I’ll Knit If I Want To: Episode 99

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!
In this week’s episode we cover:
1. After knitting loads of baby and child sweaters, where the stakes are very low, I’m finally attempting sweaters for myself and am probably too anxious about fit. 🤦‍♀️ The row gauge of my blocked swatch is off by one stitch from the pattern designer’s gauge. Should I be concerned that my yoke will be too short, or can I count on everything working out because the sweater will hang on my body and stretch the rows to some degree? If I do need to make adjustments to lengthen the yoke, how can I do that on a bottom-up cardigan? Thank you so much for sharing your sweetness, expertise, and inspiration every week!!! I can’t tell you how much I’ve grown as a knitter since tuning in. / I'm pretty good at making a gauge swatch (I do like my sweaters to actually fit after I knit them), and I'll even go back and try another needle if the first swatch doesn't give me enough information. That said, I am rarely able to meet row gauge AND stitch gauge. I've been focusing on stitch gauge and then making sure rows match schematic measurements more than maybe row-by-row instructions in the pattern (trying to take into account how blocking may change things). Is this the way to go? What kinds of patterns would crash and burn if I were too far off on row gauge, but had met stitch gauge?
2. Do you have recommendations for removing pills on your hand knits? I made your So Faded sweater (my first sweater and I love it!) and it’s developed some pills over time that I’d like to remove. I’ve seen those small sweater combs (blocks of wood with mesh screens), pumice/sweater stones, sweater brushes, and of course little electric and battery operated shavers. Do you have a preferred method or tool that you like to use? I’m feeling overwhelmed with choices and don’t want to ruin all my hard work!
Gleener: www.gleener.com/
Cocoknits: cocoknits.com/collections/too...
3. Thank you so much for your podcast, you bring so much joy to my Friday mornings! I so look forward to sharing a cup of coffee with you and chatting about knitting every Friday morning. My question is about how you select colors for your projects. I'm knitting the Cinnabar shawl and have been really struggling with the color selection. I splurged on some Spincycle nocturne in witching hour but can't find a pairing I like. I have a earth toned/moody wardrobe in general and the Spincycle fits right in but when I pair it with grey it's too low contrast and white is too high contrast I think (but better than the grey) and I'm just nervous about trying a different color at this point since I've been dithering for months. I'm also deeply invested in this because I'm spinning for the Attune shawl as well. It's my first big spin-to-knit project and I want to pair my home spun with a ready to knit yarn but how do I decide what color to go with for the bought yarn?
4. I have been spinning for a year and am part of a fibre club here in Victoria, Australia, where each month I receive a delicious braid of hand dyed fibre. I am planning to knit up quite a few of your patterns with these braids, including the Inclinations Shawl. Each braid, however, is a different blend of fibres. All include an animal, mainly sheep, fibre, but some are blended with silk and cashmere, others with tencel or agave... is it OK to combine skeins of different fibres into one project or will it affect the structure of the shawl?
5. Thanks for sharing these videos, I love learning about your techniques and design process. My question is about crewneck and boatneck sweaters. I love to wear my handknit sweaters, but sometimes it's hard to tell the back from the front. One day, I put on a freshly blocked new sweater and thought the neckline felt a little uncomfortable. I later discovered that I had been wearing it backwards all day. Do you do anything special on your sweaters to help you tell the back from the front?
ShelliCan tags: shellican.com/products/this-i...
DRK Spin It to Knit It…Along - Weekender Style - Ravelry Forum:
www.ravelry.com/discuss/drear...
Join on Instagram with the hashtags: #DRKspinittoknitKAL and #DRKspinsTHEWEEKENDER
Big Cozy Cardi KAL: thefarmersdaughterfibers.com/...
I am wearing the Attune Shawl:
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www.ravelry.com/patterns/libr...
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[@nicolelafontaine1720]

Lovely episode, I know someone who doesn't weave in the end at the back of the neck, this way she always remembers which is the back. I just sew in a little thread of a different color, usually turquoise, my signature color, in side the ribbing at the back. but I love the labels hand made with love or made with sweat and tears ...

[@PaigeTheFramer]

LOL as soon as you said from a distance I KNEW you'd sing the song! Holy mackerel girl, I came for the knitting but stay for the sing-talking!! And I blame you almost every week for the "hot pockets" tune that I sing incessantly!

[@HelenaMcGevna]

Hi Andrea! Regarding de-pilling, I was talking to someone who worked for a museum conserving all kinds of fabric items. She told me that she would never use a pill shaver but would always use a tiny, curved scissors to cut off the pills. She said that the shavers tended to damage the fabric. The good news was that after a time of doing this regularly, eventually the pills would stop. Cheers and thank you for all your wonderful videos.

[@ellenowlin]

really reminded me just how much i love your videos when you got so excited about the idea of combining a bunch of fibers and making a shawl. thank you for sharing your energy and enthusiasm and knowledge with us every week. also next episode is ep 100!!! wooooo!!!

[@chelseabergman5009]

Just had to say that when you said "from a distance" I started singing that song right along with you. LOL

[@catardif4158]

I tie a tiny bow of sock yarn in the back neck opening of my hand knits - these make it easy to tell how to wear it, and sock yarn does not itch or scratch my neck at all.

[@tapcat4516]

I love your wedding invitation!! I too love crafts

[@zoedoodle9824]

I just got through watching an episode of Knitting the Stash. Melissa says that she always uses a contrasting color to do a few duplicate stitches on inside of the back collar of the sweater. The duplicate stitches don't show on the right side of the sweater but make it easy to tell at a glance the back from the front.

[@daniellejohnson3364]

I could think about and listen to your color talk all day!! Seriously for me it’s one of the best parts of being a maker. It’s the freedom of choosing your own color adventure for projects or seeing the original and knowing it’s already perfectly chosen ❤😊

[@nicannjones]

For sweaters that don't have a distinct back neck differentiators, I've taken a small length of left over yarn from the sweater or a smaller contrast fingering weight yarn and made a 1.5" crochet chain leaving a decent tail on either end. Then I sew that into the back neck like a locker loop tag

[@joanworkman8859]

❤

[@sueaitkin8030]

Another idea for the back of the sweater. Put a few duplicate stitches of another color in the back of the sweater. Easy and fast and doesn’t show to the front. Thanks again for your weekly fun!

[@laurellae]

I absolutely love combining different fibers in the same project! I'm not a spinner so just referring to knitting, and I've discovered the best thing to be sure it will have the desired effect is to swatch. 😉

[@miekevanreet2544]

lovely, have a nice weekend, the back of your sweater… take a embrodery tread, sew a little (red) cross.. or little flower in the neckline…never search again what the back is…

[@acrogall]

I usually leave a tail out if it’s a back of the neck cast on. I also use lightbulb stitch markers on the inside of the back collar.

[@jandkcon]

Have you seen the Paul Klee pullover- when I saw your huge hand spun skein and those lovely natural mini colors it came to mind! Otherwise your designs are so uniquely lovely 🥰

[@knittingghost]

I just finished my first Weekender Light last night, and I love it so much! It took me three months, since I'm a slow knitter, but it was an amazing pattern to knit. I was fascinated seeing how it all came together. Now on to a Gib II for my husband. He loves the other sweater I made him so much, and I can't wait to make this one! The Gib II is soooo his style, too. Thank you as always!

[@zephyraK]

Great video again, love your explanations :). I tend to think that our bodies are so different, that we probably shouldn't be to worried about 1 row off in row count. Your body is probably not the same as the designer's, you might block it differently, you use different yarn etc. There are so many variables, that there is in my opninion no need to be too exact. Not that it doesn't matter: all these variables, including gauge will affect the final result. It is just hard to predict how it will exactly come out. That will come with experience with the yarn and overall experience I guess. And the good thing: knitting can be unraveled and knit again! Hooray!

[@alip.9740]

If I'm lazy, because I do have those tags, I get a very contrast color and do a knot or X at the back close to the top on the inside. It helps till I decide to put a tag on.

[@valgill2474]

Thank you for brightening a dreary wintery Friday afternoon in Ontario. I look so look forward to your podcast every week.

[@MrsBEHorne]

Thank you for another informative podcast. It’s always good to spend time with you, Andrea. This last Thursday I started saying ‘So…’ a lot when I was teaching. I commented on it to my co-worker and knew I had heard it somewhere. While listening to this episode, I now realise you don’t only influence my knitting but also my speech. So, you’re one great KZbin influencer ❣️ It made me giggle! 😊

[@eringilbert8074]

My mum always sewed in a little button at the back of our handmade clothes 🧵

[@peggyward7130]

I am happily watching and knitting the Hoarfrost shawl. How did I miss this one! It is turning out so well😊

[@jessicaolney4900]

Good to see you--thank you for spending time with us. I for sure have worn my sweaters backwards (and my kids, too) so I have started sewing a little bit of contrasting embroidery thread (usually red or whatever color shows better) just to a stitch or two on the inside back to tell it's the back.

[@theyarningvoid]

On telling the back neck from the front neck: my grandma used to take a tiny piece of scrap yarn and knot it to a stitch on the inside of the back neck. I sometimes to this as well if I can’t tell both sides apart!

[@smut.and.stockinette]

We did mix cds for favors too and we had the record looking ones! Too funny

[@NicoleCartier]

I love each of your episodes ❣. A great hug from Chile!

[@annehealy3158]

Thank you for your lovely podcasts, I always learn something new when I watch them!

[@marymann3975]

I'm with Nicole - I just sew in a little high contrast scrap yarn at the back of the neck and I'm good to go and it was a lovely episode!

[@lisaflood6193]

Me too!

[@lindtski]

Thanks so much, I just love these podcasts ♡♡

[@sharonkennedy8612]

Good morning from Burlington Ontario Canada 🇨🇦. Love watching your videos as I snuggle up with a coffee.

[@jillbalfour8111]

Always fun to watch.

[@ThePattiw]

I sew a little loop onto the back of the sweater/jumper so I can tell which way to put it on! Lots of makers got hit by that spambot last week, crazy. I do enjoy the episodes.

[@hollyrussell8191]

My husband and I were married the same day as you and yours! ♥️

[@juliegendel4836]

Re: telling front from back of sweaters, I always weave in a little scrap yarn in a contrasting color into the inside of the back collar.

[@aprilgoldman2987]

I have some cute tags that are washable also from Katrinkles with a sheep butt on them. You can also weave in the end (top down) and leave a little more of the tail out so you can look for the tail when putting it on. Glad to see you feeling so well!

[@ZackAnderson_KnitKnackZack]

Omg! I love that little stamp idea! Definitely would be super cute to do! Ugh!

[@sarahlundquist-harger7023]

Thank you so much for answering my question about sweater shavers ❤ really love this weekly vlog - aka my knitting companion 😊

[@sandysessler6589]

Thank you SO much for mentioning the cinematic option on iPhone. I recently started a ( mostly) knitting KZbin channel and I am TOTALLY unfamiliar with the ins and outs (ups and downs) of it so I'm grabbing on to any suggestions so I will try the cinematic feature. You have been such an important part of my pandemic lockdown knitting journey and every Friday morning I wait anxiously to join you. You are truly an inspiration

[@cwanlin128]

I love your podcasts--it's always lovely to see your smiling face. I pray your health is improving! I am very lazy and put a lightbulb marker at the back of my sweaters if needed.

[@christafischer4042]

I’m a dedicated watcher of your podcast. Love Fridays!!!Can you please send a list no to the sweatshirt pattern? I would love to see one with my grandson.

[@ruthswarthout1115]

What a great episode thank you for talking about colors and great questions very informative and I also got the spam so glad to know you talked about this. Always great to learn so much from you.

[@MissJudyBad]

I love Shelli Can Flare!! She is truly magical.

[@dankahorvathova8244]

Hi lovely xxx I just today opened my newsletter from tribes yarns and they mentioned your find your fade shawl and rose cardigan. I bought pattern for that cardi but haven't started it yet. I was do happy they mentioned you.....and later on I watched your video.....double happy me today 💜💜 thanks x

[@hellorachelthefirst]

I love your ideas of playing with contrast vs color! I made cream-on-white colorwork socks as a challenge to myself this month to see if I could get low contrast to work as a design feature!

[@jessicamyers8073]

I ordered tags from Dutch Label. They say By Jessica Myers. Great for gifts whether knit, crocheted or sewn.

[@Tracys_Knitting_Addiction]

Good morning from Ottawa Canada 🇨🇦

[@mdbenoit]

Ditto!

[@Crochetedpossum]

That is how I tell the back of my weekender as well!! Also, we are getting huge snow dump today!! ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️

[@davidhensley76]

I live about 25 minutes from Black Mountain Yarn Company. I wish I had known you were there.

[@HeatherSB]

I hope your leave is continuing to be everything you need it to be!

[@lindanoseworthy8594]

Your shawl is beautiful

[@sunnyw4148]

I make some duplicate stitches on the inside back of my sweaters. Thanks for sharing your insights with us.

[@barbaraamping5659]

Thanks 😊

[@sylvieouellette3136]

Thank you for discussing gauge, once again. For projects where several different yarns may be used (like your Stripes sweater, or colour work), do you need to swatch with EACH different yarn? Or the one one that you may use the most?

[@denisefernandez1248]

Love the fabric you used for the Penny Pullover! Can you share where it’s from? 😮

[@garyweybright3227]

I enjoy sewing a vintage button in the back of my knitted sweaters! ClaudiaSJI

[@sarabarentine8310]

❤❤❤

[@carissaletz1382]

Hmm, I don’t see the usual links in the description. I was hoping for the info on sweater care / anti-pilling tools. Can anyone else see the link?

[@amandacline2689]

Hi Andrea! I have recently knit and blocked a v neck sweater. I love the general size of the sweater, however I noticed that due to this sweater not having short row shaping the back of the neck is not as high up as I'd like. I am wondering how to go about fixing this. My initial thoughts were to rip out the ribbing of the neck and get to the back body stitches, separate the front stitches from the back and add 6 short rows (3 each side), then continue on like I normally would in finishing the sweater. This is also a raglan sweater so I am wondering if that would have an impact on this as well. Hoping this all makes sense. It would be my first big modification so I would love feedback and any suggestions on how to go about this. Thank you!

[@lizzieholland]

Lovely episode thanks. I report bots immediately! (Virtue bleurgh!)

[@AidaBoza]

Hi Andrea, thank you for another great video. I have made 2 Weekenders for myself my favorite sweater. I’m teaching my daughter to knit a sweater and she decided for the Weekender. I didn’t realized till she divided front and back that she had only knitted all the rows with the one purl in back and front side ( Rnd 1 ) without doing the Rnd 2 of Sl 1 wyif. Should I secure the front and back Knit stitch from the wrong side? Please let me know I don’t want her to be discouraged. Thank you Aida

[@janmachusak5328]

Andrea, info/links aren't opening... Help! Thanks

[@chaniezmd9738]

#question what are the best practices when knitting a pattern intended for wool out of plant fiber (cotton or linen)? I live in the southeastern USA and want some nice knits for summer.

[@willowbird4081]

Where can I find the sewing pattern for the pants? I don't see a way to go back and 'follow' your sewing journey. No clue as to which episode you may have included it. I only KZbin--no Instagram so I don't know if that is why but I want to make some pants and would appreciate knowing about a comfortable pattern. thanks.

[@joanmachado9063]

Good morning great podcast thank you 😊

[@florencemartin8995]

5:56 😊'

[@charlenepodgorski8545]

So what do you have planned for episode 100 🎉

[@crisreneemakes7178]

Does any have any ideas for alternatives to sewn in tags? I cannot wear tags in my clothing due to sensory issues. I even cut most of the tags out of ready to wear clothing.

[@dankahorvathova8244]

What about seeing it on the left or right bottom side of your work? Xx it will not scratch your neck 🙂

[@charlzannmitchell9081]

What is the name of the pants you made? I really like them.

[@annewheeler2156]

I have a question about getting my crew neck sweaters to have the right size for me. I pick patterns with what looks like a neck with the size I want, but after I knit the sweater , the neck seems to stretch and be way bigger than I want. What am doing wrong?

[@annewheeler2156]

An addition to the above question: I get. Old around my neck, so this is important in cold vermont! I did have this problem with my alpenglow that I knit for rhinebeck. I noticed that many of the sweaters had what I considered tighter necks, so I know the pattern can have a tighter neck. Please help?

[@annewheeler2156]

Cold around my neck!!

[@lindanoseworthy8594]

Yep the spam bot hit a few podcasters