rope. tree. fan. spear. snake. wall.

Thursday, October 04, 2018

Step 2: the yoke

Oops, don't have a picture for today's entry. I'll try to remember to add one tomorrow.

So we've knit round 1 in the self-striping yarn, and re-set our row counter to 1, if we're using one. In round 2, insert the stitch markers, dividing our 80 stitches into 8 sets of 10. I put the row counter in the center back, because that's where I change colors, start increase sequences, etc; for the center front marker, I try to use something distinctive, because that's where I count rounds if I need to double-check. This is because short rows will mess up your row/round count at the back, but no short row crosses the center front.

So as simply as possible, I do a short row in round 3, 7, and 11, and increase 4 rounds per section at round 4, 12, and 20, and three rounds per section at round 28.

Pretty simple, huh? Yeah, no. You probably want a bit more detail.

More detail on the short rows

I don't like to count (that's why I use stitch markers), so what if we number the stitch markers? The first marker after the center back row counter is #1, the center front marker is #4, and the row counter is marker #8.

So then, in round 3, you knit to marker 3, slip the marker, wrap the next stitch, and turn. Work back across, until you reach marker 5, slip the marker, wrap the next stitch, and turn again. Work all the way around, working in the wraps as you go. Note that you will pass the row counter twice without changing the row count, because all of this is round 3.

Round 4 is an increase round. See below.

In round 7, knit to marker 2, knit 7, wrap the next stitch, turn. Work back across until you reach marker 6, purl 7, wrap the next stitch, turn. Knit all the way around, working in the wraps as you go. When you have worked in both wraps and arrived at the center back again, you have finished round 7,

In round 11, knit to marker 2, slip the marker, wrap the next stitch, and turn. Work back across until you reach marker 6, slip the marker, wrap the next stitch, and turn again. Knit all the way around, working in the wraps as you go, until you reach the center back. That was round 11.

In my knitting, the wrapped stitch tends to get a little loose, particularly on the left side of the sweater. Just thought I'd mention that.

And that's all your short rows. Boy, aren't you glad to be done with those? Whew.

More detail on the increase rounds

It doesn't really matter where you increase, as long as the increases are more or less evenly distributed over the section. It also doesn't matter much how you increase. I favor what the Craft Yarn Council calls the M1 increase, or Knitting Between Stitches (the second set of diagrams on that page), but any increase will probably do.

In round 4, increase 4 stitches, evenly distributed over the 10 in each section. When you're done, each section will have 14 stitches. 

In round 12, increase 4 stitches, evenly distributed over the 14 in each section. When you're done, each section will have 18 stitches.

In round 20, increase 4 stitches, evenly distributed over the 18 in each section. When you're done, each section will have 22 stitches.

In round 28, increase 3 stitches, evenly distributed over the 22 in each section. When you're done, each section will have 25 stitches. Your total will be 200, and it'll be time to decide where to stop striping and switch back to the solid color. This will depend on your taste and the striping sequence, so I'll leave it up to you. 

In summary: 
Round 3: short row!
Round 4: increase! 
Rounds 5 & 6: just knit. Whew. 
Round 7: short row!
Rounds 8 - 10: just knit. 
Round 11: short row!
Round 12: increase! 
Rounds 13 - 19: just knit.
Round 20: increase!
Rounds 21 - 27: just knit.
Round 28: increase! And start thinking about where to change back to the solid color.
Rounds 29 - 32: just knit.

In round 33 we'll divide the sleeves from the body, but that's for another entry.

No comments: