More Evendim

I am still plugging away at my Evendim.  This sweater is a bottom up pull over with a cool collar detail.  I was attracted to the sweater when I saw it in the Twist collective, I loved the asymmetrical collar with that matched the cable/lace detail at the cuffs and bottom of the sweater.  I knew it was knit in the round, with a raglan sleeve, I don’t know how I thought it was going to stay in the round when there is a button detail on the shoulder.  I must have thought that it was just a decoration, the buttons didn’t really open, but they do!  This makes the sweater knit back and forth, with the button band as the divide.  This has caused not problems, I guess, but challenges?  It just means more things to do when completing a row.  When the sleeves are attached to the yoke, there is a bunch of instructions, a lot of “at the same time”.  If one forgets one of these instructions, since the whole sweater is attached, the whole thing has to be ripped out.  I guess that is the price you pay for no seaming at the end.  The pattern is really well written, there is a warning to read the whole yoke section before starting, so none of the instructions are missed.  Right now, I am doing the sleeve and body decreases, but I have to remember to add in short rows into the button band AND add in button holes where appropriate.  I must say, that I have had to rip out multiple rows because I have forgotten something.  I have also fudged a few things, because I couldn’t face ripping the whole thing out, hopefully no one will notice. 

I just had to try it on to make sure it fit.  Ignore the T-shirt I have on.  

The sock stitch holders are where the button band is.  

I use the magnet board method on keeping track of all these instructions.  I linked to the Knit picks version, I have a super old version, it does the same thing, mine isn't as fancy.  I move the magnets to mark what row I’m on. In this case, I have a magnet marking all the “at the same time” instructions.  I made a mistake in the type of decreases because one of my magnets was blocking the instructions. I also use stitch markers to mark where I have put the increases, or button holes, it makes counting easier. 

 My better half uses the excel spread sheet method.  He takes all the instructions and types them out line by line, then uses a post-it note to mark what row he is on.  This is WAY too much work for me.  It’s quite interesting watching him grow as a knitter and how he makes it his own.  I have taught him how to knit a few years ago, but he can take in the techniques and change them in a way that makes it easier for him.  Knitting itself had come a long way too, so much more is available to us that wasn’t 20 years ago.  It’s much easier to share information, much easier to find different ways to do things. 

I was so inspired to start this sweater, I just couldn’t wait, it’s just bad luck that it has turned out to be the hottest summer in quite a while.  Another “issue” with knitting a bottom up raglan is the whole sweater is resting on my lap as I knit.  It makes for very hot knitting conditions.  My sweater should be finished in time for the colder weather.  Right now, it's hard to imagine the cold will ever come back.