Hi. I’m responding to some questions posted below. Ali asked:
“I can see that the provisional cast on on the sides would be a great improvement when it comes to the side seams. The jacket I did had shaping on the sides as well, so there were multiple cast-ons. I’ve yet to tackle the provisonal cast-on but want to try it. Would it work when you have a staggered edge rather than a straight one? Seems you might end up with a whole lot of loose ends, losing the advantage of the better seaming.â€
You’re right – the provisional cast on works better if you aren’t doing multiple cast ons (for shaping), unless you want to cast on all of the stitches at once and then “activate†them according to the instructions (the cast on numbers) using short rows. You will end up with a bulky and awkward seam if you do it the way that Debbie Bliss suggest, esp. if the pattern is using a heavier yarn. I know this from experience. I knit her Lara sweater following the original instructions (except for the way the collar was done; I didn’t want a seam in the middle of the collar). I regret having done it that way because the seam is unattractive and I don’t think that the underarm shaping (meant to give more of the feel of a fitted sleeve) added all that much. It certainly wasn’t worth the seam issue to me. So I would either forego the staggered cast on and cast on all of the necessary stitches at once or cast them all on at once and use short rows to get the desired shaping. (That way you still get the benefits of the provisional cast on.)
Here is the Lara sweater I’m talking about. (Not a photo of mine; mine is in Minnesota with Susan because I asked her if she could do something to make the seam more attractive!
My favorite provisional cast on is the one using a crochet hook that allows you to place loops on your knitting needle. Here are some illustrated instructions:
Crochet cast on I crochet a few loops before crocheting over the knitting needle, however. I find it easier to get going that way. Once I have the number of stitches I need, I crochet a few extra loops at the end also.
Note: I answered this question assuming you were talking about increases right at the sleeve/body join. If you are talking about staggered increases to give some kind of waist shaping, you could still use a provisional cast on and short row or you might possibly use a provisional cast on and some decreases. I’d have to see the pattern you’re talking about; I’m not familiar with her garter stitch jacket.
Ali also asked:
“Can you explain to me about the Koigu yarn and how that works to track increases?â€
It’s simple. I take a length of waste yarn (in the case of my Nina sweater it was some leftover Koigu). Each time I do an increase, I “lay†the yarn between two stitches further into the row so that the waste yarn gets knitted in to the garment. It helps me keep track of how many total increases I’ve done and the spacing is obvious enough that it makes counting the rows in between increases easier. When I don’t need it any more, it pulls out easily.
And Carrie — I forgot, in my comment to your comment, to answer you about the length of the the Nina sweater. I am hoping mine will now be about 28-29″ long after blocking.
Thanks for the link to the crochet cast on. I do it the other way & honestly don’t know what loop they’re talking about and always end up having to cut each loop just to release the work!
Susan’s a great sister 😉
Comment by Marina — October 6, 2006 @ 6:23 pm
From Susan — I did try to make the seam less noticeable (aka UGLY)and ended up machine sewing it to make it appear less bulky and minimize the steps due to staggered increases. RE: the use of waste yarn for counting rows: this is the single best knitting tip I recommend in my classes. Throw away your row counters, throw away your pencil and paper for hash marks, and SET YOURSELF FREE, my friends!!
PS — when I use the waste yarn for row counting, I always leave it in until the other matching piece is done — that way if I come back later and wonder if I did my sleeve inc’s every 6 or 8 rows, the forensic evidence tells me everything I need to know.
Comment by surly — October 6, 2006 @ 6:56 pm
Waste yarn for row counting? Brilliant, just brilliant. Solves the multiple projects, multiple little pads of paper with multiple hash marks — multiple confusion!
Thank you thank you thank you.
Comment by Wendy O — October 7, 2006 @ 7:58 am
Thanks for the link to the crochet cast-on! I do a provisional cast-on by crocheting a chain with a few more chains than I need stitches and picking up each first-row knitting stitch through the bump on the back of each chain. This works just fine UNLESS you occasionally pick up a stitch through the crocheted yarn itself instead of through the little opening under the bump. Ask me how I know. *Your* method should eliminate that little hazard.
Comment by kmkat — October 7, 2006 @ 10:59 am
That’s why I don’t use that method! I find it really really hard to pick up through the bump on the back of the chain. I guess I’m not coordinated enough. This method is easier (for me) for that very reason.
Sally
Comment by surly — October 7, 2006 @ 4:29 pm
Oh, that’s a great way to “count” rows! So easy. I never, ever would have thought of that.
Here’s hoping that Nina blocks nice and long!
Comment by Carrie K — October 7, 2006 @ 6:09 pm