of your shawls with my December yarn advent (fingering weight), but the ones I’m really drawn to (Inclination, Traveler, Attune) are made with heavier weights of yarn. I don’t wear heavier shawls because they don’t fit underneath my coat, and want to get as much yardage out of the advent as possible, so would like to hold the yarn single. Can you provide any tips on adapting these patterns to a smaller gauge, while still having a nice long wingspan? Thank you so much! Traveler or Attune
5 . Inspired by your Gibbs sweater last week….i have some stash Brooklyn Tweed Shelter. I’ve been looking to make something with it (I have already done a weekender). I thought the color would be wonderful for the Gibb sweater, however it’s woolen spun. I feel like you always share a plied yarn (specifically 4-5) is better for cables because it has stitch definition. Would it be a mistake to make it with shelter? Will the cables not come out correctly? Help! Looking for some inspiration!
Today I am wearing the Zig
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[@lexisavard6092]

very pink knits has a Knit Companion help series!!

[@anitamadtes877]

I use knit companion and love it. Very Pink Knits has a lot of great tutorials on how to use it.

[@kimcunningham2107]

The sweater color, combined with the wall color behind you makes you look ethereal. Stunning setup, Andrea. 💙💙💙

[@sibleyhoneybee427]

I love your sweater Andrea! Just beautiful. Enjoy your spinning in your new case. It's perfect! ❤🧶

[@elizabethtaylor4448]

Such great advice as always. I'm so in love with your supported spindle. A friend is a woodturner & I've asked him to make me one. It won't be a beautiful glass end one but beautiful never the less. He's made me many drop spindles & dealgans. We've had lots of fun getting them spinning just right over the years. Your advent sounds lovely. I hope your soon feeling better & that cold is gone.

[@katytaylorhoyng7489]

Yes to the screen protectors that feel like paper! And for marking up downloaded patterns, download them to your files app and then you can open them and use all the markup tools - highlight, write, etc. - in whatever colors you want.

[@bonnadowns524]

Beautiful sweaters as always🙏💗👌

[@Knitting_in_seattle]

I save my patterns on my iPhone to the files app that I believe comes standard with the phone. You can organize your patterns into different folders. You can highlight and mark up the pattern too. I don’t have an iPad but I’m sure the files app is on there too. Very user friendly and easy

[@paddyknits]

Andrea: I switched from paperlike to the pen.tips screen cover and it is sooo much better. 0 bubbles and you can even take it off and wipe it if you need and reapply . I think it is magnetic. And the writing experience is even better texture dare I say ! Worth every penny should you need fo replace . Btw loved knitting on the Harlow and gib sweaters and I think I’m going to snag myself a plumped up Harlow. Thanks for the design update….cheers patrick.

[@AmberParkhill]

For sweater sizing, we're not all the same shape, so it's perfectly valid to do more or less increases than the pattern suggests. So personally, my full bust is a few inches bigger than my upper bust, and I don't have big shoulders. I'll pick the smaller size so it's not too big in the shoulders, and then do more increases in the yoke depending on how it's fitting as I go along. For a gymnast type body, you might choose the bigger size, but stop your increases sooner. In that way , it'll be bigger at the shoulders than the designer intended, without being as big in the body.

[@alisonharris7130]

Your answer to the first question about sizing was so helpful, I always wind up with my sweaters too big (except for a few) and didn't know how to deal with it. It was causing me some stress😂. But now I am going to use the upper bust measurement for my next raglan or circular yoke. I am going to be brave and knit up your Traveler sweater in my handknit yarn and let it have some of the positive ease you suggest. Thanks for another great episode and happy holidays!

[@nicolelafontaine1720]

Have a good weekend with your sister !

[@knitsandpurls-143]

I find that Knit Companion is fairly easy to use but it doesn't really meet my needs so like the person who submitted the question I use Notability. It is similar to Good Notes and helps me keep track of where I am at and easily search through the patterns.

[@donnasullivan9192]

Thank you for the tip of using your upper bust measurement to determine the correct size. I have a large bust but am a small person. I have a wip that I’ve ripped back a couple of times because the raglan increases keep making it too large. I will take it back once again and make a smaller size. I think it will work.❤

[@gailkorhonen8553]

Very Pink Knits has great tutorials for Knit Companion! I use it all the time. Before that I used Notability.

[@pegskold9152]

Might want to try a reMarkable for downloading pattern and making notes.

[@Katepwe]

I think the look and fit of ease will also be different with the choice of yarn and how it drapes.

[@estimatedeyes]

Andrea! Question: is it possible to use a kitchner stitch on colourwork? Please link a video if you can find one. Thanks girl!

[@sunnyw4148]

For the first question, I would consider gauge. This is a great time to use yarn where you don't get gauge and can adjust to somewhere in the middle of ease.

[@fiddlestitch89]

I have a somewhat similar situation with a cardigan I have. The size I knit was within the recommended amount of ease. However, it just feels too big for my taste. The problem is: because of the large colorwork motifs, there are 9" jumps between sizes. It's knit up in Aran weight, and I'm tempted to knit the same size, but with Worsted weight and go down a needle size just to make it a little smaller. After a gauge swatch, of course. 😉

[@StitchesandPrayersVlog-cast]

I have knit one Zig for my grand-daughter and knitting another for my self!

[@spunNstitched]

Good morning Andrea!!! My fridays are made when I get to watch your video while I sit and knit. Edit: I purchased my 1st support spindle after watching your reel on IG last night. I purchased it off Etsy along with a bowl and I cannot wait for it to come in. I have a drop spindle and an Ashford Kiwi 3 spinning wheel so why not add to the group 😊

[@tanyabailey7791]

I’m knitting your DRK Everyday Socks….my first time successfully knitting socks, apparently toe up works for me…..and I’m curious if I can just knit around the foot and do the ribbing after finishing the heel. I think it would be quicker and I like the idea of the smoother knit in my shoe. Would that make the sock tighter across the foot? I have a slim foot so if it was a little more form fitting I would be happy with that. But would it be a drastic difference? Would I need to cast on more stitches to allow for that? Thank you for making a sock pattern that doesn’t frustrate me. I have so many single sock because I couldn’t bear to make another sock when I finished the first. 😂 Your pattern has been really enjoyable and I’ll definitely be making more socks!

[@karenbudnick]

What about going up s needle size if between sizes?

[@aramblingyarn]

Not knitting related, but I love the paint color on your wall! Do you know what the color is?

[@ruthdarelius3194]

Can you please give the name of the knitting notebooks that you use?

[@ladykateadams]

It would help me if you gave your posts specific subject lines.

[@jennifercook6863]

Andrea, you need to go back to the doctor. Tell them how long you have been coughing and congested. A regular virus would be way over by now. I feel like the first doctor you went to was wrong. Get a second opinion. Don't suffer any longer, my friend. Love your podcast.