11.18.07
Finished Object: Cable-Down Raglan
Welcome to the November 2007 issue of Lickety Knit Monthly! Don’t forget to lock in your 2008 subscription soon to guarantee yourself the lowest rates. [Disclaimer: Lickety Knit Inc. cannot guarantee a full year of issues. Subscription fees are non-refundable.]
Our cover story this month: the first adult sweater from my Year of Sweaters!
Pattern: Cable-Down Raglan by Stephanie Japel from the Spring 2007 Interweave Knits, second-smallest size
Yarn: Rowan Silk Wool DK, colorway “Greenwood,” just over 7 balls (only 785 yards!)
Notes: I looked like an imbecile in every one of the several dozens photos that I made Matt take. For about 10 low-self-esteem minutes I declared that this was the only one I liked and was willing to post. In the end I chilled out a little and just decided to go heavy on the headless shots. I have talked before about how uncomfortable it makes me to put pictures of myself on the blog because I feel as though I might be perceived as self-absorbed, but when it comes right down to it, I’m terribly vain and I can’t bear to post pictures in which I look as though I just ate a bug or emerged from solitary confinement or got collagen injections to my whole face or got attacked by bats. All of which I managed to convey in my photos today.
Oh, you wanted notes on the sweater, not on me and my appearance? Fine. My mistake. Here we go, then: I am mostly very pleased with this sweater. The top-down construction was really easy, leaving the intricate cables as the only challenge (and even they were pretty easily memorized). It knit up amazingly quickly: Casting on for the swatch through unpinning the finished sweater from the blocking board took just 29 days. Best of all, it is entirely wearable, which I’ve attempted to demonstrate with these action shots. It fits, it’s comfortable, and it’s practical.
Unsurprisingly, given the content and the manufacturer, the yarn was great. It knit up evenly, it has that lovely silky sheen, and it can be worn right against the skin. I bought it for 25 percent off at a LYS Superbowl Sale last February, which helped make the steepish price a little less painful.
A couple drawbacks to the pattern: first, the long cable repeats made it a little difficult to customize the length of the sleeves and body, assuming you don’t want to end abruptly in the middle of a cable. And because the two cable designs are, oddly, not the same length (30 rows and 28 rows), it’s difficult to get them to end at the same time at the hem unless you’re willing for the sweater to be a floor-length ballgown. I stressed out about this a lot, ultimately choosing to knit the first 6 rows of a new repeat of the main cable while finishing a repeat of the auxiliary cables, though if I weren’t too proud to admit it, I think I’d say that in the end maybe it doesn’t matter as much as I thought it did.
Second, too much purling. I know I’m not the only one who would rather scrub grout than purl for long stretches. I didn’t entirely realize what I was getting into until it was too late to turn back, however, and in the end I’m glad I’m persevered. That’s not to say I won’t avoid purling on DPNs ever again; if there is a knitter out there who can do so without getting ladders, I don’t want to know about it because my fragile knitting self-esteem depends on believing that it simply isn’t possible. I tugged and cajoled and gave stern looks, all to no avail.
So what did I do? Well, let’s just say this post article wouldn’t be complete without an ode to blocking. Dearest blocking, does a knitter have a better friend in all the world than you? I admit that I doubted you: I looked at all the flaws of my finished and unblocked sweater and I thought, this is insurmountable. The uneven stitch columns in the purling, the asstastically uneven cables, the absence of drape, the too-short sleeves, the bad hair it gave me when I wore it…I really thought you’d met your match.
Never again will I doubt you. You are my savior, blocking, and you deserve to have a religion founded upon your miraculous works.
—
What other goodies do we have in this issue of Lickety Knit? How about the announcement of the winner of the contest from my last post? “Whaaa?” you all say. “A contest?? I don’t remember a contest!” That’s right, you don’t. Because I am introducing a new contest concept into the knitblogosphere that I expect will catch on like wildfire: the secret contest. A contest in which the blog author decides on the parameters, does not share them with his or her readers, and then surprises and delights everyone with the simultaneous announcement of the contest, the prize, and the winner. I figure I stand to win a lot more prizes this way, given my poor track record at actually jumping through the hoops required to enter most blog contests (you know, like posting a comment before a stated deadline — who comes up with these draconian rules???), but it is not for myself that I propose this new style of contest. It is for…well, okay, it’s for me.
Anyway, the winner of my inaugural secret contest is: Specs! Specs correctly identified the source of my very obscure reference in my last post to a 1997 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 called “Prince of Space.” I had thought about having an official contest, but I realized that the quote I referenced was easily Googleable, so I decided that if anyone identified it anyway, I’d give that person a prize. Therefore, Specs, you have won two skeins of Koigu PPPM sock yarn in the color of your choice! Congratulations! Email me to let me know your choice and your shipping address.
—
I want to belatedly thank all the wonderful people who nominated me as a Rockin’ Girl Blogger over the last several months. The fact that I have not acknowledged this or nominated any RGBs of my own clearly makes me a Jackass Girl Blogger. Seeing as that particular meme is long past, I think I will not try to make amends now, but please accept a free yearlong subscription to Lickety Knit as a token of my sincere thanks for nominating me. (That came out a lot more sarcastically than I meant it to. I really did appreciate being singled out, especially since I clearly don’t deserve it!)
—
Coming up in the December issue*: progress on my new project, the Henley Perfected sweater from the Winter 2007 Interweave Knits. I am reclaiming the yarn (Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino) from the now-despised Gatsby Girl Pullover. What do you think? Can I really make two adult sweaters before the Year of Sweaters is out? (And by adult, I just mean grown-up sized, notwithstanding everyone’s tasteful catcalls provoked by my knockers in my last post.) (Sorry, Dad, for bringing that up again.)
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
*Yes, I will eventually give up this joke, but seeing as I can’t think of any new ones right now, I figured I’d try to eke a little more out of this one.
Theresa said,
November 18, 2007 at 1:45 am
That looks great. I keep looking through that book and pondering which, if any, I should make. And then I put it back on the shelf. You’re clearly doing better :) Happy Thanksgiving!
Leah said,
November 18, 2007 at 1:52 am
Your
rack, ahem, raglan is truly lovely! (Seems we are both preoccupied with our knockers here of late)!The Henley is gorgeous too, and I look forward to seeing two adult sweaters worth of knitting out of you before the end of the year!
matt said,
November 18, 2007 at 1:55 am
Nice sweater, as always! I think once upon a time you mocked me for my ignorant faith in blocking to cure all ills (which may have been rooted in the fact that “blocking” was the only knitting term I knew). Who’s laughing now?
brooke said,
November 18, 2007 at 2:32 am
The sweater looks really great. Can we please see the attacked-by-bats picture? :)
Sue said,
November 18, 2007 at 2:53 am
Your photos turned out wonderful with you wearing that beautiful sweater. I really dont know why you are so worried about how you look as I think you look great. I never put photos of myself on my blog if I can help it, but that is because I really need to lose about 15 kilos. Ah to be thin again would be lovely. I love the color of your sweater too, and I do hope the next sweater can be finished too. I cant wait for my copy of the IK mag coming this week, and that is one of the sweaters I really liked too.
Erika said,
November 18, 2007 at 3:23 am
Hi, the sweater looks great! I agree about purling…I don’t know why it’s so uncomfortable compared to knitting.
kmkat said,
November 18, 2007 at 4:33 am
That is the biggest honkin’ paper bag I have ever seen! No need for it, though, you look lovely. Great sweater. (I too rely on the Great God Blocking to fix my wonky knitting.)
Kristen said,
November 18, 2007 at 7:31 am
Wow, I am all agog- the sweater is gorgeous and looks great even on the headless you. How did I pass by this beauty in the Spring IK? It’s hard to believe it took less than 800 yards.
FYI- Enter my not-secret yarn contest by tomorrow and you may be a winner!
Carole said,
November 18, 2007 at 8:49 am
The sweater is fabulous! The fit looks perfect and you are as adorable as always.
Lesley said,
November 18, 2007 at 8:57 am
You and your sweater are gorgeous!
Specs said,
November 18, 2007 at 9:19 am
Woo hoo! I didn’t even realize it was a contest. I was just jumping at the chance to reference the massive MST3K quote library that is in my head, eating up space for more practical things. I’m off to work now, but I’ll email you later with my address and stuff. This totally made my day : )
And that’s a beautiful sweater. The 6 rows of the new cable don’t make it look bad/worse/awkward/whatever. Looks great!
melissa said,
November 18, 2007 at 9:30 am
it looks great, i love the color! i’m just shocked at how little yarn it took. that’s fabulous!
Amy said,
November 18, 2007 at 9:30 am
I think the picture of you with your arms crossed, showing your face, is absolutely lovely.
The sweater is gorgeous and fits you to a “T”. I hope that you debut it to the family on Thanksgiving.
Amy
Sonya said,
November 18, 2007 at 9:49 am
It’s always good to be reminded of the miracle of blocking. It’s a beautiful sweater and it looks great on you. I particularly like the action shots.
BTW, what sort of product comes in such an enormous paper bag?
whitney said,
November 18, 2007 at 9:55 am
Your sweater looks fantastic! It’s really wonderful in that color. And less than 800 yards? Wow, I just might have to give that pattern another look.
Nichole D. said,
November 18, 2007 at 11:03 am
The sweater looks awesome! Great job!
nichole said,
November 18, 2007 at 11:17 am
Your CDR looks great! Makes me want to give it another shot in a yarn I don’t hate.
Mintyfresh said,
November 18, 2007 at 11:18 am
Rachel, honey, we all know it’s all about you.
Great job on the sweater. When you first mentioned you were knitting it, I looked at it in the magazine and realized that it would never have looked appealing to me from the magazine alone–but you saw something in it and have me thinking twice! Congrats on your Year of Sweaters.
Michelle said,
November 18, 2007 at 11:33 am
Love that sweater! Nice November issue. :-)
Heather said,
November 18, 2007 at 11:40 am
Once again you come through with the a. winning prose, b. fantastic fo and c. awesome boob shots (img 1118–enjoy them now, that firmness won’t last forever)!
Dave said,
November 18, 2007 at 11:42 am
I think it’s gorgeous, and it looks wonderful on you. I love that colour, and the cables show beautifully.
Jenni said,
November 18, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Your sweater turned out great! I’m impressed! Can’t wait to see the henley, I love the color!
Helen said,
November 18, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Wow. I’m loving this. I happen to have that much of that yarn in my stash!
woot
Emma said,
November 18, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Beautiful sweater. And you look lovely in every single photo. Congratulations!
Elinor said,
November 18, 2007 at 12:32 pm
I love it! I think the color you chose looks way better than the one in the magazine. When I initially saw that pattern, I skipped right past it but I LOVE your version!!! It’s beautiful! And I love your idea of a secret contest. Clever!
AllyB said,
November 18, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Be-u-ti-ful sweater!
Adriana said,
November 18, 2007 at 12:54 pm
That sweater looks just fabulous on you! No wonder you are so proud of it.
And I’ve got to say, I adore your sense of humour. I will definitely be renewing my subscription for Lickety Knit Monthly! :)
Karin said,
November 18, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Wow! I love that sweater, it looks awesome! Might need to look through my issues again, see if I can find it! I think I like yours better then the one they show in the catalogue (Yes, I just checked lol).
Julie said,
November 18, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Your sweater looks phenomenal!! Great job. I love those action shots of you raking the leaves- I never know how to pose for sweater photos- might as well be in ‘real life’!
Kristin said,
November 18, 2007 at 1:52 pm
I love seeing what other people can do with a pattern, because I’ve never really been drawn to this sweater until I saw yours. Beautiful, and the yarn choice seems perfect!
Clumsy Knitter said,
November 18, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Wow! That sweater looks great! So much better than it did in the magazine. In fact, I had to run grab my issue from the shelf because my first thought was, “Wha??? I don’t remember a fantastic sweater like that in there!” Now I want one too!
Melissa said,
November 18, 2007 at 3:14 pm
An excellent example (reminder) of the power of blocking! Thanks for sharing and the sweater is beautiful!
leigh said,
November 18, 2007 at 3:50 pm
love the color and the sweater actually. frankly, i like the bag-over-head look best.
Carrie said,
November 18, 2007 at 4:07 pm
That sweater is absolutely gorgeous. It fits you so perfectly! And we like it when you post pics of your face. And your rack. ha!
Tipper said,
November 18, 2007 at 6:00 pm
You may be a jackass, but you’re a *funny* jackass, and a mighty fine knitter, to boot.
I love the secret contest idea, as I’m not clever enough to come up with ANY contests on my own.
Claire said,
November 18, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Your sweater is beautiful! Put me down for another year of Lickety Knit subscription!
hpny knits said,
November 18, 2007 at 8:40 pm
NICE! great color, nice yarn, excellent knitting and a wonderful fit. wow! have fun wearing it!
Disentangled said,
November 18, 2007 at 9:05 pm
Very nice FO! It looks very lovely on you, too :-) Congrats on a great new “adult” sweater :-)
mai said,
November 18, 2007 at 10:07 pm
really, really beautiful sweater! i love it! it looks great on you :)
Nora said,
November 18, 2007 at 11:17 pm
It looks fantastic. Beautiful work.
Nicole said,
November 19, 2007 at 1:00 am
Your sweater looks great!
KeanaLee said,
November 19, 2007 at 9:00 am
Great fall sweater!
Shelley said,
November 19, 2007 at 9:05 am
Rachel, that sweater is gorgous and it looks superb on you!!! I don’t know if I have that issue of the magazine…but if I do, it’s at home in Canada. Don’t know if that sweater would look good on me or not, but I’m tempted (probably wouldn’t happen until I get back home next fall) to knit that up! I need to get some yarn and make me a sweater to keep myself warm here in Korea…it’s getting colder and they are calling for snow showers tomorrow.
Liz K. said,
November 19, 2007 at 10:46 am
Yet another winner in the Year of Sweaters. But can I say, awesome sweater after awesome sweater is getting a little repetitive. I’m ready for some intrigue. Some bitchiness! Bring back Rachel Sr v. Minty!
; )
Laura said,
November 19, 2007 at 10:52 am
Lovely sweater, lovely yarn. But thanks for that note about all the purling. Now I won’t torture myself with that pattern–there are enough cabled sweaters that I want to knit (assuming that I’m not horribly crippled for life).
As for DPN ladders, I’ve always found that my ladders are *worse* when I pull and tug. If I leave the stitches at a just barely snugger (is that a word?) tension than my normal tension–no ladders. Maybe I’m just a freak and it won’t work for everyone.
Next time you have a secret contest, you’ll have to clue me in. I have to win ONE of your contests!
stacey said,
November 19, 2007 at 10:59 am
nice. i have bookmarked that sweater when the IK issue came out (as well as the new Henley from the newest IK) – it didn’t take much yarn at all! Maybe I can knit it out of stash yarn – what size (inches – I know I’m getting a little personal here) did you knit? I’d love to cast on for this!!!!
love the secret contest idea. like a shark attack – no one knows when it’s coming (except for the foreboding music)
Allison said,
November 19, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Yay, year of sweaters! I love the cable-down raglan. It looks great on you, paper bag or no. I love the secret contest idea. That really appeals to my lack of organization and planning, and prevents the need to actually follow through on a publicly posted promise. I may have one of these soon, as I keep finding perfectly nice yarn in my stash that just isn’t for me (stupid WEBS sales suck me in every time). (See how I made my comment on your post, er, issue, all about me?)
Knittypants said,
November 19, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Beautiful sweater! And wow, that’s quick knitting.
I like the idea of secret contests, I will have to keep that in mind.
And the Henley Perfected is so pretty, looking forward to next issue, but why did you end up hating the Gatsby Girl Pullover?
earthchick said,
November 19, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Flippin’ fantastic sweater! Seriously gorgeous, and all the shots are great. I totally understand about the concern about appearing self-absorbed (not that you could tell I’m concerned about looking like a narcissist, given by my complete willingness to model a strapless dress and gold silk beaded shawl in 40 degree weather in front of a monastery). And I’m with ya on hesitating to post unflattering pics of myself. But of course, all your shots look great, and you are just cute as can be in that rocking fall sweater.
Kelly said,
November 20, 2007 at 10:54 am
fabulous sweater! I would never think of knitting that but now that I see yours I want one too!!! Great job!
Nonnahs said,
November 20, 2007 at 11:45 am
Beautiful job! The color pairs perfectly with the cable pattern, and it looks great on you! Congrats!
jess said,
November 20, 2007 at 12:43 pm
I really like it when someone’s FO makes me think, “wow, this looks so much better than in the pattern pictures” — and this does! It really suits you and I love the color!
Macoco said,
November 20, 2007 at 3:10 pm
The sweater is beautiful, I love all of those cables. The sweater looks great on you – which is just as important! And who doesn’t love a sweater you can wear while raking?
Laura said,
November 20, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Rachel, it’s a lovely sweater and looks fantastic on you. I’m a big fan of the headless shot, too, as I always manage to look more than a little dyspeptic in photos.
knitnana said,
November 20, 2007 at 4:37 pm
Cable Down is just fabulous! I adored the teal color in the original mag, but your choice of green is so pretty – and your photos are too, don’t give me a lot of “stuff” about not wanting to see your face!
(((hugs)))
Debby said,
November 20, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Blocking really does cover a multitude of sins. Too bad we can’t apply it to photos, because I hate having sweater photos taken too (maybe that’s why I mostly knit scarves, shawls, and things that you can photograph on the carpet!). Yours came out really nice, though I too would like to see the bat photo…
Wapsy said,
November 21, 2007 at 10:55 am
You should do a grout-scrubbing blog. Mind you, it’s not a subject that appeals to me particularly, but at least I could understand it.
Pheelya said,
November 21, 2007 at 5:04 pm
What a beautiful sweater!!
Knitting Bandit said,
November 24, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Gorgeous sweater! I never looked twice at in the magazine, now I have to go have another peek!
sari said,
November 25, 2007 at 10:56 pm
that is a beautiful sweater! i love the color.
Felicia said,
November 26, 2007 at 9:39 am
I enjoy my current monthly subscription, and would like to renew. Any bonus issues in the new year would be equally enjoyed. Ta-ta comments and all – that sweater looks fabulous! Two adult sweaters in the Year of Sweaters? That is totally over the top.
Bella said,
November 26, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Daahling, you look simply ravishing in that raglan! Who knew Lickety Knit would go from a knitting blog, to a monthly online publication, to a Vogue/Harper’s Bazaar-ish modeling mag! I will definitely be renewing my subscription :-)
nova said,
November 27, 2007 at 12:49 am
Your sweater is amazing! Great color and from where I am sitting (with my brand new glasses they have me seeing things all crisp and clear) it looks flawless. Secret contest. I like it.
Lara said,
November 27, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Your sweater is gorgeous! What an amazing job. The color is beautiful. And your pics are great…..I know what you mean though, I go through dozens before I find something I am ever satisfied with!
Doris said,
November 27, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Got here via a link. That is a gorgeous sweater!
leslie said,
November 29, 2007 at 7:56 am
i really LOVE it in this color!
fabulous job.
Heidi said,
November 30, 2007 at 6:04 pm
AWEsome sweater, I love it! And very cute pictures too ^_^
I’m trying to talk myself into knitting something big, and not just hats, socks, etc.
Perhaps I’ll try a raglan also!
-Heidi
Zarah said,
December 2, 2007 at 10:12 am
Your sweater turned out wonderfully – it’s really something to be proud of.
Ginger aka Beethoven said,
December 9, 2007 at 6:32 am
Wow.. this is one seriously well knitted sweater! We love the colour too!
You’re really pretty modeling the sweater!
Our Mum would love this.
JayJay said,
December 10, 2007 at 2:56 pm
These issues are getting way too popular. 69 comments! You may actually need to start a subscription process! The sweater turned out fantastic! I am really looking forwad to seeing another adult sweater (in the G-rated sense, of course; I’m not a pervert or anything).
Rain said,
January 1, 2008 at 7:52 am
Oh wow! That’s stunning. The colour choice works really well and it looks great on you. Don’t hide it away, wear it, wear it and wear it some more. It deserves to be seen. Me likey! Me likey a lot!
Lickety Knit » Finished Object: Henley Perfected said,
January 2, 2008 at 6:16 pm
[...] the reason I’ve chosen patterns in the past. For example, although I loved knitting the Cable-Down Raglan, it’s not the sort of thing I would ever pick out at the store. It just happened to call for [...]