Stash-Down Results

Here's another example of the results of my ongoing Stash-Down.

It was raining so much it Toronto the day I finished this, that I struggled to get any photos at all. The sun came out for a few minutes so I started snapping. You can see the light changing fast in these. By the time I turned the mannequin around to do the back it was so dark I'm not bothering to include those shots. 

There won't be a pattern for this one but if you would like to create something like it first read this post for the tips and tricks. 

The sweater was worked top down so I could add in yarn if I needed to. I didn't. I did the sleeves bottom up because by then I realized I had more than enough yarn. In this case all the yarn is red, however the reds vary and I have multiple weights and fibres. Everything from lace to worsted weight as well as cashmere, silk, wool, and rayon to name just a few. The worsted was some Cascade 220 purchased for a hat and scarf but unused and some Knit Picks which came to me by way of another friend's stash down. Some are leftovers from other projects and were of very small amounts. 

Do a swatch to define a gauge when mixing weights together. I used the needle size which I would normally use for a worsted yarn. I did the knit one row in each of three yarns trick and repeat. (Make sure the weights of the three yarns are all different.) Then I changed out yarns a few times. Make a bigger than 4 inch swatch. Block it. Pick a simple top down sweater which matches the gauge. Start knitting. 

Recently one of my friends found out I mix yarn bases and told me I was scaring her. Don't be scared! This works because each yarn is used in one row at a time. You can mix as long as you don't do any large areas in a single weight. If you do, it will revert to it's normal gauge. The fabric will drape. The hand is more like a silk or cashmere blend even though about 70% of what I used is 100% wool. 

I knit the length to about 3/4's of what I wanted before the band and then I put it on my mannequin for about 48 hours.  I had to take it off and do the neckline part way because it was stretching out too much to be sure about the overall length. Once I knit the neckband I got a much more accurate length. The armholes also looked a little sloppy but after I did the neckline I realized the sleeve seams were going to take care of them as well. I did a saddle shoulder which may have added to the stretch there. 

I did all the edges in one of the worsted weight yarns for consistency.