Sweater progress

It’s been 2-3 months since I worked on my version of the Swedish Thora sweater from XRX's Best of Arans & Celtics. I finished a few other things that I had on the needles and now this is the #1 on the guilt-list of unfinished projects. Maybe guilt isn’t the right word, but whatever.

So under the idea that not wanting to knit on this sweater just might be a sign that something is wrong with the project, I took inventory of what’s what knowing full well that I’ll probably end up making big (or not) changes.

Body – It’s knit top down with a modified peasant sleeve from Barbara Walker's book Knitting From The Top Down. It’s done to just below the armholes, the next body row is where the front & back get joined together. Or not. If I don’t join, I’ll have two side seams, but that’s no big deal. I don’t mind sewing up seams and I don’t like circular needles. No problem – do the body in two parts, I just need to remember to add the underarm stitches on the next row.
Sort of related link – a Knitter's Review forum discussing knitting sweaters flat vs in the round


Sleeve 1- Done, but it’s too narrow. I’ll need to rip back the decreases, the top of the sleeve before the decreases started seems to be ok. Small problem – wait for sleeve 2 to be finished so I know what to re-knit.

Sleeve 2 – Started (barely, but 4 rows done is a start) The rows before the decreases start I can just follow the notes I have from sleeve 1. Then I need to recalculate the decreases to finish the sleeve. No problem.

General –In the picture of the Thora sweater is, hmm, elegant, I guess is how I’d describe it. The Cascade 220 purple tweed I’m using is nice, but it’s not an elegant yarn. The finished sweater won’t magically become elegant using the purple tweed. Big problem. The body done so far reminds me of a gansey sweater– the kind with a patterned yoke, a garter stitch band, then a plain stockinette stitch body. That would work with what I’ve got so far. The next few body rows could be the garter stitch band, or another inch or so of the cable & moss stitch before the garter stitch might look better, then a twisted stockinette stitch body. I liked the way the twisted stockinette came out in Stacie's Baby Sweater I bet it would look good in the purple tweed too. Problem solved.

Knitting shall commence!

Other posts about this sweater -
Random Ramblings
Sweater Sleeves
Yarns in Progress