Top-Down Raglan Cardi

Yarn: Patons SWS (70% wool and 30% soy), #70013 Natural Earth - 7 balls (110 yd [100m] / 80g)
Pattern: Cosmicpluto Knits! (TKA Project #14)
Needles: Addi Turbo US size 6 (4 mm) / 24" and 32" circulars (for seed stitch border), Addi Turbo US size 8 (5mm) / 24" and 32" circulars (for stockinette portion)
Size: S for chest circumference 32-34"
Start: January 8, 2007
Finish: February 20, 2007

線材: Patons SWS (70% 羊毛 30% 大豆), #70013 Natural Earth - 7 球 (110 yd [100m] / 80g)
圖樣: Cosmicpluto Knits! (TKA Project #14 拉克蘭外套)
針號: 4 mm/60 cm ＆ 80 cm 輪針 (領口, 袖口, 下襬), 5 mm/60 cm ＆ 80 cm 輪針 (平針部份)
尺寸: S (胸圍32-34英吋)
開始: 2007/01/08
完成: 2007/02/20

Honestly I am not quite happy with the result. It is a bit too big at the shoulders and upper arms, and there's also excess in the underarm area. I tried it on several times as I worked on the upper body portion. Somehow everytime I tried it on I was not able to pull the two markers to meet at underarm (an indication to start working the main body), and so I kept on knitting. When I was finally able to meet the two markers, it felt tight and I had to stretch the fabric to do it. I decided to add another 4 rows before starting the main body to give it more room. This turned out to be a wrong decision. The shoulders and upper arms are now too roomy. Knitting the shoulder portion was also a pain. It just seemed never ending. I started with a 24" circular, and had to switch to 32" to accommodate the ever increasing number of stitches.

說實在這件我不是很滿意. 肩膀, 上臂, 腋下都織的太大. 織的時候試穿過好幾次, 可是每次都無法把記號環拉到腋下, 所以就一直織下去囉. 等到我可以拉到記號環時(而且是硬拉的), 覺得有點緊, 於是決定多織四段後再開始織身體部位. 結果顯示, 這個決定是錯誤的啦! 實際上, 可能應該再拆個兩段會比較剛好. 肩膀部位實在是織的很痛苦, 好像怎麼織都織不完的感覺. 覺得自己沒事長那麼大隻幹麼... 本來是用60cm的輪針, 織到後來非得換成80cm來織, 針目多的都快抓不住了.


I kind of screwed up the waist shaping too. It wears and looks as if I started the decreases too low. The pattern has the shaping done every 5 rows. Well, it probably meant every 5th row. For whatever reasons I interpreted it as having 5 rows in between shaping and actually worked the decreases and increases every 7th row. Don't ask, I don't know what I was thinking. Can I blame it on too much late-night knitting?! ;)

腰身減針的部份我做的也不是很好, 穿起來感覺腰線太低. Pattern上是每五段減一次, 我想成每次減針要間隔五段(也就是第六段再減針), 想想不喜歡上針減針, 那再加一段好了... 所以實際上我是每第七段減針... 啊啊... 不知道自己在想什麼... 真是頭殼壞壞去... 大概是熬夜織毛線熬過頭了, 腦筋不清楚... 唉, 我也懶得拆了...


I also had to rework the neckband, bottom hem, and sleeve hems. Initially I worked everything in size 8 needles, including the neckband and bottom hem in seed stitches, which turned out to be terrible looking (see photos below.) I tried size 7 needles on the first sleeve, still puffy. Ripped it out, tried size 6 needles, now, finally, that's more like it. I went back and ripped out the bottom hem and re-knitted it in size 6 needles. For the neckband (it was worked top down), I used the circular needle to pick up all stitches on the first row of the stockinette portion (below the neckband) and unraveled the neckband. Then I worked the neckband from bottom up in size 6 needles. This is the first time I tried a stunt like this. Not fun, but I am glad I did it. The result is much better, and I feel like I've learned something new.

領口, 下襬, 和袖口也重新織過. 本來全部都用美制8號針(織桂花針), 織完領口時覺得怪怪的, 整個領子垮垮的. 織完下襬後覺得這樣實在不行, 織第一隻袖子時便試著用7號針, 還是泡泡的. 拆了, 用6號針重來. 果然, 6號針織出來的比較能看. 袖子織好後, 我把下襬拆了, 用6號針重織. 領口我用輪針把平針部分第一段的針目先挑出來, 把上面桂花針的部分剪斷拆掉, 然後由下往上重織. 從來沒試過這樣做, 其實蠻費時費力, 不過成果還不錯, 至少不必全部拆掉重來.

Before fixing the neckband and the hems:
重織之前的照片:

The neckband kept collapsing...
領子垮垮的...


The bottom hem and the sleeve hem were puffy...
下襬和袖口泡泡的...



Other notes:

The button band is a bit too narrow. The button holes (as per pattern) were too close to the edge, I worked it as follows: k1, yo, ssk, p1, k1. And I worked a button hole every 2 1/4 inches, approximately every 9th row.

Patons SWS is splitty. It's not terrible, but just annoying at times. Knitting the yarn is not too big a problem, and if you do have to unravel, be ready to deal with some tangled mess!

其他:

做釦洞的邊襟部位我覺得5針太窄, 下次再織會加寬. 如瑪姐所說, 釦洞會太靠邊, 所以五針裡第二針就做掛針開釦洞. 大約每2 1/4英吋(每第九段)開一個釦洞.

Patons SWS這線蠻容易分岔, 織的時候還好, 要拆的時候就一個頭兩個大了.


This method of knitting a raglan cardigan is really simple and straight-forward. I have already prepared yarn to make another for my son. I would probably work the button band separately by picking up stitches from the two front panels. This way I can do a 1x1 ribbing all the way around. I think it will look better.

這個織拉克蘭的方法其實很簡單, 省了縫合的工. 我線已經買好了, 打算幫兒子也織一件. 再織的時候可能邊襟釦洞會另外挑針來打鬆緊針, 覺得這樣還是比較好看.

Reading-In-Bed Shrug

Yarn: GGH Soft Kid (70% super kid mohair, 25% nylon, and 5% new wool), #72 Baby Blue - 2 balls (151yd [138m] / 25g)
Pattern: Interweave Knits Spring 2007 Staff Project (TKA Project #16)
Needles: Addi Turbo US size 8 (5 mm) for ribbing, Addi Turbo US size 9 (5.5mm) for lace
Size: 13 1/4" high at center back, 23" long from cuff to cuff
Start: February 21, 2007
Finish: February 23, 2007

線材: GGH Soft Kid (70% 高級毛海 25% 尼龍 5%羊毛), #72 粉藍 - 2 球 (151yd [138m] / 25g)
圖樣: Interweave Knits 2007 春季版網站 (TKA Project #16 蕾絲小外套)
針號: 5 mm (袖口上下針), 5.5 mm (蕾絲部份)
尺寸: 寬13.5英吋 長23英吋
開始: 2007/02/21
完成: 2007/02/23



This was a quick and easy knit. I spent about 8-9 hours to knit and then steam blocked it. The pattern called for 13 repeats of the lace pattern, I did 14 and had to stretch the fabric a bit to get the measurement. I guess I am a tight knitter, the blunt tips on the Addi Turbos were a bit difficult for some of the k2tog and ssk. Maybe next time I should try other needles.

這件小外套打起來簡單又快, 我大約花了8-9小時完成, 然後用熨斗蒸燙定型. Pattern上蕾絲花樣是重複13次, 我打了14次加上定型時拉開, 才達到想要的長度. 我打毛線可能手勁比較緊吧, 這次用Addi Turbo大號針的針頭太鈍, 有些 k2tog 和 ssk 竟然差點無法完成. 下次要來試試別的牌子的針.


This lace pattern is not difficult, I memorized it after a few repeats. And luckily no mistakes along the way. The only thing that turned out a bit odd was the "yo, k2tog" at the CO and BO ends, the holes at the CO ends were much smaller than the BO ends. Not sure why that is. I kept poking at them to try to make them bigger and more even...

這個蕾絲花樣並不難, 尤其反面都是上針, 打幾次重複後就背下來了, 還好也都沒出錯. 唯一覺得"怪怪"的地方是兩端的"yo, k2tog", 不知道為什麼起針那端的洞比收針那邊要小, 我定型時還刻意地把起針那端的洞戳大一點...


And I am in love with this yarn! GGH Soft Kid knits up so beautiful, airy, and warm. I am tempted to make another in dark taupe, or maybe ivory. And maybe even substituting the Traveling Leaf lace with a different lace pattern. That would be fun! For this lace shrug, I only used maybe 1/3 of the 2nd ball. I wonder what else I can make with the remaining 2/3 of a ball?

GGH Soft Kid這線織起來感覺真的很棒, 輕柔又保暖, 針目花樣清晰. 很想再織一件ㄋㄟ... 上次買線時有看到一個深褐帶紫的顏色很美, 或是乳白色比較容易搭配衣服. 也許換個蕾絲花樣來織應該也不錯. 這件小外套只用了1 1/3球的線, 第二球還剩下不少, 不知能拿來織什麼?

Waiting and Trying

The Top-Down Raglan Cardi has been drying on the blocking board for two days now, and it is still damp. Although there have been some light showers, the weather really isn't too wet. I guess I didn't squeeze out enough moisture before I put it on the board.

拉克蘭外套已經下過水躺在定型板上兩天了, 剛剛去摸卻還有濕氣. 這幾天是下了一些毛毛雨, 可是不覺得濕氣有太重啊... 還覺得皮膚好乾燥... 我想大概是我用大毛巾把它包起來吸水時吸的還不夠, 下次要記得了.


While waiting, I started the next TKA project - "Reading-in-Bed Shrug" from IK Spring 2007. Knowing this project was coming, I picked up two balls of Lang Venezia when LYS Creative Hands had a sale a few weeks ago. The gauge was exactly the same as the suggested yarn GGH Soft Kid, and I love the color. Blue and purple is one of my favorite color combinations.

外套沒乾, 沒辦法縫釦子, 就來準備TKA的下個project - 蕾絲小外套. 幾個禮拜前碰上毛線店特價打折時, 就買了兩球Lang Venezia. 密度和圖樣建議毛線GGH Soft Kid是一模一樣, 而且是我最喜愛的藍紫色.


I am not sure if it's due to the higher acrylic content (50% acrylic and 50% mohair), the swatch felt a bit stiff. The stitches were uneven, and the color variation just seems to interfere with the lace pattern. I just did not like how it turned out. Well, off I went to another LYS to see if I can find GGH Soft Kid.

不知道是不是因為這線壓克力成份過高(50%壓克力 50%毛海), 試織的織片感覺有點硬. 針目不均勻, 漸層的顏色看起來花花的, 蕾絲的花樣都看不清楚了. 只好再跑另一家店看看能不能找到GGH Soft Kid (講得好像很委屈, 其實是很愛去啦... :D)


Aaahhh, now that's better. Soft and feminine, and yet you can still see the stitch patterns.

嗯... 看起來好多了. 很柔軟的感覺, 蕾絲花樣還是看的很清楚哦!