Right now I'm knitting both sleeves (flat), simultaneously from one ball. What that means is that I'm knitting one sleeve from the inside string and one from the outside string. (When the skein finishes, one side will be attached to the other so I'll have to cut the yarn to liberate each string.)
This method has its pluses:
- there's only one ball of yarn to worry about at any given time
- both sleeves will be identical (as they're knit from the same needles, one row of one sleeve followed by the same row of the other)
- I won't have to knit the second sleeve independently of the first - which can be a slog
- OMG, till I figured out a system (which takes constant vigilence), my two strings were interminably tangled - this adds time to the project and it's obnoxious
- If you ever thought knitting a sleeve takes forever, try knitting 2 at the same time...
My needle (cheap brand - never to be bought again - it was from my experimentation with cheap brands phase) started to detach from the cable, making things ever more tenuous but, I'm thrilled to advise, I've become that crafter with all the crap at her access to fix things.
The Krissie of yore would have thrown up her hands and bought a new set. Crafty-Krissie took her fabric plus glue and put it all back together. So far so good!
Perhaps the most surprising element of this project is that I've used up almost 1600 yards of yarn - so far - to knit what is effectively a size small garment. By the time I'm done, I sense I'll have gone through 1800 yards (all the bits and pieces like cuffs, pockets and collar considered). I wondered how I'd ever make it through this much yarn when I originally bought 2000 yards to make the Late Day Abbreviated Coat (which was not destined to be). The Boucle jacket instructions didn't indicate how much yarn I'd need but it didn't matter cuz I assumed it would never be more than the amount I'd already bought.
My modern sweaters (and I do like them fitted) come in at between 850 and 1000 yards. Really, I have no idea how the Boucle Jacket has taken so much freakin yarn. Note: I have measured everything and blocked the completed pieces exactly to my desired dimensions (which seem right). I guess that jackets go through lots of wool. They are longer. They tend to have bits like pockets and cuffs and collars. But seriously, how on earth does that amount to 2.5 times more yarn?? Hmm... Maybe it's the diff between knitting with 1 inch of positive ease vs. 4 inches of negative ease.
So, today's questions: Have you ever knitted a tailored garment like a jacket? If yes, how much yarn did you go through? Could you ever bring yourself to buy 2000 yards of the same yarn? (I found it HARD. I assumed I'd never get through it all and I wouldn't want 2 garments made of the same stuff.)
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I think that if it's in a textured stitch like moss stitch, it will use up a lot more yarn than in stocking stitch,
ReplyDeleteThe Late Day Abbreviated Jacket (the one I thought I'd make but decided against) is in a knot pattern. BUT... This one in in regular stockinette.
DeleteThis is that pattern with the really tight little stitch pattern, right? So as Miriana says, and you already know, that uses way more yarn than garter or stocking stitch.
ReplyDeleteDid you know that many knitters refer to Sleeve Island, that state you're marooned in now? I often knit both sleeves at once as well, and OMG, it can get unwieldy. But when you're done, you're done. . .
No! I finally decided that that thing would be crazy. This is the project I chose to replace it with and it's just stockinette (with a bit of rib). Which makes it that much more insane! :-)
DeleteI didn't know about Sleeve Island (hilarious). Knitters are such a creative bunch. Now I'm imagining myself surrounded by coconut trees.
I also like to knit both sleeves at the same time, but I use separate skeins. I think knitting from both ends of the same one would cause me to go back to knitting them separately - so please elaborate on your system for making this work. ;)
ReplyDeleteI spent all afternoon yesterday ripping back to pick up the stitch I dropped Saturday night. Some how I manufactured a new stitch in its place cause my count remained correct and I couldn't just lift it up through the rows with a crochet hook because there was a stitch in the way. Its fixed now, and I've re-knitted all the yarn I pulled out. But my left shoulder is sore this morning, probably from the awkward position I was in trying to carefully grab all those squirmy stitches.
I'm anxious to see your boucle jacket, I really liked that pattern.
Lois K
My system is not perfect - so I don't know if you want to give it a go on the basis of what I've got to tell. I just make sure that I keep the yarns as far away from each other as possible at the BALL end. THis takes regular review and occasional untwisting. I find I'll go 4 rows with no problems and then it will all go crazy. But you cannot just pull the yarn as you knit. You need to release it from the ball beforehand so that you're not twisting the ball as you knit (otherwise the strings will come together and twist up something awful). Also, once you find the best positioning of the strings at the garment-side, try not to fuss them around when you finish one sleeve and move to the other (or, more importantly, when you turn the work around and start on the next row). I think it's a learned skill and maybe two balls is better.
DeleteUgh on you garment fix yesterday! I had that happen on a pair of socks and I just let it go. I even consciously added the extra stitch having lost the first one. And looked for any dropped stitches VERY carefully. The yarn was sticky and it hid the dropped stitch. So, when I finally saw the damage, I just used some yarn and wove in the dropped stitch. Sure, if you look for it, you can see the sputtered-out column (which torments me), but it's a pair of socks. On a sweater, eek, I'd have to do what you've done. Kudos, btw. What a scary fix.
He he he...hearing of you doing this this makes me laugh. You might have seen my post a few weeks ago on how tangled I kept getting doing this!!!
DeleteIt usually isn't too bad, though, and like you say - both sleeves will be identical.
You can make the whole thing easier by using a ziplock bag...I will try to take some shots of how I set it up sometime soon for you...
I do use the ziplock bag trick any time I have to use the outside end. As I'm thinking about this, what if you snipped a small corner off the bag and fed the inside end directly out that hole. Then pull the outside end out the top of the bag - zipping it somewhat closed if necessary to prevent the ball from pulling out of the bag. I'm thinking then you could pull each end as needed without them tangling around each other - or maybe I'm just delusional. ;)
DeleteLois K
I tried the ziploc trick yesterday and, gotta say, it didn't work for me. Must be doing it wrong. However, I didn't do the snipping trick.
DeleteSuper tight gauge always uses more yarn than a looser gauge. That's why a pair of socks uses almost 400 yds and a sweater might only need 800 of the same yarn to cover way more of your body. It is crazy, though.
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right. I guess it's easy to forget that!
DeleteI haven't gotten into the 2 socks at a time method for precisely the reasons you state. Plus, when I'm working a new-to-me lace pattern, I tend to do a fair bit of ripping out stitches at the beginning. The idea of doing it for 2 socks instead of one is a bit more than I can bear. Funny about Sleeve Island - I guess it's a bit like Second Sock Syndrome.
ReplyDeleteI know! I thought of second sock syndrome as soon as I read that!
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