The rectangular shape creates a fabulous and flattering drape in the front. The roomy size and warm wool make this sweater a cozy favorite.

 We are looking forward to wearing this sweater often on chilly weekends (like this past weekend) and in the cool fall months to come.

What about you, did you finish your sweater?

I loved how quickly I was able to memorize the pattern and the end was finished in no time.

This wrap will be the same width as my Toasty Woodland Wrap (Holiday 2011)

  Once complete, I measured my end piece to find it is only 15 inches wide, much narrower than I would have preferred. I thought that the width of this wrap would be fine until last weekend; when I went out with friends and took my Toasty Woodland Wrap (featured in the Holiday 2011 issue) as a cover-up. I realized that while the Woodland wrap is wonderful in the winter over my coat as an over-sized scarf it is not wide enough to keep me warm on a chilly spring night. 

 Because I am still concerned that the finished fabric knit on a size 9 will be too loose for my taste, I have decided to split the difference and have again cast on this time using a size 8. Hopefully this end will go as quickly as it did on a size 7 needle. 

It appears that on a size 8 the finished wrap will be one pattern repeat wider

What about you? Have you finished your first end piece yet?

Again using the rule of two I knit both sleeves at the same time, also because I prefer to knit rather than purl, I turned my sleeves inside out so that I could knit (instead of purling) each row. 

I also decided to knit a cabled band 3 repeats wide and attach it to the cuff of the sleeve, rather than changing to the honeycomb cable pattern and knitting the band directly onto the bottom of the sleeve. I thought that attaching a band would better match the cabled bands on the front of the sweater.   Having already made this change, I must admit that it would have been much easier, and would probably have looked just as nice had I knit the honeycomb pattern directly onto the sleeve.

Next step blocking- almost finished!!!

Using Unisono by Skacel, I knit my first swatch on a size 7 and attained a gauge of 23 sts and 27 rows.

I changed to a US size 9 needle and knit several rows of garter (to notate where I changed needle sizes) and then knit a second swatch. Using a size 9 I attained the correct gauge of 19 sts, however, I think that the finished fabric is a tad too loose for my taste. I love the lace design of the Stained Glass wrap, but because it is more of a geometric pattern, rather than a traditional floral lace, I feel that it will be better suited to a tighter fabric.

What about you?

Using the “rule of two” I decided to knit both borders at the same time. I always feel like the knitting goes faster when I work two pieces at the same time.

 What about you? Have you finished the body of your sweater yet?

First let’s look at the before pictures with the row of cables twisting the wrong direction.

I like to begin by unraveling all of the stitches that need to be fixed, however it has been my experience that it is easiest to correct one cable at a time.

After unraveling the stitches back to the row that needs to be fixed use split stitch markers to keep the “live” stitches (loops) from dropping further down (unraveling)  into your knitting.

Using the same cable principles, over-lap the stitches. Hold the stitches that you are cabling either to the front or the back, and re-cross them to create a cable twisting the correct direction.  Once the stitches are twisting the proper way, pick up one row of stitches at a time until you get to the next cable row.  Repeat the process of crossing the stitches creating a cable twist and continue to pick up the dropped stitches.

In general, it is easiest to pick up one long line of dropped stitches at a time. But, when working with cables you will need to work with all of the dropped stitches in each row to keep the work even. In the case of our Honeycomb pattern, the cables cross every 4th row. To ensure that you are crossing all of the stitches on the proper row, I recommend picking up each row of dropped stitches before moving to the next row.

Now it’s your turn to create a swatch and practice re-twisting your cables. Next time you have a cable twisting the wrong way, don’t frog, just drop, twist and fix!

If you are participating in our Honeycomb Swing Knit-along and you have also had this happen, I thought that we would share a few helpful hints to help you re-twist your cables without frogging (un-knitting) back to the row with the error.

We’ll start with teaching you how to pick up dropped stitches, and once you have mastered these simple steps you will be able to repair holes in any of your knitted sweaters (hand-made or store bought).

Helpful Hint: I have found that it’s easiest to pick up dropped stitches on the knit side of the work using a crochet hook.

To pick up a dropped stitch place the live loop on a crochet hook. Using the hook end, pull the loose strand of the first dropped stitch through the loop, creating a new loop. Continue to pull the loose strands through the loop, creating new loops as you “walk the stitches up the ladder”.

Now it’s your turn, knit a sample swatch, follow the simple steps and take the fear out of dropped stitches.

What about you? Have you completed the back yet?  Did you have any difficulties with the provisional cast on?  If you need any help, please feel free to let us know either here or on our Facebook page.  Remember we are here to help!

My knitting plan, for this year, is to finish more projects and work one project at a time.  I have never been a monogamous knitter.  I find a pattern and yarn that I love, cast on in eager anticipation for wearing the finished garment (socks, hat, sweater, whatever the pattern happens to be for) and then half-way through I am wooed away by some other beautiful pattern or yarn.  But this year, I am going to be faithful.  I am very excited for the knit alongs we have planned for Love of Knitting, and I know that by knitting together we can keep each other on track and finish everything that we start.

I am hopeful that my goal to finish everything I start new will also translate over to me finishing one of my many WIP’s (works in progress).  Perhaps I will be so faithful that for every new project I finish I will be inspired to go and finish an old project as well.

What about you – do you have knitting goals for this year?

At some point early in the year, possibly last February, I put this project down and forgot about it, until we started receiving yarn to be featured in our online yarn reviews – 52 Weeks of Yarn.  Week 11 features Loftyby Kollage Yarns, and this fabulous vivid red yarn reminded me of my wrap that I started last New Years’ eve.  I was inspired to find that fantastic project and finish it, and I was also inspired to design my own matching hat.  I can’t think of a better way to start the new year than with a knitted gift for myself.