A Summer Cardigan

Last week when I visited Oxford Yarn Store I bought some more Noro yarn for a summer cardigan.  It is called Kibou.  It is 54% cotton, 34% wool and 12% silk.  It is aran weight. 

I am using 2 shades of it to knit a light-weight cardigan.  These are Shade 7 and Shade 9.  I have made a start on the back.

I have given some thought to knitting a cardigan that is half one colour and half another – perhaps next time – however I have decided to mix the 2 colours to produce a more balanced design.  I think it will be the sort of garment that will seem different depending on what colour you wear with it – eg a red T-shirt will accentuate the red in the yarn, and a green T-shirt, the green and so on.

I have only just started it and I am already thinking about what I am going to knit next. 

An English Adventure – Day 34

The throw is finished and I have typed up a pattern.  I think it makes more sense if you look at the photos.

In the end I did just put an edge on the modules which didn’t have one. 

On Saturday I went to a Knitting and Crochet Guild meeting in Reading and the topic was Modular Knitting.  I finally got to see a copy of the African Adventure pattern – I noticed that a module has 31 sts – so they are smaller than in my version.  I assume the pattern uses thinner yarn and smaller needles as well but I did not look at this.

My version of the pattern is shown below.  I just want to tell you about colours.  I roughly used parts of 2 balls of Kureyon for a section and then used the rest of both balls for another section – and there was still some left over which could be used for edge modules or for the garter stitch joining pieces.  I am repeating some of my photos to make the instructions a bit clearer.

English Adventure Throw Pattern

Materials

7 x 50g balls of Noro Tokonatsu (Yarn A) – Colour 10
Approximately 16 x 50g balls of assorted colours of Noro Kureyon (Yarn B) – including Shades: 374, 124, 344, 272, 352, and 319.
6.5mm needles
Stitch holders (or spare needles)

Measurements

Width:  54” (137cm)
Length: 84” (208cm)

Instructions:
Module 1

Row 1: Using 6.5mm needles and Yarn A, cast on 40sts. 
Row 2: K1, purl to last st, K1.
Attach Yarn B (carry Yarn A up the side of the module until you need it again).
Row 3: K2tog, knit to end. (39sts).
Row 4: K2tog, knit to end. (38sts).
Rows 5-8: Knit.
Using Yarn A (carry Yarn B up the side of the module until you need it again).
Row 9: Knit.
Row 10: K1, P1, (P2, P2tog) 8 times, P2, K2tog. (29sts).
Using Yarn B
Rows 11-16: Knit.
Using Yarn A
Row 17: Knit.
Row 18: K1, (P1, P2tog) 9 times, K1. (20sts).
Using Yarn B
Rows 19-24: Knit.
Using Yarn A
Row 25: Knit.
Row 26: K2tog, (P2tog) 8 times, K2tog. (10sts).
Using Yarn B
Rows 27-32: Knit.
Using Yarn A
Row 33: Knit.
Row 34: K2tog, purl to last st, K1. (9sts).
Cut off Yarns A and B, and using a contrast colour of Yarn B, Knit 12 rows of garter stitch (Knit every row).  Transfer these 9sts to a stitch holder.

Module 2

Work as for Module 1 until 34 rows have been completed.   Then use the 3-needle cast off method to join Modules 1 and 2 to form an egg-timer shape.  (Alternatively cast off both modules and sew them together).

Module 3
Using Yarn A, pick up 40sts from the right-hand one side of the joined Modules 1 and 2 and work as for Module 1.

Module 4

This is an edge module and is slightly narrower than Modules 1-3.

Work Rows 1-26 as Module 1.

Row 27: K2tog, knit to last 2sts, K2tog (8sts).

Row 28: K2tog, knit to last 2sts, K2tog (6sts).

Row 29: K2tog, knit to last 2sts, K2tog (4sts).

Row 30: K2tog, K2tog. (2sts).
Row 31: K2tog and fasten off.

These 4 modules form the first section - the throw has 3 sections across its width.  For the central section you will need to repeat Module 3 instead of knitting Module 4 and for the third section you will need to knit Module 3 on the left-hand side and Module 4 on the right (at the edge).  You will need to knit a garter stitch linking piece to join the modules horizontally.

The photo below shows a middle section without edge modules but with a joining piece on each side.

When you are happy with the appearance of a section – I recommend that you weave in ends rather than leave all to the end.

For the next 2 sections – you do not need to knit edge modules because they fit between the sections below – so all the modules are the same.

For the third row of sections – you will need to include edge modules again.  The throw consist of 7 rows of sections (70 full modules and 12 part modules).  You will need to knit 4 more part modules to complete the edges at the top and bottom of the throw.

When you are knitting the sections, you can pick up from the modules that you have or you can knit them separately and sew them together afterwards.  There will always be some modules which need to be sewn together.

My throw consists of 7 rows of sections.  The full throw contains 70 full modules, 12 incomplete modules (like Module 4) and 35 garter stitch joining pieces.

Edging

An edge was only added to the modules which did not have one.  Using Yarn A and 6.5mm needles, pick up about 34sts from the edge of the module - purl one row and cast off.

Finishing

Sew in any remaining ends.  Block the finished throw.

An English Adventure – Day 28

I have almost finished this throw – so it has taken about a month to do. 

I have completed the last few sections and am sewing up the holes and sewing in the last few ends.

All that is left to do is to sort out the edging.  I have thought about doing a crochet edge but I am not keen on crochet.  At the moment I think I will just put an edge on the bits that don’t have one – the horizontal pieces.  However – I may change my mind.

I have read the bit above about “sewing up the holes” and thought about rewording it – but that is what they are – I have picked up stitches whenever possible but there are still some areas where modules have to be sewn together.

I am hoping that my next post will include a photo of a completed throw and a pattern in case anyone else wants to make one.