Does anyone have advice about how to adapt the yoke of the Belle Cardigan to a different gauge?
The photos for the cardigan can be found here: http://www.interweaveknits.com/galleries/bonus/fall2007/chia.asp
And pattern information is here:
http://www.interweaveknits.com/preview/2007_fall.asp
I decided to make the pattern with Schoeller & Stahl’s Filzi yarn, as I felt that a less bulky yarn would be more flattering on me.
I am using 7 mm needles for this pattern and the gauge that I am getting is 3 Stitches and 5 rows per inch, i.e. 12 stitches and 20 rows equals 4 inches. The gauge for the original pattern is: 6 ½ stitches and 9 ½ rows equals 4 inches. I used the Knitting Fiend’s conversion calculator (found here: http://www.thedietdiary.com/knittingfiend/OrderForms/conversion%20pages/ConversionPage.html) to come up with following conversation factors:
Row conversion factor 2.105
Stitch Conversion Factor: 1.846
The bottom part of the sweater was really easy. I cast on 126 stitches for the size 24 ¾, after reading complaints about it being a bit oversized (the pattern calls for a lot of negative ease), and after the decreases mentioned in the pattern at the waist, I should have approximately 81 stitches using my gauge swatch, which corresponds to the waist measurement for the 29 ½ size.
Things become complicated at the yoke, which involves lots of short-row shaping and I am having problem figuring out how my gauge difference will affect the short row shaping directions.
I have already decided to ignore her sleeve directions and make my own less poufy sleeves. Therefore, once I have completed the sleeves, there should be 42 stitches at the armhole before it is joined to the body. Here are her directions IN THE ORIGINAL GAUGE given in the pattern. I would be grateful for advice about how to adjust these directions to my current gauge. I have never done short row shaping before. I have only included pattern information that is relevant to my size and that I have had problems understanding. I have left as much of the pattern out as possible out of respect for Twinkle, but, as you can see from what I have written below, I don’t understand quite a bit of the pattern. From looking at the picture, I thought that this would be a nice easy sweater to knit, but it is not looking like that right now. Please note that I am not going to include the pockets that are in the pattern (I think that it would not be flattering, esp. in this bulky yarn). I hope some of you will be willing to share your knitting knowledge with me and apologize for this super long post.
“Shape neck and divide for back and fronts: Work short rows to beg neck shaping while dividing back and fronts as foll:
Short Row 1: (RS) purl to last 3 sts, wrap next st, turn.
Short Row 2: WS (dividing row) knit to 2 sts before left seam m, Bo 4 sts for left armhold removing m as you come to it, knit to last 3 sts, wrap next st, turn – 36 sts total remL 8 sts or each front with 3rd st from each front edge wrapped 20 back sts, piece measure 13 ¼ from CO. Place sts for both fronts and back on three separate holders, leaving working yarn attached to wrapped st on right front.
Sleeves
(I am only including the relevant directions here after increasing, the sleeves have 35 stitches) WS Row: BO 2 stitches at beg of next 2 rows (I AM PLANNING TO WORK THESE SLEEVES IN THE ROUND. HOW MANY STITCHES SHOULD I BIND OFF? I GUESS IF IT SAYS THAT I SHOULD BIND OF 2 STITCHES OVER TWO ROWS, CONVERTING THAT TO KNITTING IN THE ROUND MEANS THAT I SHOULD BIND OFF 4 STITCHES IN THE SAME ROW?) 31 sts rem, piece measures about 9 ½ from CO place sts on holder.
Yoke:
With RS facing, transfer the foll to larger needle 8 right front sts, pm, 31 right sleeve sts, pm, 8 lwdr deonr ara – 98 sts total
Row 1: (RS) Sl first 3 sts as if to purl without working them so wrapped st is at end of right needle; with yarn attached to right front, purl to last 4 sts of row, wrap next st, turn
Row 2: (WS) knit to first sleeve m, slip marker (sl m), * k1, k2tog, knit to 3 sts before next m, ssk, k1, slm *, knit across back sts, sl m, rep from * to * for left sleeve, knit to last 4 sts of left front, wrap next st, turn – 29 sts for each sleeve, no change to other st counts; wrapped sts are 3rd and 4th sts from each end of needle.
Row 3: Purl to first sleeve m, sl m, purl to 3 sts before next m, p2togm, p1, sl m, purl across back sts, sl m, p1, ssp, purl to next sleeve m, sl m, purl to last 5 sts, wrap next st, turn – 28 sts for each sleeve, no change to other st counts.
Row 4: Knit to first sleeve m, sl m, *k1, k2tog, knit to 3 sts before next m, ssk, k1, sl m; repd from * 2 more times across back and left sleeve, knit to last 5 sts of left front, wrap next st, turn – 26 sts for each sleeve, 18 back sts, no change to front st counts, wrapped sts are 3rd, 4th and 5th sts from each end of needle. From Row 5 to end of yoke, ever row will add one more wrapped st ad end of row.
Row 5: Purl to last 3 stitches of right sleeve, p 2tog, p 1, sl m, purl across backs sts, sl m, p1, ssp, purl to last 6 sts, wrap next st, turn – 25 sts for each sleeve; no change to other st counts.
Row 6: K2 to first sleeve m, sl m, k1, K2tog, knit to 3 sts before next m, ssk, k1, sl m, knit across backs sts, sl m, rep from * to * for left sleeve, k2 to last 6 sts, wrap next st, turn – 23 sts for each sleeve; no change to other st counts.
Row7: Purl to last 3 sts of right sleeve, p2tog, p1, sl m, purl across back sts, sl m, p1, ssp, purl to last 7 sts, wrap next st, turn – 22 st for each sleeve, no change to other st counts.
Row 8: Knit to last 3 sts of left sleeve, ssk, k1, slm, k1, k2tog, knit to last 3 sts of back, ssk, k1, sl m , k1, k2tog, knit to last 7 sts, wrap next next st, turn – 21 sts for each sleeve 16 back sts.
Row 9: Purl to last 3 sts of right sleeve, p2tog, p1, sl m, purl across back sts, sl m, p1 ssp, purl to 1st st before previous wrapped st, wrap next st, turn – 20 sts for each sleeve; no change to other st counts.
Row 10: Knit to last 3 sts of left sleeve, ssk, k1, sl m, knit across back sts, sl m, k1, k2tog, knit to 1 st before previous wrapped st, wrap next st, turn – 19 st for each sleeve, no change to other st counts.
Row 12: Knit to last 3 sts of left sleeve, ssk, k1, sl m, k1, k2t0g, knit to last 3 sts of back, ssk, k1, sl m, k1, k2 tog, knit to 1 st before previous wrapped st, wrap next st, turn – 17 sts foe each sleeve, 14 back sts.
Row 13: Rep row 9 – 16 sts for each sleeve, no change to other st counts.
Row 19: Knit to last 3 sts of left sleeve, ssk, k1, sl m, knit across back sts, sl m, k1, k2tog, knit to 1 st before previous wrapped st, wrap next st, turn 60 sts total: 15 sts for each sleeve, 8 sts for each front, 14 back sts. You measures about 6” from joining row measure straight up center back; 8 wrpaped sts at each end of the needle, the 3rd through 10 sts.
Size 29 ½ only: Rep rows 11-14 of yoke 1 more time 50 sts total, 10 sts for each front, 11 sts for each sleeve; 12 back sts. Yoke measures about 7 ½ from joining row measure straight up center back: 10 wrapped sts at each end of needle, the 3rd through 12 sts. Leave sts on larger needle, break yarn, and skip to Finishing.
Finshing: (PLEASE HELP WITH ADVICE ABOUT PICKING UP THE WRAPPED STITCHES!!!)
Front band:
With RS facing and smaller needle, beg at lower edge of right front opening, pick up and knit 32 sts to beg of live neck sts (it is clear that I will pick up more stitches here because of my guage); knit first 2 unwrapped right fron sts; knit the next 10 wrapped sts tog with their wraps in inc 5 sts (HOW MANY STS WOULD I INCREASE HERE?), knit the10 wrapped sts tog with their wraps and inc 5 sts evenly, k 7 unwrapped right sleeve sts, k 12 back sts, k 7 unwrapped left sleeve sts, knit the next 10 wrapped sts tog with their wraps in inc 5 sts evenly, k2 unwrapped left fron sts, pick up and knit 32 sts along left fron opening to lower edge – 124 sts total.
Next Row: (WS) P2, *k1, p1; rep from * to last st and dec 1 st at center back nexk in patt, end p1 – 123 sts rem. Work 2 rows even in rib. (WHY CANT I JUST DO K1, P1, WHY DO I HAVE TO P2 AND DO THE DECREASE AT THE CENTER?_
… I AM NOT INCLUDING BUTTONS IN MY CARDIGAN, SO I AM NOT INCLUDING THE INFORMATION ABOUT BUTTON BANDS HERE…
Sew sleeve seams (Remember I am planning to knit in the round) Sew BO sts of sleeves to BO sts at base of armholes. (Is there any reason not to put the sts that are supposed to be bound off on holders in the relevant part of the patter and then graft these sts together at this point?) Weave in ends…”