[Nfb-krafters-korner] substituting yarn for spring

[Becky Frankeberger]

Man this is a gold mine of information.

Becky 

March 28, 2011
.
KnittingDaily.com
Yarn substitution for the changing season
Spacer 10x10 pixels
The Cerulean Cardigan by Wendy Bernard, from the DVD workshop
Knitting from the Top Down
There are so many types of knitters-some see a pattern and buy the yarn
called for
in the exact color the sample is knitted in, some see a pattern and buy the
yarn
called for the the pattern in another color, some see a pattern and buy
totally different
yarn, and some see a pattern and look for appropriate yarn in their stash.
This also goes the other way: some see a yarn they love and buy it without
any idea
what it will be knitted into!
I've been a member of all of these groups and I'll bet you have, too!
But what if it's almost springtime and you see a pattern you love that's
written
for a wooly tweed yarn? Easy! You pick a springy yarn!
But it's actually not that easy. Patterns are usually written for a certain
type
of yarn, whether it be wool, cotton, bamboo, or the myriad other fibers
available
to us now!
The pattern that made me think a lot about this topic is the Cerulean
Cardigan by
Wendy Bernard. Wendy talks about this pattern in-depth in her
super-informative DVD
workshop
Knitting from the Top Down.
 She designed the Cerulean Cardigan for Lana Grossa Royal Tweed, which is a
100 percent
merino wool yarn.
There's a reason so many sweaters are designed with merino wool-it's got a
certain
bounce and memory that works great for knitted garments, it's lightweight,
and it's
warm, too!
But I want this sweater for spring and early fall, so I don't want a warm
wool. What
to do?
Here's my plan:
1. Evaluate the merino yarn Wendy used to see what properties I need to look
for
in a substitute yarn.
The merino yarn is a bulky weight yarn that's knit at a gauge of 4 stitches
to the
inch. That makes a nice, slightly firm fabric that floats nicely along the
body's
curves. It shows stitch definition well, but that's not crucial in this
pattern since
there's no cabling or lace patterns. The tweediness of the yarn adds
interest to
the sweater, but that's also part of what makes it look like a warm sweater
(to me,
at least).
2. Look at the sweater design itself and evaluate the piece to see what
modifications
I might want to make to the sweater to change the seasonality of it.
I love this sweater pretty much as it is. The main change I'll make is
shortening
the sleeves substantially, probably by about five inches. I love the clasp
(it's
a giant hook-and-eye.) I might make some changes in the shaping (like not
doing the
waist shaping because it doesn't flatter my apple shape), but that's no
biggie. So
my arm-length change will just mean that I'll need less yarn!
3. Look at my stash and see what I have in sweater quantity, warm-weather
yarn.
I know I have some cotton yarns to consider, but I don't want this sweater
to be
heavy or to stretch out too much, which can be a problem with 100 percent
cotton
yarns. Cotton is simply heavier than wool, and it doesn't have a natural
elasticity
like wool does so it tends to stretch out a bit. I'm hoping I have
sweater-quantity
in a wool/cotton blend.
The reason I like wool/cotton blends is that you get the best of both
worlds-the
elasticity of wool and the warm-weather friendliness of cotton. There are a
lot of
summer fibers that are great for sweaters, such as bamboo, silk, linen, and
so on.
There are pros and cons to all of these fibers for this sweater. Bamboo
would be
heavy knit at this gauge in an allover stockinette sweater, but there are
some really
great cotton/bamboo or wool/bamboo blends that would work wonderfully well.
The addition
of the cotton or wool fibers to the bamboo really lightens it up.
The silk blends available these days are stunningly beautiful, but I think
they'd
be better for a lace pattern and not an allover stockinette pattern. Silk
yarn and
silk blends are lightweight, but they tend to be a little pricey for a
workhorse
sweater, which is what I have in mind for the Cerulean Cardigan.
Linen is one of my favorite fibers. I love the look of it, whether it's in a
woven
fabric or in a knitted fabric. If I choose a linen yarn for the Cerulean,
it'll change
the drape of the garment, making it looser and giving it more flow. I kind
of like
the idea of this, so I think I'll put linen on the list. I have a skein of a
merino/linen
blend, and I think I'll swatch it up to see how it might look for the
Cerulean.
4. Swatch, swatch, swatch, swatch!
In order to see which yarn will give me the results I want, I'll need to
knit several
swatches. I don't mind swatching-it's good TV knitting, especially if you're
swatching
in stockinette, which I will be doing.
I'll block the swatches so I can see a good representation of the finished
fabric,
and then I'll make my decision.
My plan is to swatch a linen blend, a few cotton blends, and maybe a bamboo
blend.
I have a couple of these in my stash, but I think I'll have to go shopping
for enough
yarn to complete the sweater. Oh, darn!
My Cerulean will probably be much different from Wendy's original design;
but I think
it'll turn out nicely and it'll be a fun exercise in yarn substitution.
The Cerulean is a top-down pattern with set-in sleeves, which is also part
of the
appeal of the design for me. It's a really neat technique, and Wendy's DVD
walks you through the knitting and construction of the sweater, so
be sure and get your copy of  Knitting from the Top Down with Wendy Bernard
today
!
Cheers,
Kathleen Cubley
Kathleen Cubley
is the editor of
Knitting Daily.
empyrean tunic ad
Deep Texture Tunic
More Knitting Daily
.
Blogs
.
Galleries
.
Knitting Daily TV
.
Free Patterns
.
Join Knitting Daily
.
Share Your Comments
Master Top Down Knitting with Expert Wendy Bernard
in the Knitting Daily Workshop DVD!
Spacer 15x15 pixels
Knitting from the Top Down with Wendy Bernard DVD
Order Now! - Red - Large
Spacer 10x10 pixels
Knitting From the Top Down with Wendy Bernard DVD
In this workshop video, knitter extraordinaire Wendy Bernard shares her
expertise
for knitting top-down sweaters. Knit along with her as she demonstrates a
top-down
raglan pullover and a set-in sleeve cardigan pattern. With the tips and
techniques
you'll learn from this step-by-step approach, you'll become an expert on
knitting
from the top down.
With Knitting from the Top Down with Wendy Bernard, you'll learn:
How to shape necklines, armholes, sleeves, and the bodies of knitted
sweaters while
knitting from the top down, a method that allows you to try on sweaters
while you're
knitting them.
How to customize the fit of any top-down sweater.
How to place provisional stitches onto live needles.
How to join sweater sections easily with little or no seaming.
And much, much more!
Plus!
 With the purchase of this DVD, you'll receive access to two sweater
patterns seen
on this video--Wendy's Riverstone Boatneck pullover and Cerulean Cardigan.
Enjoy
the benefits of knitting from the top down and invite Wendy Bernard into
your fiber
studio!
.
.
.
Learn more great knitting techniques with the other Knitting Daily Workshop
DVDs:
Spacer 15x15 pixels
A Knitter's Guide to Color with Laura Bryant DVD
Order Now! - Red - Large
Spacer 10x10 pixels
NEW!
A Knitter's Guide to Color with Laura Bryant DVD
Bring excitement to your knitwear with COLOR! With the help of color expert
and knitwear
designer Laura Bryant, you'll learn about color from an artist's perspective
and
begin a journey that will open your eyes and enrich your knitting.
With A Knitter's Guide to Color with Laura Bryant
, color effects are presented in tangible and visual terms that illustrate
how colors
behave and our perceptions of them. With Laura's help, you'll train your eye
to develop
your own sensibilities. A new way of sorting color and seeing relationships
becomes
the basis for exploring color through several simple, yet clever, knitting
techniques.
With A Knitter's Guide to Color with Laura Bryant, you'll learn:
. How to make color stories with a knowledge of color values and weights
. How to recognize color relationships and interactions
. How to design your knitwear using color for more visual impact
. And more!
Plus, A Knitter's Guide to Color with Laura Bryant
includes an explanation of the Fibonacci number sequence related to color
and a free
pattern for the shawl shown on this video.
.
.
.
Inside Intarsia with Anne Berk DVD
Order Now! - Red - Large
Spacer 10x10 pixels
Inside Intarsia with Anne Berk DVD
Master knitter and designer Anne Berk takes you on a journey of intarsia
knitting.
She explains the difference between intarsia and stranded knitting, how to
manage
your yarns while knitting intarsia, demonstrates knitting techniques in the
round,
and more.
With the Knitting Daily Workshop: Inside Intarsia with Anne Berk DVD, you'll
learn:
Beginning basics of intarsia, such as how to read a colorwork chart, join
new yarns
into your work, orient stitches properly while weaving in your yarn ends,
and more
Knitting intarsia techniques for knitting intarsia in the round,plus how to
convert
knitting patterns with an example of an argyle sock pattern knit both flat
and in
the roun
How to fix common intarsia knitting mistakes, such as forgetting to link
yarns when
switching colors, what to do if you use the wrong color or drop a stitch,
and more
Plus
, with the purchase of this DVD, you'll receive access to two of Anne Berk's
patterns--a
coffee cozy and a stylish, colorful beret to practice your new intarsia
knitting
skills.
Knitting Daily Workshop DVDs offer the best in knitting tips, tricks, and
techniques.
Discover what you've been missing in these DVDs.
Shop all Knitting Daily Workshop DVDs at the Interweave Store now!
Find us on Facebook
.
Follow us on Twitter
.
See us on YouTube
This email was sent to: b.butterfly at comcast.net
Privacy Policy
.
Unsubscribe
.
Manage your email preferences
Interweave, 201 E. 4th St., Loveland, CO 80537
C2011 Interweave Press, LLC. All rights reserved.
Interweave