We just released Module 2 in Fundamentals to Finishing Knits by Holli Yeoh in the School of SweetGeorgia. After listening to Holli talk about the nitty-gritty nuances of knitting, I decided to use the Little Basic Cardi Fingering Weight knitting pattern as a jumping board to try new things. Even though I knit six to 12 garments per year, I only knit a garment in pieces once per year, if at all.
This month, I finished the back of my sweater and blocked it to size. Even though I knit a gauge swatch, this allowed me to double-check the sweater fabric. I knit the selvedge stitch of the sweater pieces in garter stitch instead of stockinette. Holli says in the class, “The neat thing about knitting is that there’s more than one way to do something.”
I have been alternating three balls of the hand-dyed yarn, which has been a bit of a learning curve. However, I am pleased by how uniform the hand-dyed colour looks on my sweater pieces.
I wonder, “Why don’t I knit seamed sweaters more often?” Smaller pieces are more portable, and the end result keeps its shape and fits me better, making it a favourite one I reach for over and over. Lack of experience and the extra finishing time seems to be the main deterring factors. With the seaming lesson coming out at the end of June, I am motivated to get my sweater pieces complete in time for it.
In my quest to get comfortable with seamed sweaters, I made a rookie mistake. I didn’t notice until I blocked my two front pieces: the front right side is 4 rows shorter (almost an inch) than the front left side. On my blocked pieces, you can see the pin marking the place I knit to frog to and re-knit half the piece. From now on, I will measure and count rows before any change in pattern. Lesson learnt!
Module 2 includes increases, decreases, fully fashioned shaping, and short rows for shoulder shaping. Holli’s patterns feel like a “Choose your own adventure book” with in-depth suggestions for shallow, regular, or deep ribbing; the option to add pockets; and even two shoulder options (English-tailored shoulders and short rows shoulders). As I work on my first English-tailored shoulder, I appreciate having both options in the pattern for the next time I want to customize.
As a learning exercise in the pattern, Holli added a tiny challenge: figure out how to apply the bias-bind-off technique on the second front piece. Stopping to write this bit of the pattern gives me the confidence to add bias-bind-off to any pattern I approach after this one.
I welcome having this deeper understanding while knitting a garment and being encouraged to make it my own. Slowing down in a hobby that I tend to approach mindlessly allows me to be more conscious of my choices. If you haven’t watched Fundamentals to Finishing Knits by Holli Yeoh yet, I encourage you to do it. You will get a lot out of the course, even if you have been knitting for a very long time.
As a School of SweetGeorgia member, you have access to videos from Modules 1 and 2, the Little Basic Cardi in three yarn weights, the workbook for Modules 1 and 2, and the English-tailored shoulder modification worksheet included in Holli’s in-depth course, Fundamentals to Finishing Knits.
Plus, you can ask Holli questions in the School of SweetGeorgia Forums and you can learn from fellow members who are also taking the course. Don’t be shy about sharing with us at the forums and Crafternoons. We look forward to seeing your work!
Read the first part of this project, Swatching for the Little Basic Cardi.
Explore our online courses and community of fibre arts makers at the School of SweetGeorgia! Use the code: EXPLORETHESCHOOL to save 15% on an All-Access monthly membership!
Original post publication: June 09, 2022. Refreshed post: July 24, 2024
