Thursday, October 28, 2010

what's the fun in that?

thank you thank you thank you everyone for all of the kind congratulations! we're excited to throw one smashing party with our family and friends come spring - and expect a few DIY projects along the way!

but we've got a few months to go so today, instead, let's look at how to make goodale 100% seamless - because if you've got a top-down raglan, why any seams at all? pattern instructions tell you to tack down and sew the bottom pockets together when all's said and done, but i say why not, dear readers, graft as you go?

here's what you'll need to do it the marri way:

modifying goodale

-copious amounts of stitch markers
-an extra circ or two of the same needle size or a bit smaller
-a measuring tape
-ipod and headphones with the return of cast on loaded and ready to go!


we're starting just before the seven rows of 1x1 rib, just about to work the next row on the RS. first, measure off your 2" or so up at the collar and fold it over as the pattern instructs. pin it down, baby!

modifying goodale


next, measure off your 5.25" on the bottom, and place a stitch marker where it ends - this will be your fold line. count the number of stitches from the beginning of your work to the stitch marker (for me, it was 30). then place a second marker that number of stitches away from the first. (if your ribbing tends to be tight, you might want to measure off an extra inch or so to make up for the gathering that will occur. i'm going to do twisted rib so it didn't much matter here for me.)

modifying goodale

take all the stitches between the beginning of your work and the first marker and transfer them over to one of your spare circulars. fold your sweater over at the junction between your two circs, so that the beginning of the work matches up to the second marker like above with your "pocket" on top. re-measure and make sure your pocket is the size you want! and go ahead and do all of the above on the other end of your work, because you'll want two pockets, right?


now the scary part:

modifying goodale

cut your tail. go ahead and do it. it's not the end of the world. just be sure to leave a good 6" or so to secure and weave in later.


modifying goodale

that fold line is now the beginning of your work and there should be not one but two needles peeking out, one from each circ. go ahead and pick 'em up in your left hand. go ahead and pick the other end of your main circ up in your right hand. and then go ahead and knit those two first stitches - one from the front needle, and one from the back - together, starting with the front stitch. if you're like me and hate 1x1 ribbing but love 1x1 twisted rib, knit them together through the back loop instead.


modifying goodale

next stitch? purl the front and back stitch together, inserting your needle into the back stitch first, and then the front.


modifying goodale

keep a'goin - k1, p1 (or k1tbl, p1) - until you get to the next marker. simply go back to the top of these instructions and repeat for the second pocket.


modifying goodale

look, a pocket!

then just finish up the last six rows of ribbing and you're done! you could graft on the bind-off row instead of your first row of ribbing if you'd like the pockets to extend all the way to the bottom of your sweater, but because i was going with the twisted ribbing and am lazy - i didn't want to do the "through the back loop" thing for every stitch - i chose to do it this way. to each his or her own - that's what i love about this crazy knitting thing!

now on to the sleeves and collar!


(this mid-weekday post brought to you by the fact that i'm home with some sort of mean stomach bug which no amount of mint tea or kitten purrs can kick.)

4 comments:

Katie said...

oooh goodale is coming up as our December KAL at my SnB, I'll definitely be suggesting we use your method since we're a bunch of seam-haters to be honest!

betty said...

I did the same thing with my Goodale on the bottom -- I folded and knitted or purled the 2 stitches together for the fold. However at the start, I knitted up to the fold point first, then folded, so that way I did not have to cut any yarn. the one extra row on that front bit makes no difference at that gauge.

(I actually liked seamed garments, but I just think the pockets look better this way instead of being sewn todgether at the bottom)

Mr Puffy's Knitting Blog: said...

Utterly brilliant!!! I think other designers should take note and write patterns to be "seamless" as it results in a much better fitted garment (for those who are sewing impaired and/or hate the finishing work).

PS Hope you feel better in time to gobble down some Halloween candy!

Lindsey said...

Try ginger tea and chamomile tea. In Germany, they don't even have pepto bismol, they just drink chamomile tea.