Microlympic
It doesn’t look like much, does it? (Although I’ll tell you I don’t know what possessed me when I thought this design really needed a bit of stranded colorwork… knit flat. Purl-side stranding? Way arduous. I’m sure I swore never to do it again a few years back.) But every stitch of it is lever knit. It has a sleeve now, too, which I lever knit on two circulars. Whether it will fit an actual baby remains to be seen; the math for the yoke just didn’t want to play nice and even after four rounds of increasing by a third I wasn’t convinced I had enough stitches for a body and two sleeves. I ended up casting on 20 to rejoin at each underarm and then increasing six more beneath for extra body fullness. But I think I can finish it before the closing ceremonies, and while it doesn’t feel like my most amazing accomplishment, it’s been something entirely new for me in terms of technique. I’m choosing to equate it with competing in curling rather than in the cross country marathon or aerials — it’s about precision and focus rather than unbelievable strength and stamina or derring-do bordering on insanity. At least it’s no more underwhelming than snowboard cross.
Oh, and the little stripey sweater? It’s going to be called Okoboji, thanks to Mia having reminded me of our dear sailing roommate, Kate, and her charming Iowa hometown and its lake. I’ve almost finished writing up the pattern notes to send to those of you who volunteered to test knit. Thanks, guys!
Posted: February 25th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
That is pretty amazing. I can’t quite get the lever knit going. I guess I’m not ready to give up the old way. Good for you!
Posted: February 26th, 2010 at 2:54 am
I’m going to be a Grandma for the first time and am going crazy making baby sweaters. If you ever have a baby pattern you need test knitted I would love to do it.
Posted: February 26th, 2010 at 6:52 am
Darn! Now I am going to have to knit that cute little sweater. How can I not, having grown up in NW Iowa? Although, that nice little lake isn’t so charming right now as the winter has not been kind. Here is hoping for the above-freezing temperatures that the weather folks are promising next week. (I think that they are just trying to placate the crowds to lessen the chance of riots!)
Posted: February 26th, 2010 at 7:33 am
Wow! So the lever knitting seems to be going well for you! I took Stephanie’s class at Sock Summit and practiced for a while, but have certainly not been able to attempt making a garment yet. How do you lever knit with circulars? And have you ever tried with dpns? I can’t work out how she does it. You’ve inspired me to keep trying!
Posted: February 26th, 2010 at 8:41 am
Very nice. I’ve never tried a different knitting style, though I have had a couple of busybodies on the train try and teach me (and not understand that I don’t want to try something new in the middle of a project).
Do you find that your stitches are more even or something with the lever knit?
Posted: February 26th, 2010 at 8:53 am
wow, I’m loving it so far!! the colours are lovely, and I’m intrigued by the garter yoke!
Posted: February 26th, 2010 at 4:08 pm
That’s so cute! So, are you experiencing any benefits of the lever knitting yet? Or is it just an interesting experiment? It’s supposed to be super-fast once you get your speed up, I’ve heard, but I never want to put in the time to learn a different technique for basic knitting when I feel so comfortable with the way I knit already. Despite my curiosity… 🙂