Rogues and Rakes; or My Last New England Sweater
A rich rogue nowadays is fit company for any gentleman; and the world, my dear, hath not such a contempt for roguery as you might imagine. -John Gay
Welcome to Cardi Rogue, My Last New England Sweater. Not to be too dramatic, or anything, but I first fell in love with this sweater on Claudia's Blog (and she loved it so much she made two!). This was last fall and winter when I first started really reading knitting blogs, and it was mostly by surfing the New England Knits webring. There were leaves, snow, cold, and this is the perfect New England sweater.
I thought I had missed all the hoopla, but now Kristen, fellow New Englander and med-student-in-stitches, is also starting Rogue. She's busy with her next rotation, while I bask in the relative calm of 4th year. Nevertheless, I'm still working on Winter Folly, a few other projects, and really need to get going on all that academic stuff I was putting off for the new year. Hopefully, we'll keep pace.
Here's my start:
I'm using Briggs and Little Heritage 2-ply 100% wool that I had picked up at the B&L Factory Store in New Brunswick, Canada about 4 years ago. (See how this qualifies as a Stashalong project? And isn't that such New Englandy-goodness?) I had swatched on US 7s over the summer and convinced myself that I'd gotten the requisite 4.5 sts/in. But there must have been a nagging voice in the back of my head, because I then did something I've never done before: I cast on for a sleeve first. Not only that, I stopped and measured after a few inches. Good thing. I was getting about 4.2 sts/in - a big difference. And instead of ribbing out 180-ish sts for the entire sweater body, I only had to rip out 43. Plus I got some practice with the new-to-me double-centered increase that starts the cables. (Check out savannahchik's great tutorial here.) I started over with a US6 - gauge now right on track - and then knit both sleeves up to the top of the cables, first one, then the other. I like to knit both sleeves together, which I can for the rest, but I needed a break after the exciting adventure that was knitting the hem stitches with the live stitches while increasing 3-in-one AND cabling. I like to live dangerously.
And as for the wooliness: I love New England. I'll be back. Someday.
posted by Theresa at 7:00 AM/Permalink
9 Comments:
Theresa, I hope you are planning a sweater for your father. He needs to find something new to brag about when he shows you the web-site. I see him in a Mr. Rogers type thing. Love, Aunt Carol
Looks like you're off to a good start on Rogue. It's a great color, too. If I wasn't totally sure I'd never keep up, I'd drag out the yarn I have for it and join you.
Looking good! I'm on my 2nd Rogue myself, and in red too.
Rogue is such a good looking sweater and you are making great progress. Cannot wait to see how it turns out.
Amanda
And when you get back to NE you can wear all those sweaters you're knitting out here. I went to Claudia's blog to check out Rogue (although -why? I've seen it everwhere) and she has the most gorgeous socks posted.
Rogue should be a fun knit.
Gorgeous! You're making great progress, but it looks like Aunt Carol is laying down the law. Better get cracking on a sweater for your father!
Good on you for starting a sleeve first. I just love a Red Riding Rogue.
I'm attempting to keep up, but so far all I've done is ball yarn and cast on a half dozen times...with any luck I'll get as far as you've gotten this weekend, and then I'll be able to knit as I spend my evenings reading. What you've done looks great - it's inspiring to see what it looks like in progress (as opposed to a finished object).
As for leaving New England - we'll always be here, patiently waiting for you to return. :)
(I say that knowing full well I'm going to tromp around the country next year before I settle down for a residency here; perhaps we'll meet up at some point while you're "not here" and I'm "out there." I've joked about searching out hospitals near knitting bloggers and yarn stores and often I'm only half kidding....)
T, I dono't really need a sweater, remember the throw out rule!
I will be Ketchikan next week and they have a big YARN & BEAD store. If you want, contact them (they have a web addressthat I can't remember, and if there is anything special you want, let them and me know, and I will pick it up for you. (Sea otter is big in SE AK.) Love you a lot.
I always read the blog.
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