Last winter I started to knit a jumper/jersey for Jack, but I didn’t get it finished before the spring arrived, for me knitting is a winter pastime. I managed to complete it last week and I’m quite pleased with it. I learned a new technique for joining the back and front together at the shoulders, splicing the two sides together using three needles to cast off. It makes a very nice joint, much neater than sewing them together.
This is a sort of mock Guernsey (gansey) type of knit, the pattern is similar to a gansey but it isn’t knitted with a circular needle as those ones are. Unusually the cuffs and bottom edges are done in garter (all plain) stitches but although the pattern says the collar should be done in garter stitch the photo of the finished article is definitely a ribbed collar. I opted to do a ribbed collar too as I think a garter stitch one might have been just a bit too radical for Jack’s liking.
It’s still winter, there’s snow on the ground and I have plenty of wool to use up, so I’ll have to look through my patterns and knitting books to see what I can knit now.
Looks great, Katrina. I have fantasies of knitting a gansey too. They’re traditionally made down here too of course. I know I have the ability, I just seem to lack the perseverance these days. One day, I hope!
Sandra,
Thanks. I lost the knack of knitting well for years, I just couldn’t concentrate on big items, but I seem to have got it back again!
Really nice ! I should keep it for myself if I were you ! đŸ™‚ My husband just walked in and said ” Could she make me one ? ” Beautiful colour too !
Daisy Debs,
Thanks. At one point I did think that if Jack wasn’t keen on it I’d keep it for myself – and I might yet!
No Daisy Debs, knitting one was enough but I bet you could knit one for your husband easily!
That’s beautiful! I’d love to be able to knit sweaters like that. Or sweaters at all!
Joan,
For me this was much easier than tackling socks, I just can’t knit them. This was made with nice soft acrylic yarn too.
Oh, that jumper is a beauty! Back in my teens and twenties, I knitted numerous sweaters, and I envy how well yours is put together. That’s always the hard part–will it look well all “put together?”
I’m not tempting fate with sweaters at the moment. I’ve been working on knitting a “throw,” a word that doesn’t impress me as a descriptive term for a squared-short afgany sort of thing.
I will have loads of sewing together at the end because this throw is composed of squares, each one a different brilliant color, in a unique decorative stitch. It’s been fun. I’ve been away from knitting for a while, so this looked like something I could tackle without too much angst.
Judith,
I’ve always been puzzled by that use of the word afghan to mean a blanket or throw. In the UK an afghan (if it isn’t a dog) was what we called those coats of the 60s and 70s that stank to high heaven, possibly made from goat skin! I’ve never knitted an entire ‘afghan’ but I’ve always thought that when I do I’ll try to splice the squares together using a crochet hook instead of a needle, possibly faster and neater – worth a try I think.
It’s always the finishing that gets me – trying not to have lumpy seams.
Looking forward to seeing what you knit next. I have just mastered Kitchener stitch to finish some 1 sock so I am motoring away on the second.
Jo,
I’ve never even heard of Kitchener stitch. I can’t wait to see your socks, I’m so impressed as I’m only any good on two needles.