We are in love with a new pattern. It is called Friday Again, designed by fallmasche on Ravelry.
It makes use of the new (to us) method of “contiguous sleeve” design. With this method, set in sleeves are added as you go in a seamless, top-down sweater. (It is similar to the more widely known method described in Barbara Walker’s Knitting from the Top Down, but it differs in a few important respects.) The sleeve cap is created with an ingenious method of frequent increases along the shoulder line. The resulting fit is fantastic.
Susan’s Friday
Yes, it’s me again!! I hate pictures of myself, but this design has to be seen on the wearer to appreciate the fit. I combined several sizes into one to get a perfect fit. I also added a little edge to the neckline, but it probably was unnecessary.
I used Berocco Ultra Alpaca Light in color Blueberry Crush. Gorgeous color. Gorgeous yarn. So delectably soft!! I love the finished result and plan on making a summery version as well.
Sally’s Friday
I had been looking for a pattern for some yarn since I bought it months ago. The yarn is Silky DK by Viola, a blend of silk and merino. The color: Nosferatu. I absolutely could not resist it.
This photo shows the sweater in progress before I divided for the sleeves. You can see how the sleeve and cap are created by the increases.
A few photos of it on Lucy:
Finally, a rare photo of me. I wore this when my daughter and I went out to dinner in Boulder for my birthday. This is a picture she took on her cell phone, so excuse the quality (and the model). Susan made me post it!
I love this sweater and I love the yarn with one caveat. It seems to want to pill. I may just need to cast on another Friday Again in a different yarn so I can throw it on no matter what day the calendar says it is.
Conclusion
We called this post “Simply Deceptive” instead of “Deceptively Simple,” which had been our first choice. The pattern has such a look of ease about it: stockinette in the round with a slip-stitch detail. What could be easier? However, the method is a bit different and fallmasche’s instructions might be difficult for some knitters to decipher in spots because instead of a more typical “narrative” form, much of the directions are provided in a table format. We called each other several times to double check our numbers. Others have sailed through it, and the technique is not difficult. We both recommend the pattern highly.
PS from Susan — where is the snow indeed!?! Last year we had over 60 inches by now and this year about 15. It is supposed to snow this week, however. Ugh for the commute time but great in other ways!
PS2 from Susan: Nancy asked what I did to the neckline: I picked up sts (stitch for stitch) from the WS through the cast on row and then bound off loosely as to knit (again, from the WS side row — I was working in the round).
PS3 from Susan: Sivani asked, “How did you find the back neck and its fit? Does the pattern include increases at the back neck and if so, did you follow the pattern or find that you had to make adjustments?” Short row shaping is done at the very beginning of the sweater to raise the back neck. It fits quite well, but it is straight across. I think it would be rather complicated to create a dip in the back neck if that is your preference. I’m sure it can be done, but it would be hard for me to wrap my brain around it!
Both sweaters are perfect! But Susan, where is the February snow? It looks like spring in your yard 🙂
Comment by kmkat — February 19, 2012 @ 5:43 pm
I’ve been looking at this “pattern” also – thanks for your take on it – and for the modelled photos! I always love to see how a sweater actually looks on a body…….especially the body it was knit for LOL!
Comment by Anne — February 19, 2012 @ 6:54 pm
I, too, am intrigued by the contiguous sleeve thing. I’ve been looking at patterns by lilalu/owlsisters/grasflecken/isabell…love her style. Can’t wait for il grande favorito!
Comment by Sally — February 19, 2012 @ 8:53 pm
Thanks for sharing this – very intriguing construction – and the finished sweaters look terrific on each of you. Thank you for sharing the pictures of YOU wearing them. Very helpful – and nice looking besides.
Comment by Pam — February 20, 2012 @ 2:30 am
Susan, you had me with your bright smile and that vertical seam-like detail down the front of the sweater. That always works for me. Sally, you had me with the shoulder close up and that wonderful rosy color. I’m a red person too! I should make this sweater. I think I will. And PLEASE keep modeling your sweaters. You both look GREAT!
Comment by Chloe — February 20, 2012 @ 9:53 am
What a great looking sweater! You both really look beautiful wearing them. (Seriously, you are both beautiful women!!)Thank you for sharing the pictures, and your opinion of this pattern. I like the seaming detail – lovely!
Comment by Barb — February 20, 2012 @ 11:44 am
…like they all said, beautiful models/sweaters/pictures.
???-could it be easily modified to be a cardigan??? I get too warm for pullovers.
thanks.
Comment by pattie — February 20, 2012 @ 12:04 pm
You look beautiful both of you in your “Friday Again”, I love Fallmasche designs and have knitted two of them. I think I’ll get this one in a near future. Félicitations !!!
Comment by lo de lille — February 20, 2012 @ 2:19 pm
Thank you both so much for posting photos of the real women behind your blog, in addition to the signal service it is, for me, to read about a new way to add shoulders. Shudder: I might check out the pattern just to see whether or not I DARE to knit a sweater!
Comment by Linda — February 20, 2012 @ 2:19 pm
Two lovely sweaters made and worn by two lovely and skilled ladies! Susan, if you would, please describe how you made the neckline edging. Thank you.
Comment by Nancy — February 20, 2012 @ 2:59 pm
Both of you look great in this sweater. There is a tutorial on the contiguous group to aid in learning this method.
Comment by Beverly — February 20, 2012 @ 6:00 pm
That may well be my very favorite style I have seen in ages.
Comment by Pat — February 20, 2012 @ 8:39 pm
Thank you for suggesting what looks to be a great sweater pattern. Hmmmm, I wonder if I could add some steek stitches and end up making a cardigan with that pattern??
Comment by Sue — February 21, 2012 @ 2:53 pm
Lovely x 2!
Comment by Wendy O — February 21, 2012 @ 3:15 pm
Love the final products!
I’ve been intrigued by the Contiguous method for a while, following along on the Ravelry group. One big thing frequently considered is the fitting at the back neck, and the need to add increases and their number, locations and repeats.
How did you find the back neck and its fit? Does the pattern include increases at the back neck and if so, did you follow the pattern or find that you had to make adjustments?
Thanks in advance!
Comment by Sivani — February 22, 2012 @ 2:13 pm
So nice to see your faces! 🙂 Congrats on the lovely sweaters. I am a big fan of the BW method, I will look into this pattern.
Comment by June — February 22, 2012 @ 4:13 pm
Great photos of you two! And I love the sweaters! I’ve been imagining that I’m going to try this method soon… I’m glad it has your stamp of approval.
Comment by Lisle — February 24, 2012 @ 10:30 am
Yup, gotta love this sweater, gotta try makin the sweater :}
Comment by Joni — February 25, 2012 @ 9:05 pm
Thanks so much for this helpful post. Did the pattern provide detailed measurements? Both of you look so good in your sweaters in part because they both fit. Yay! I am also curious to see that some people used fingering yarn, others used DK. Were you offered that option in the instructions?
Comment by Sue — February 29, 2012 @ 10:32 pm
Like the two of you I fell for this lovely design and bought it. Normally I have no problems working with a pattern in English (being Danish). But now I have struggled with the fake seam stitch. I simply cannot make it work, and I have not been able to find a demo. So do you, or anybody else, know if and where I can get help? Lone, Copenhagen
Comment by Lone Carstensen — October 20, 2014 @ 3:29 pm