A cable/aran question

Hi I have done a lot of jumpers/sweaters in 4.5mm needles but only so far in stocking stitch. I have done 18 rows of rib plus increase row and have done 90 rows of honeycomb pattern, yet it only measures 36 cm but the stocking stitch is 40 cm. My question is has anyone else noticed that heavy cable (mine is 160 stitches across and full on honeycomb) decreases the length of the garment? Normally I do patterns and make them unique

That neck was a real pain both knitting and sewing up. Here is another one (I really like honeycomb stitch. It works for both genders).

This is what I used to mainly do on 4.5mm needles

On another topic here is my Sydney Royal Easter show entry for this year and if anyone goes they may see this

I hope someone can help because I am not really good at shaping

3 Likes

Welcome to the forum!
Your sweaters are a delight to see. They’re beautifully knit and in grand colors.
Cables will certainly pull in the knit fabric. Even a single cable or braid will do that.
Good luck with the Royal Easter show entry. It looks like a winner to me.

Your knitting is amazing! Pattern stitches can affect both row and stitch gauge. Were you working from a pattern or is this your own design?

Thanks for that it took me over 20 hours to sew that entry up. I used a toy sewing up stitch I call ladder stitch. everyone I have shown is impressed but i am a 56 year old heavily tattooed male. One day in 2015 I was wearing a jumper on Central station Sydney and a lady tapped me on the shoulder. I stepped back and spun around to protect myself and saw it was a lady and she asked was it a Kaffe Fassett? I wasn’t knitting then and i refused a commission after telling her they sold for $600 AUD and she knew but she wanted me to knit her a garment. After some time I thought I should knit again but I missed a good opportunity. This is a pic of the jumper next to the one I knitted for mum (in the larger size) I can tell you you need 3 metres of yarn for the half circles and one metre of yarn for the corners. It looks like a winner to me too thanks but i am competing against people with over 10 times experience than me. so maybe I need some luck.

That jumper was stolen off me one night in 2016

2 Likes

I have never done a stitch gauge, people call me a tight knitter but i usually get the correct tension. I am currently designing a cardigan because my shoulder has been messed up badly for over 9 months and i could not get into or out of my knitted jumpers. So i am trying to find a cardigan pattern but 4mm needles were not doing well so I upped it to 4.5mm. My idea is to have the whole thing honeycomb stitch and I add 2 selvedge stitches to use ladder stitch sewing it up. I have not followed a pattern for over a decade but I have no real idea how to shape properly so that is that part of the pattern i have to follow., I think my question has been answered but mathematically and logical gets me confused because to make a stitch you wrap the yarn around the needle and make a stitch. So I have to do a few more rows before shaping.

The biggest lightning bolt I have ever done was this and i added a moon at the top which i am thinking of using in next years show

1 Like

These pics cut off a lot. I do both sleeves at once, you can see the lighter grey on the needles on the right hand side, sadly I don’t have a pic of this right now.

These are gorgeous you are truly talented and creative

Thanks Chicklette sadly i am extremely modest and am embarrassed with compliments, but a true compliment is get a cute girl to model for you and take a selfie

2 Likes

I can relate
Very proud of you, hope that’s better cheers

How long you’ve been knitting isn’t what determines how well you do it. Your knitting makes mine look like I just learned how to knit and I acknowledge your accomplishments and skill.

Are we kindred spirits in knitting? I seldom use patterns. I found a tutorial online years ago for crocheting a top down pullover without a pattern, making it up as you go and trying it on for fit. It worked. I found the same method translated into knitting but with more stitches. I’ve learned to make top down sweaters, both pullover/jumper and cardigan, and never need a pattern. Swatching is when I play with the yarn and needles to figure out the needle size I want to use with the stitches I have in mind, rarely do I bother with gauge. When I decide on yarn and needle combo I knit the garment to fit. I knit the shape I need. The few times I’ve actually followed a pattern I’ve been disappointed with the results. I look at patterns for ideas and techniques. I learned to do seamless pockets that are join as you go from videos. It’s amazing what one can knit with the right mindset and no pattern. I just finished a test knit and for that I had to follow a pattern. Intuitively I knew what I was doing wasn’t going to be satisfactory. So now I can experiment with making it work better or frog the thing and do something else.

I’m not familiar with ladder stitch and from what I saw searching for it I think it might be what I know as mattress stitch.

PS I hope you win! I really think you should.

2 Likes

Wow, they all fabulous!

I do find that different stitch patterns have different row gauges. If you don’t mind swatching, a stocking stitch swatch (or whatever your “background” stitch is) and a cabled one can be good to illustrate potential differences.

If one part of my knitting is getting taller than the other, I sometimes throw in some short rows to bring up the short section to matching height.

Greetings from a fellow Aussie!

Hi all I entered my jumper/sweater today and need to wait until April 4th to see how I went. If anyone goes to the Royal Easter show arts and crafts preview night look out for me and say hi. I probably won’t stay long but should be easy to find. Cheers

Good luck and please keep us posted.

I will and I hope someone can meet me at the arts and crafts preview on the 4th April from 6 pm. I would be happy to pay $25 toward the $49 entry fee but I want to see carving, bear making, cross stitch, recyclable materials and a few other things before I look at my exhibit and i want a beer before I go to the knitting section. I have no idea how to privately give my mobile number, but anyone interested in meeting me can ask for my email address, but I can only offer a $25 discount to one person. More details if someone is interested and able to get there. I have no car and would have to meet at the venue. It is 2 am so only 10 days to go.

I did not get any prizes and that is why it was a late reply.

1 Like

Beautiful work nonetheless.

Judges. Who knows what goes through their minds? Did you forget the bribe? Seriously though, your work is amazing and I I’d vote for yours if given a chance. Onward and upward!

You’re much braver than me. I’d never consider entering a competition.

Thankyou @GrumpyGramma (I could not afford, nor want to try to bribe, that is not winning) and @salmonmac it was disappointing but things happen. My mother said maybe the judges didn’t like colourful things. First prize was like a fisherman’s rib with a twist that looked like every 6 rows. I am starting a full on honeycomb green cardigan on 4.5mm needles but I need help with shaping. It will take a while with 162 stitches each row so I can wait until the 2nd Saturday of next month to go to the Blacktown knitters guild meeting and see if someone can guide me. My shoulder is ruined so I am a very slow knitter now. Cheers

1 Like

@GrumpyGramma entering a competition is not brave it is ambitious. But a thin male (not short) knitting in pubs in Kings Cross Sydney is braver. I used to get lots of second glances while knitting and enjoying a beer and checking out the fun outside. In 100 metres on Darlinghurst Rd it is almost like 2 different cultures, you have junkies, ice heads, pot smokers, coke addicts, pill pushers and wanters and tourists. It used to fun but I can’t go back because I cannot defend myself anymore, my shoulder will never get better.

1 Like

I was joking about the bribe BTW. I’d not do something like that, I think competitions should be fair. I was serious about who knows what judges are thinking or are what influences them even when they mean to be fair. I recently saw a video of someone speaking to an audience. In the back of the room there was a man working on a hand sewn quilt. They actually showed him up close and he displayed his quilt for the camera at the end. I thought that was great. Stereotypes suck. I can’t remember which video I saw or I’d share a link.