Earlier this year I finished a fair isle jumper, complete with placket and pearl buttons; and a Peter Pan collar. A real pleasure to knit and oh! So very vintage!!
The garment pattern was based on a standard fair isle sweater, though I used my own fair isle pattern which was more in keeping with my own style.
I started in earnest by drawing out my fair isle schematic pattern, choosing my colours, swatching colour ways…and quickly settled on a heathered background and five complementary solid colours. I chose pearl buttons to repeat one of the solid vintage cream colours I was using; and off I went!!
I decided to knit the jumper in the round, rather than in the flat; and ensured I included additional stitches for the front bust area to accommodate my hourglass figure (ladies, we all know there’s nothing worse than a overly tight sweater – stretched stitches aren’t the best look to go for!….)
The project went really well, the colours looked fabulous together, the garment blocked nicely (don’t you just love Jamieson & Smith) and I set about sewing up the shoulders, setting in the sleeves, adding the Peter Pan collar and pearl buttons….
and then….oh-oh!!?!
WHAT HAPPENED??!? Where did these shoulders come from??!
Dallas TV show circa 1980s anyone??
I know that I’d decreased the stitches I’d increased for the bust; so that wasn’t the problem with the shoulders.
It took me a while to figure it out; but then I realised that when I knitted the garment in the round to the bottom of the sleeve, then changed to knitting the garment flat, I’d completely forgotten to check my new tension or adjust my needle size – so the top portion of the garment was much bigger than the bottom….There was only one option – to unpick both sleeves and sleeve heads, adjust, and sew up again.
I’m going in…!
Once unpicked I adjusted the shoulder and sleeve head, taking an additional 2.5cm off the sleeve head, before sewing the sleeve back in, all the time ensuring the pattern matched up.
2.5cm taken from the sleeve head and 1.5cm from the sleeve
Looking better! Adjusted shoulders and sleeves completed!
So we live and learn! My Tuesday Tip? Check and re-check your tension as the tension difference between knitting in the round and in the flat can be much greater than you imagine!
Happy knitting everyone! See you again soon!
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