As I merrily plow ahead with my Tangled Yoke, I thought I’d share one of the changes I made. The instructions, which are for a cardigan (I’m knitting this as a pullover), call for you to knit the entire piece (back and fronts) back and forth with a purl stitch running from the hem to the under arm to give the look of a seam. I did that, but wasn’t sure I liked how it looked. So, in order to see if I would like it better without the faux seam, I undid it on one side. Here’s what I mean.
First, here is a shot of the side “seam.”
To remove it, I first dropped the purl stitch all the way down to the garter rib. (I wasn’t going to undo the seam stitch there because it provides a focal point for the decreases.)
Then, using a crochet hook, I laddered the stitch back up — turning it from a purl stitch to a knit stitch.
Without the seam stitch, the side looks like this:
I liked how that looked better, so before I joined the sleeves and body for the yoke, I undid the seam stitch on the other side as well. Important note: I conducted this experiment before I finished the garter rib on my first sleeve, so I could decide whether or not to add the seam stitch to the sleeve under arm. I wanted the sleeves and body to match, obviously.
A few people have asked me about the yarn I’m using. It’s Rowan’s Felted Tweed Shade Number 152, which they call Watery. It’s a very nice yarn to knit with. I would definitely use it again.
Sally- This illustrates the point perfectly- if something isn’t working for you,
fix it and make it your own.
You could never tell there was a seam there.
It is such a pretty color.
Comment by Lorraine — October 2, 2007 @ 9:47 am
It sure is a beautiful colour. I look forward to seeing this knit as a pullover. Are you simply taking the back cabling and putting it on the front, or is it more complicated than that?
Comment by Gale — October 2, 2007 @ 10:09 am
Thanks for showing that, EZ is always talking about doing that for a “fake” seam. i had trouble imagining it and and it never appealed to me. Now I know why – it almost looks like a mistake.
Comment by Jane — October 2, 2007 @ 11:50 am
Someday I will knit that — and now I know that I will knit it without the purl stitch there. Thanks!
Comment by AuntieAnn — October 2, 2007 @ 12:00 pm
Smart move. It looks so much nicer without the fake seam. Why would anyone want it to LOOK like there was a seam — aren’t we always trying to make our seams invisible??!?
Comment by Sue — October 2, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
I had read the pattern and was extremely dubious about the false seam and was planning to omit it. Now I will definitely leave it out. I’m still finishing up at least one of my in progress sweaters and deciding what yarn I want use on the tangled yoke. I’m looking forward to seeing your answer to Gale about the yoke cabling. I was thiking of keeping the cable ends in the front design, but with a smaller gap and perhaps making the gap somewhat off center, rather than smack in the middle.
Comment by Astrid — October 2, 2007 @ 3:45 pm
Sally – a belated comment on the wonderful evening at Borders while we waited for the Yarn Harlot. (I just got back from a week out in California visiting my daughter and baby-sitting for my grand-daughter.) It was so much fun to sit and visit with you. Spending time with other knitters is just the best! I hope we’ll run into each other again. Your knitting is just beautiful and it was great to see the Cap shawl in person — I felt like I was sitting near knitting royalty!
Comment by Trudy — October 2, 2007 @ 4:09 pm
Oh, that looks great – much better!
Comment by Deirdre — October 2, 2007 @ 4:23 pm
Man, sometimes I feel like such a fraud. I’m a decent knitter, but this kind of thing, or “steeks” or “Kaunis” just plain freak me out. I’m just too chicken.
Comment by Peggy — October 2, 2007 @ 5:06 pm
I’m with you on this: no seam is much better! And Watery? Such a wonderful color.
Comment by Karen B. — October 2, 2007 @ 8:51 pm
That looks so much better. That yarn is just the best. I’ve seen and squeezed that yarn at the LYS. Love tweed!
Going to get me some. Love how you are “owning” that sweater!
Comment by kellistarr — October 3, 2007 @ 12:02 am
I love the color you’ve chosen for this sweater and am enjoying reading about your progress. I finally attended my first ‘Knitting Basics’ class last night – I’m hooked. Hee! I was very tempted to bring my yarn & needles to work today, but I doubt anyone would believe they were necessary parts of the new systems project I’m supposed to be working on…. go figure.
Comment by Anna — October 3, 2007 @ 10:57 am
From Susan to Anna — At coffee break today I said, “I feel naked. What’s missing?” And my co-workers all said, “Where’s your knitting?” I usually never travel anywhere without my knitting but right now I am between portable projects. I feel lost! Take your knitting to work! I enjoy my breaks much more when I also get some knitting done.
Comment by lv2knit — October 3, 2007 @ 2:00 pm