2025 March, Finish No 1, reknitting Teal jumper

Finished reknitting (yoke and sleeve caps) 

The story so far? Pattern was the Talvi Knits Moss Green sweater, and I had made it up in teal Aran. It had stretched during several winters across the shoulders, and had become uncomfortable. I partly wanted to keep it as an everyday jumper (no longer pristine, but not scruffy housework condition yet) and partly wanted to work out my own shape for future knitwear. The A-line sideseam shaping gave enough clearance for my hip crests, the garter stitch band at low hip de-emphasised my rounded tum. Sleeves are a good length and width. The garter stitch cuffs add an unobtrusive detail. Those sections are worth keeping. 

In January, I unpicked the top 8-10", and washed the yarn to get some of the crinkles out. In February the yoke was offset a couple of stitches towards the front (3 would have been even better), decreasing above shoulder blades to account for my curvature, and to give correct narrow shoulders for me. I also sloped the shoulders more by decreasing in three sections rather than the original two. 

This month proved to be trickier. I'd interpreted the pattern as needing more rows than stated at the back. Then found the front too short, and had to add four more rows. Of course, this was discovered after picking up and knitting the neckline. Wish I had also lowered the scoop two rows, but the yarn was getting tired, as was I. 

The real fun began when setting in the sleeves. Apart from one short row to compensate for forward sloping shoulders, they were knitted and measured to match the scyes. But once attached and all the ends sewn in - lots of ends with reused yarn of course - the caps weren't high enough, and the shoulder seams were dragged downwards at yoke edges. 

I'm still not sure whether the issue was those extra rows at back and front. Or whether because I measured obliquely along the slope and then attached rows pairwise at the selvedge. Whichever, I needed another half inch height. Since I had to carefully cut and unpick the stitching at top of the sleeve caps, and then the cast-off edge, I took the chance to round off the caps. The extra rows were added on the decrease every two rows section, narrowing the cast off edge by 4 stitches. Then, because I could see how the cap wasn't quite filling the gap, I chose to do one more decrease row. That's more Me-shaped. 

The all-day wear test has been a success. 

I might at some stage add a label or a button to help getting dressed, since the neckline is warm and high, I have to think about which is the front. 

2025 Jan Feb, progress but nothing completely done

2025 January February summary.

For 2025, I'd told myself that I'd try to do a few stitches on something every day. The prompt is 'you enjoy it once you start'. And apart from one day when there really was a higher priority, I have moved forward a little on one or other project, and enjoyed it. 

Not exactly the projects as I'd sketched them out, and not much is finish-finished, but lots of learning. 

The woven top S6614 did get the shoulder point moved in, then got put away because I need trousers sooner than a summer top. It's a useful delay, because the trousers' photos have give me an insight onto how far towards the waist my sloping shoulders propagate. A three quarter view from the back is instructive. There's sometimes extra soft tissue in the area between bra band and natural waist, depending on where my arms are. (Tucking tee into bra band to photograph back waist really emphasises above waist area.)

The TDCO trial is teaching me a lot. The summary is that, once the rise is adjusted for me, and standing, I can use a much more conventional shape than I imagined. Cut a bigger size than my low hip suggests, straighten the hip area below the crest, and shorten the back dart. The process has fixed the twist below knee I find in RTW and my previous me-mades. Sitting, the pressure is on the spine curve and belly button area. I haven't done the final tweaks on the two legged toile yet, but this is already much better than RTW and I think better than last year's linen pair. 

Reknitting my teal Talvi jumper from the armscye up. Well, apart from the yarn remaining quite curly after skeining and washing, it seems to be going well. Back is done, front needs one more shoulder, sleeve caps are paused an inch from the top in case back needs to be longer than the front. Hope to finish in March. 

And the granny squares. Hmm. Got diverted by a puzzle about Fibonnaci numbers into making squares with sides 1, 2, 3, 5, 8...blocks, with the intention of joining them into a golden spiral 18" square (which would have been fine for the community project) Only when joining did I realise that A) it needs to be mattress stitched to emulate the interlocked rounds B) you have two spaces at the end of each side, so they were actually proportioned 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 etc to each other. Never going to work. Then our knitting group was asked to contribute squares to the Southport Bear Parade. Most of mine were sent to cover bears at our favourite cafe. However I resized a few up or down to 6" and they may still get to the Art Gallery next month. I'm coming to the conclusion anyway that my crochet tension is wrong for Granny Squares bigger than this. They get baggy above 9" or so. That's also useful learning. 

So, where are we for March?

Finish Talvi jumper. If OK, do the same ish refit to Finchdale jumper which has had fewer wears and is in a better condition. 

Continue with TDCO fitting. Transfer high leg and spine changes to flat pattern. Can I improve undertum area? Investigate preferred fit for both wide-ish ankle/foot  and for narrow ankle/foot. 

I must get on with the sofa/chair covers, the plain cream is looking scruffy even when newly washed, other coverings are too disparate.