Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Introduction

I think about oddball knitting a lot.  Mostly because I had a very bad eBay yarn habit, and have aquired a room full of yarn now.  I am on a multi year plan to use it up.  I suppose I could re-list it, but the truth is that I really like most of it.

So, about me and my knitting preferences.
  • I like to knit sweaters.  Afghans, and socks do not interest me all that much.  I have opinions about scarves that I may discuss further
  • These oddball sweaters should not look like oddball sweaters. 
  • My focus this year, 2013 is using worsted weight. 
My vintage worsted is troublesome in that most skeins do not have modern labels listing yardage. I have made sweaters from this stuff in the past, and when I complete a project I weigh it on my cooking scale.  This is a pretty good guide. I've learned to plan 28 ounces for a woman's medium sweater for myself.  34 ounces for a man's large, for my husband.  He has an extra long torso whice needs to be accomodated.

Worsted poses a special challenge to me, and perhaps a number of knitters who live in a temperate climate.  I can wear my worsted cable sweaters in the winter, but stranded pieces are way too heavy and warm.  So, while fair isle designs are great for using small bits of yarn, I rule the technique out for worsted weight.

Same exclusion for garter stitch patterns, such as miter squares.

That leaves intarsia, slip stitch and stripe patterns. 

I love looking at the Fasset books in my collection.  He was the inspiration for my collecting.  Upon looking closer at the designs, I discovered that most of his pieces use much lighter weight yarn.  Many can be adjusted to worsted weight, and I'm planning a box stripe with some of my brighter single balls.  This sweater has 15 colors, and I have 2 to 4 ounces of each color.