Wednesday, March 5, 2025, Issue 384: What is on your needles?

It still feels like sweater weather!

Last Word by Thea Colman is a simple vest with bold lines and open lace. Use the code ASHEN for 20% off this PDF until this Sunday, March 9, 2025 at midnight EST.

A few details make this knit special, including the v-neck, centered intentionally in the motif for a crisp transition at the bottom of the opening. The lace motif is a combination of ribbing and eyelets, so when worked in a yarn with a bit of drape or memory, the fabric subtly skims your curves. Ribbing at the hem blends right into the overall pattern, and panels at the sides allow for easy modifications if you are between sizes or prefer a different silhouettes.

Last Word is knit in the round from hem to armholes, then divided into fronts and back at armholes. These three pieces are worked flat to shoulders and seamed. Once seamed, stitches are picked up around neckline and armholes and worked in the round to end. Lace instructions are both charted and written out. Notes are included in the PDF on modifying the fit in a number of ways.

SIZES
36(40.5,45,49.25,53.75)(59,63.5,68)”
91.5(102.75,114.25,125,136.5)(149.75,161.25,172.75)cm.
Sizes reflect circumference around bust, and are based on final fabric. Shown worn with about 3”/7.5cm positive ease.

YARDAGE BY SIZE
600(650,750,850,950)(1050,1150,1250)yds 550(595,685,780,870)(960,1050,1145)m
Worsted weight yarn needed.

Last Word works best in a solid, tweed, heather, or subtly shaded fiber that knits to gauge. It was designed to show off a deep color, so this is gorgeous in dark shades. A bright color or a soft halo gives the vest a different personality.

NEEDLES
4.5 mm (US 7)

GAUGE
18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in Gauge given in lace pattern, and is based on final fabric.

SUGGESTED YARN
Estelle Eco Shetland Worsted - GOTS, Estelle Eco Tweed Worsted or BC Garn Semilla Melange held double with Drops Kid Silk or Malabrigo Silkpaca.

Apophenia by Audrey Borrego is a free Ravelry download. It is an oversized top-down yoke sweater with a graphic colourwork motif. Knitted entirely in the round, it starts with the ribbed neckline and incorporates short-rows on the back neck. The colourwork yoke features simple geometric motifs with few floats to catch. It continues shortly after the armhole before the straight comfortable stockinette body and sleeves. The long cuffs are gathered before the ribbing and can be rolled for a ¾ length look. 

Apophenia’s modern shape and drawings will work with a variety of yarns : from tweedy textures or speckles to natural rustic wools.

SIZES
1 (2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6)

FINISHED BUST CIRCUMFERENCE
103 (111.5 / 128.5 / 141.5 / 154 / 167) cm
40 ½ (44 / 50 ½ / 55 ¾ / 60 ½ / 65 ¾)“

Choose a size with 20 to 30 cm – 7 ¾ to 11 ¾“ positive ease. Shown in size 2 on an 84 cm – 33” bust. If you’re in between sizes, I suggest you go up for more positive ease and to accommodate for the fitted sleeves.

YARN
You will need two colours of fingering weight yarn in the following amounts:
MC : 1000 (1100 / 1300 / 1400 / 1500 / 1700) meters
1094 (1203 / 1422 / 1535 / 1640 / 1860) yards
CC : 160 (160 / 200 / 240 / 300 / 350) meters
175 (175 / 219 / 262 / 328 / 383) yards

NEEDLES
Main Fabric : 3.25 mm (US 3) circular needles with appropriate length to knit in the round and magic loop or DPNs.
Ribbing : 2.75 mm (US 2) circular needles with appropriate length to knit in the round
or sizes required to get gauge

GAUGE
28 st x 36 rnds per 10 cm – 4” with larger needles in stockinette stitch after blocking

SUGGESTED YARN
Hedgehog Fibres Sock, Koigu Collector's Club KPPPM and/or KPM

The Maggie Cardigan by PetiteKnit is worked from the top down. First, the back yoke is worked flat, back and forth, shaped with increases. Then each shoulder is worked separately, from stitches that are picked up and knitted along the top of the back yoke. Stitches are then picked up and knitted along the shoulders, and the rest of the yoke and the body is worked back and forth on the circular needle. The sleeves are worked in the round on double-pointed needles or on a long circular needle using the Magic Loop technique. At the end, plackets are worked along the front edges and along the neck.

Begin by working a swatch to determine which needle size you need to achieve the correct gauge. Wash and block the swatch before taking any measurements.

SIZES
XXS (XS) S (M) L (XL) 2XL (3XL) 4XL (5XL)

BUST CIRCUMFERENCE:
89 (91) 96 (101) 106 (115) 125 (136) 143 (153) cm
[35 (35¾) 37¾ (39¾) 41¾ (45¼) 49¼ (53½) 56¼ (60¼) inches]

LENGTH
48 (52) 54 (56) 58 (59) 60 (63) 66 (70) cm
[19 (20½) 21¼ (22) 22¾ (23¼) 23½ (24¾) 26 (27½) inches](measured mid back excl. neck edge)

GAUGE
23 sts x 32 rows = 10 x 10 cm [4 x 4 inches] in stockinette stitch on 3.5 mm [US4] needles

NEEDLES
Main Fabric : 3.5 mm (US 4) circular needles with appropriate length to knit in the round and magic loop or DPNs.
Ribbing : 3.0 mm (US 2.5) circular needles with appropriate length to knit in the round
or sizes required to get gauge

YARN
1000 (1000) 1000 (1250) 1250 (1250) 1250 (1500) 1500 (1500) m / 1092 (1092) 1092 (1365) 1365 (1365) 1365 (1638) 1638 (1638) yds of DK weight yarn held single or fingering weight yarn
held together with equal yardage of mohair

SUGGESTED YARN
The Fibre Co. Arranmore Light (held single), Garnstudio Drops Sky (held single) or Garnstudio Drops Flora, Jamieson & Smith 2 Ply Jumper Weight, Istex Einband held double with Drops Kid Silk

FOs and WIPs

My Art Nouveau Sweater by Elenor Mortensen - my Galentine's Day cast on is progressing!

I now have my sweater on 60 inch needles so that I can spread the yoke flat. I still have 15 rounds to go on the chart but I might separate the body and sleeves earlier.

The Plumped Up Cowl by Andrea Mowry is what we are knitting for our brioche class and while I'm not teaching it, I cast one on during the first class. Most of us are knitting  it using two contrasting skeins of Malabrigo Mecha.

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

Linda (lmcnorton) finished this beautiful Mount Lorne Pullover by Andrea Cull. Yarn is Malabrigo Rios and Noro Akari.

Allison finished this gorgeous Plumped Up Cowl by Andrea Mowry that she started during our brioche class. Yarn is Malabrigo Mecha.

Sonia (knits4bliss) finished her Wheat Cardigan by Claudia Quintanilla that she knit exactly as written.

The yarn is Kelbourne Woolens Scout.

Victoria (manavictoria) knit this great little Sophie Scarf by PetiteKnit.

Emma (emmlaporte) finished this Holger Sweater by PetiteKnit as a gift.

Emma (emmlaporte) finished another pair of socks! These are the Shorty DK Socks by Summer Lee from The Sock Project book.

Sandi (sandima) finished her February Gnome for for the Year of Gnomes KAL. This one is Someone To Write Gnome About - Mini by Sarah Schira.

Sandi (sandima)'s newest Gnome makes his home on one of her shelves of Gnomes!!

Yanhong (CaptainMocha) finished her Diane Cardigan by Cookie the Knitter. She chose this spring-like buttery yellow Drops Kid Silk held double to knit it with.

Debbie (debsnubs) beautiful crocheted baby blanket. Pattern by @daisiesdelight.

Happy Wednesday, Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting!