After seven years of hard wear and two cuff mends,
the bottom of my son's sweater had begun to fray.
Shoulder to cuff is my preferred way to knit sleeves, which makes cuff mending a simple matter of unraveling a few rows and re-knitting (with other yarn if necessary).
The cast on edge of a bottom up sweater is not, however, made for unraveling,
so I went up an inch or so, snipped a strand of yarn, and pulled out one row all the way around, leaving a nice row of stitches to pick up and an inch of sweater to unravel for re-knitting (discarding the yarn from the bottom couple of rounds which was too weak and worn to re-use).
Foolishly, I picked the row right after a cable turn to snip to separate the two sections, so the unraveling was more awkward than it might have been.
the bottom of my son's sweater had begun to fray.
Shoulder to cuff is my preferred way to knit sleeves, which makes cuff mending a simple matter of unraveling a few rows and re-knitting (with other yarn if necessary).
The cast on edge of a bottom up sweater is not, however, made for unraveling,
so I went up an inch or so, snipped a strand of yarn, and pulled out one row all the way around, leaving a nice row of stitches to pick up and an inch of sweater to unravel for re-knitting (discarding the yarn from the bottom couple of rounds which was too weak and worn to re-use).
Foolishly, I picked the row right after a cable turn to snip to separate the two sections, so the unraveling was more awkward than it might have been.
But eventually I got it all sorted and reknit and cast off. Starting an inch up means that next time I can unravel right from the cast off end which will be much simpler.
The only drawback to picking up the stitches and going in the opposite direction is that the loops are half a stitch off, but with the cables this really isn't evident.
The only drawback to picking up the stitches and going in the opposite direction is that the loops are half a stitch off, but with the cables this really isn't evident.
Mended cuff and hem of Oak Bay Aran
Nothing miraculous about any of this,
but a good deal of satisfaction in keeping it going, and much pleasure in handling the sweater and the yarn again.
but a good deal of satisfaction in keeping it going, and much pleasure in handling the sweater and the yarn again.
It was a thoroughly-planned garment that began with choosing the fleece (grey Rambouillet X)
and went on to months of spindle spinning,
endless samples plied, yarn dyed, swatches knit and
mailed across several states for perusal and approval.
and went on to months of spindle spinning,
endless samples plied, yarn dyed, swatches knit and
mailed across several states for perusal and approval.
Swatches! Samples! Decisions!
Final decisions on yarn weight and color led to massive plying (4 ply won out over 3), huge dyepots, much knitting, and even some swatch unraveling at the very end as all those cables used more yarn even than what I thought were overgenerous calculations.
Rambouillet X spindle spun singles waiting their turn on the Lazy Kate (I was using the wooden bobbins for storage but the toilet paper rolls were easier)
Amazing how much sun fading there has been-- the darker strip at the bottom is the same yarn that I took off, but it shifted just enough when reknit that it appears a different color.
On the other hand, it's amazing how little fading there has been considering how hard this sweater has been worn, and how much it has been out in the weather.
So glad it can now get back to its exciting life.
On the other hand, it's amazing how little fading there has been considering how hard this sweater has been worn, and how much it has been out in the weather.
So glad it can now get back to its exciting life.
Oak Bay Aran, mended and ready for more. ©SarahCSwett 2010
