Tag Archives: lane's island pullover

A Pocket Story

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Friday, July 7, 2023

Let me tell you about a pocket.

I love pockets and I believe that all garments for women should have pockets. OK, maybe not every sweater needs pockets but every dress, skirt and pants should. I may have to learn how to sew pockets into some of my garments that don’t have them BUT this isn’t a story about one of those pockets.

I’m knitting Lane’s Island Pullover by Lori Versaci in Berroco’s Remix Light. I’ve made a few sweaters and a shawl by the same designer and I love her patterns. I also love that she makes my life better when it comes to seaming the pieces together at the end.

Pocket Stitches on a Holder

Lane’s Island has two pockets on the front. The stitches are hanging out on holders when the story begins. After I finished the front of the sweater (not without counting problems) I am instructed to knit the pockets. I slip the 30 stitches from the holder to a needle and then begin with a setup row. It just so happens that you begin by adding two stitches, one at either side as edge stitches or selvage stitches. The addition of one stitch on either side makes is possible to have an easy spot where we’ll put the needle to stitch up the pocket seam. Yippee!

Sadly, the first time I knitted the pocket I didn’t pay attention. I need to take the time to slow down and follow the directions. This is a pattern of behavior lately. I feel like I have too much on my plate and that’s making me make mistakes. Anywhoooo … I have pulled out the pocket and started over with an extra edge stitch on both sides of the pocket so it will be perfect when I seam up the sides.

I’ve also started the sleeves but I’m going to pick up another ball of yarn tomorrow when I’m at work so that I can knit both sleeves at the same time. I got the first sleeve ribbing done. I’ll knit the second 4 inches of ribbing for the second sleeve and then knit both sleeves at the same time the rest of the way. This way I’m assured of having two sleeves that are exactly the same lenght. (I’m thinking they only have to be 3/4 sleeves but I haven’t made a final decision.)

Gone knitting.

Taking Life (not so) Seriously

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July 3, 2023

This is pretty funny that I’m writing another post (again) this week. This must be a world record, right? I’m going to tell you another story about me that I hope will make you laugh as it did me AND I hope it will make anyone feeling like their knitting skills are still “not good enough” will kick that notion to the curb.

Yesterday was a fairly miserable weather day. Damp and rainy and suitable for ducks and loons, only. We’ve had a lot of days like this in Maine this year. I was working my way up the front of my Lane’s Island Pullover by VersaciKnits and was getting excited because the end was near and I was eager to get to the pockets. I had knitted a few of the shoulder decreases when I realized that I had too many stitches and had another glance at the pattern. I had skipped over four repeats of the single decrease at the neck edge. Ugh!!! I looked at the neck edge and I pondered my choices – just forget about it and continue on, frog back to the decreases and do it “right”, or something else. I decided to do it “right” and frog back to the last decrease and reknit so that the neck looks more balanced when I go to pick up the collar stitches (I assume I’m going to do this. I haven’t read ahead on my pattern.) So, that was my first challenge last night.

I also realized that I had knitted almost all of the three balls of yarn that I had purchased for the sweater. Another glance at the pattern and I realized that I needed three balls EACH of two colors (a total of SIX) and I had bought three balls of the single color I wanted my sweater to be. For the love of … Pete?! Thank goodness I work in a yarn shop. This morning I went in and solved the problem by adding two balls of yarn to my layaway bag just in case and buying one more ball which should be enough for the two sleeves and any finishing that I may need to do.

It’s at times like this, after almost 40 years of knitting, that I find knitting at once humbling and hysterical. Knitting has taught me to laugh at myself. And I mean a real laugh-out-loud belly laugh. It’s always when I think I know what I’m doing that I tend to make the silliest mistakes. This one is one for the ages. (Here’s another one!) I’ve been teaching knitting for nearly 20 years and knitting for almost 40 and I still make plenty of rookie mistakes. In fact, the designer commented on my Instagram post last night, “I would say it was a rookie mistake, but we know you are NOT a rookie!!!” Truer words were never spoken. I’m not a rookie but I can still make a rookie mistake. AND that’s ok. I can … and did, laugh at myself and move on.

Last night I finished the first pocket and put the stitches for the second pocket on the needle, ready to attack it today. I’m one stitch short. It’s lucky I’m an “expert knitter” because I seem unable to count. II’m laughing again. HaHaHa.

Gone knitting.

Lane’s Island Pullover (part 1)

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Monday, June 26 Marblehead, MA

This weekend we went to Marblehead, MA for a couple of days to visit with our family there. It was wonderful … and we even saw the sun! We hadn’t packed well for sun, though, since the weather report said it was supposed to be rainy and in the low-to-mid-60s. But we survived and were revived by our visit with my brothers, sisters-in-love, nephews and niece, great-nephew and friends there, too.

I’m working my way up the front of my Lane’s Island Pullover by Lori Versaci of VersaciKnits. I took some artistic license with this pullover because I loved the style and shape but I don’t love me in stripes. So, I eliminated them. I’m knitting the sweater in the “white” (more natural) colorway of Berroco Remix Light. As a result of my choice to nix the stripes, it’s a rather “boring” knit because once past the ribbing, it’s all stockinette stitch to the armhole decreases. And then more stockinette to the shoulder decreases. Which, frankly, in my harried and hassled state of mind, has been a blessing.

Pocket #1 installed
Pocket #1 with a few inches
Close-up

The part that I find so incredible in this pattern (so far) is the way Lori added the pockets into the front of the pullover. It is a miraculous design, brilliant! I’m not going to share how she does it because you should buy the pattern to learn it yourself, but suffice it to say that I am so in awe of it that it’s kicking my butt into high knitting gear. I can’t wait to finish the front and start the pockets.

The stitch holder, by the way, if you’ve not seen them yet are The Knitting Barber cords. They’re silicone “straws” that your needle tip fits into snugly and you pull the stitches off the needle and onto the cord. A brilliant knitting tool.

I’ve been working exclusively on this sweater so that I can get it finished by the time I go to “sewing camp” in early July. I hope I make my deadline and if not, so be it, it’ll go to camp with me for when I need a brain break from sewing. I really do want to finish those pockets and see how they’re done.

It’s another rainy day here on the lake. I’ve had two lake association meetings already this morning. Catching up from being away. I’m watching a pair of loons preening and stretching their wings from my office window. A spectacular view when one has to be working!

Gone knitting.