kathleen dames

02 November 2015

Winding yarn for new project: swift and wonder in action #knitscope

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30 October 2015

Technique: Integrated Button Bands

When I introduced you to Marianne cardigan on Monday, I realized I hadn't talked in-depth about one of my favorite cardigan techniques: Integrated Button Bands.

I picked up the basics of this technique from Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket. In that pattern she has you work the button bands on both sides of the jacket, since you might be knitting it before the baby is born and would not know the sex of the child. Once the baby is born you'd be able to sew the buttons onto the jacket on the "proper" side.

When I thought about the technique for an adult sweater, I realized that doing both button holes meant that you would know exactly where to sew the buttons on when you were finishing the garment: over the holes, which would line them up perfectly with the buttonholes!

Since small buttons and lots of them are my preference, basic "baby" button holes using yo, k2tog work perfectly. Garter Stitch works nicely as the base, since the fabric is springy and tightens up just enough to prevent the button band from sagging.

Patterns I've published that use this technique include:

Bloc Party Cardi (FREE on Knitty)
Kellynch Cardigan (I'll be self-publishing this one from Jane Austen Knits 2014 soon)
Marianne Cardigan
Pomegranate Cardi

Have you ever used this technique? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo,

Quadrille c'est fini! #FOFriday #knitscope

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Walk in riverside park #nycfallfoliage quick scope (#FOFriday chat later today)

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29 October 2015

Kitchener stitch for Quadrille #knitscope

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28 October 2015

Pattern: Colonel Brandon

Colonel Brandon on Ravelry (no account necessary)

Available in Jane Austen Knits 2015 $14.99 (print and instant dowload)

Manly yet sensitive, in the end Colonel Brandon is the perfect match for Marianne Dashwood. And his sweater embodies their story: Hartshorn Cable is the central motif (Marianne is dosed with hartshorn after she encounters the feckless Willoughby in town), Waves of Honey highlight the sweet reward of Marianne’s hand after all the colonel suffers, and the Alternating Cables embody the dichotomy of Colonel Brandon’s persona: romantic hero with his poor Eliza versus wearer of flannel waistcoats in Marianne’s initial impression. The seamless hybrid yoke allows the cables to wrap up around and square off the shoulders, while garter stitch creates a crisp collar, cuffs, and hem.

What you'll love about knitting Colonel Brandon:

Seamless design worked in the round means you are always looking at the front of your work and can better keep track of all those cables
The cable patterns are aligned, which means you work the "action" rounds all together - it's easier to keep track of what you're doing this way
The hybrid yoke cleverly shapes the sweater to the body while still showing off those wonderful cables

What you'll love about wearing Colonel Brandon:

Garter stitch collar/cuffs/hem provide a clean finish
Hybrid yoke creates lovely square shoulders
Cables tell the story of Colonel Brandon's romantic life

Size/Finished Measurements

38 1/4 (41 1/4, 45 1/4, 48 1/2, 54 1/4, 58 1/4)" bust/chest circumference. Sweater shown measures 38 1/4".

Materials

Brooklyn Tweed Shelter (100% wool; 140 yd [128 m]/1 3/4 oz [50 g]): birdbook (medium green), 10 (11, 12, 14, 15, 17) skeins.
US6 (4 mm): 16" and 29" circular (cir) and set of doublepointed (dpn). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
Stitch markers
Removable markers
Cable needle
Stitch holders or waste yarn
Tapestry needle

Gauge

18 sts and 25 rnds = 4" in St st; Hartshorn Cable chart = 3" wide; 16 sts of Double Moss Stitch chart = 4" wide; Alternating Cable chart = 1 1/4" wide; 12 sts of Wave of Honey chart = 2 1/4" wide.

Skills Needed

casting on
binding off
knitting
purling
increasing
decreasing
cabling (I highly recommend learning how to cable without a cable needle)
following cable charts

Thanks!

Many thanks to the entire staff at Jane Austen Knits/Interweave/F + W Media

Purchase your copy of Jane Austen Knits 2015 today at your favorite LYS or directly from Interweave.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy knitting!
xoxo,

26 October 2015

Pattern: Marianne cardigan

Marianne cardigan on Ravelry

Available in Jane Austen Knits 2015 $14.99 (print and instant dowload)

“Mrs. Jennings was perfectly convinced of it. It would be an excellent match, for Colonel Brandon was rich and Marianne Dashwood was handsome.”

—Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility, Vol. 1, Ch. 8

And so begins the extraordinary fate of Miss Marianne Dashwood. What better attire for our heroine than an Empire-waist cardigan with an intriguing cabled lace skirt and picot edging around the mitered neckline. Stockinette-stitch panels at the side make waist shaping easy, and the garter-stitch hem, cuffs, and integrated button band give a clean finish, allowing the picots to draw attention upward to your pretty face.

The Lace Lozenges pattern uses a novel technique with a cable needle to create the lovely ovals, which remind me of cameos. This is one of the few times I bother actually using a cable needle - generally I find you move along more quickly working cable without a cable needle (or spare DPN). But in this instance, I was unable to find a way to work the Lace Lozenges safely without a cable needle.

As this design was partially inspired by Regency era gowns, the bust area is not as modest as you might prefer. You can wear something underneath (like the model here) that makes up the difference for you, or you could choose to work the front stitches for a few more rows to raise the neckline before holding them aside. Knitter's choice!

What you'll love about knitting Marianne cardigan:

Exciting-to-work skirt pattern makes clever use of a cable needle to create pretty cameo shapes
Integrated garter stitch button band (matches cuffs and hem) means you'll have minimal finishing work to do - seam the sleeves, weave the underarms, then it's time to go on a button hunt!
Pretty picot bindoff at the neckline is fun to work and hearkens back to lace trim on Regency gowns

What you'll love about wearing Marianne cardigan:

Waist-shaping in side panels creates a figure-flattering empire shape that you'll love to show off
Squared neckline with picots brings the attention up to your face (where it belongs!)
Fingering-weight yarn and 3/4-sleeves make this a cardigan you'll reach for year-round