So, just what is a social you ask? We like to think of it as a virtual quilting bee, stitch and bitch or sewing circle. From time to time we’ll pick a project to work on and hope you’ll all decided to join in with us.
For our first social, we are going to do a knitting project, the 8,000 Feet Hoodie from Interweave Knits Weekend (This magazine is also available digitally). I just love this sweater and that fact that it has colorwork, but not colorwork all over. It is supposed to be a good fast, first colorwork project with both the hood and cuffs worked in the round. It looks complicated, but you are only working with 2 colors on each round. The sweater body it worked from the top down which gives you the opportunity to adjust it to fit you correctly.
Now, let’s talk yarn. The pattern calls for Blue Sky Alpaca Suri Merino, but at about $16 a skien this sweater was going to cost me close to $200. I wasn’t ready to invest that, so I looked for a substitute. It had to be something with a similar gauge of 23 stitches in 4 inches that also had a lot of colors. I found the perfect thing, Cascade 220 Sport. It runs about $4 a skein and comes in a ton of colors.
I changed the color palette slightly. The original sweater was in a dusky lilac which I switched to a heathered grey. For the colorwork, I opted for a bolder blue and green and went with cream instead of gold. I’m hoping I didn’t got too bold.
With my yarn in hand, it was time to knit up my swatches (I feel like I’m being such a good knitter when I do my gauge swatches).
Wow, this has to be one of the first times I’ve hit gauge on the first time with the called for needles. I’m very happy with the heft of this yarn knit up, I always seem to end up with sweaters that are too bulky. The gauge on this pattern calls for 23 stitches in 4 inches, I’ve cast on 25 in these swatches. I’m also actually spot on with the rows on both swatches. I think it’s interesting that the plain swatch is supposed to be 30 rows per 4 inches while the colorwork is 24 rows per 4 inches. I think the colorwork will look neater when its knit in the round, it’s a little tricky flat like this.
Now, I’m ready to cast on. So, anyone else interested in knitting this sweater along with me? If we get started now we’ll have a cute sweater just in time for colder weather.
If you do decide to join this knitting social please join our Flickr group. We’d love to see the yarn you chose and your gauge swatches as you start this project.
© 2005 – 2011 Kathy Lewinski & Susan Cornish
I’m interested. I even have some yarn that I can earmark for it (in Cascade220 Sport). However, I need to finish Oranje first. It’s got a deadline, so I might be starting late, but I’ll catch up!
I have been eyeing this pattern for a while – now the mag is in my house and yarn to arrive soon. Looks to me as if it is going to stretch my knitting skills, but I am willing to try. Hope you’ll post some help / hints on your site. Thanks!
When is this going to start, Kat? I just got back into town and need a little time to get all the materials assembled.
Barb – where do you buy your yarn? Kat, did you buy it in town somewhere or online?
I’ve never knit a sweater for myself before and I am excited about trying this. I think I just might be up for the challenge this year!
Manisha – Go ahead & get your yarn & jump in. Last week I basically just did gauge swatches.