Knit One, Knit All Fall cardigan

As I said I will be working on two projects at a time for this sojourn through this wonderful book.   My Vogue capelet is finished (just featured on a Yarnmarket email,  as soon as it is blocked a bit I will post the photos.), now it's time to begin another large garment.

I had planned on knitting a cardigan with this yarn anyway.  The main portion will be knit in Knit Picks City Tweed DK.  This blend of merino wool, supefine alpaca and donegal tweed, feels wonderful in my hands.   What I really like about this particular design is that I will be able to do some minor shaping so that this cardigan will not have a boxy look and the button holes are so cool,  Icord again. The other consideration is the contrasting panel..I may consider a knitted pattern of some type instead of a color change for this portion of the sweater... Just have to wait and see.  Above you can see what I have knit so far.    Now to choose my second project .. maybe one of the glove patterns.....

Knit One Knit All #2





I decided to take the liberty to skip to any pattern I choose during this endeavor..so I am knitting the Single Border Hat , page 15.  Again I read over the pattern instructions and wondered how is this going to work.. but of course it does because Elizabeth Zimmerman is genius!!   Using Paton's Merino wool (from my stash) I cast on the required stitches and knit away.. 

 



Love the spiral affect



Still did not get the look of the hat?













Knit One Knit All --One down more to follow

The first project in Elizabeth Zimmerman's wonderful book Knit One, Knit All is complete.  The Spiral Hat  (yarn Cascade 220 super wash)

Knitting an I-cord and creating a fabric (piece) at the same time is pure genius

I found during the construction of the hat that by changing the way I picked up the side stitch the look of the join changed.

Sometimes I knit two stitches together from the front, or the back or I would pick up a stitch with out knitting it and yarn over.

You may be able to see the effect on the spiral above the outside edge.  It's only a slight difference. 
For my next project I'm going to take notes on everything I do or adjust.   What an innovator Eliz Z is .....I love this technique and can see using it to attach I-cord to any project easily.. what a great way to add a hem!!!


I'd  like to knit this piece again using a different yarn, something with a little mohair or angora.  

So it begins -- Knit One Knit All Pattern #1

 Knit One Knit All  Chambered Nautilus Tam



picking up I-cord stitch

Although my caplet is not done I decided to begin the first pattern in Knit One Knit All. Saturday is Knit in Public day and this is a wonderful piece to work on, the caplet is too intense to be able to knit and talk.   It is a spiral I-cord beret.  You know I love spiral designs, it must be the hypnotist in me!!  The pattern is written as Elizabeth Zimmerman would have written it and I realized that I needed to read the directions over twice and then experiment with the stitch.  I began with a chunky yarn on a size 7 needle to get the gauge desired, but found the fabric to be stiff and the spiral was not lying as it should.  Then taking Cascade 220 superwash in a lovely brown I began all over again.   The fabric swirl is created by knitting across 7 stitches, including short rows and attaching to the I cord you create in the row.  My knitting style is unconventional, the legs of my stitches do not lie on the front of the needle, so many times I need to re-load the stitch in order to get the desired result.   I found that in the beginning of this project I was not following the directions as clearly written and created a new version at the attachment to the I-cord, with a second raised  row running along side.   Once I realized my error and how to create a more seamless attachment the spiral took on a new look.   See below.

Knit One Knit All

Have you seen this book?  I am in love.. never thought I would want to knit almost every design in one book  but I have changed my mind...Soooo here is the plan   I will knit every design,, except the pullovers. ( At my age and body type ..definitely not my style) but who's to say I could knit them  and give as gifts... hum..
Game Plan:

• I will have two projects going at one time, at all times
• I use quality yarn from my stash, before I purchase new yarn
• Each design will be photographed in progress
• I will update this blog frequently with the details

Oh but I must finish this project first.  It's on the cover of Spring Summer Vogue  --Caplet--knitting it in Rowan DK Wool and working on the border now....  I'll keep you posted... really I will!!!!