Starting the Dogwood Blossoms sweater kit!

Hi All, Lemmy and I are starting the Dogwood Blossoms sweater. Wish us luck (and good eyesight!) We'd love others working on this sweater to join us!

It's kind of hard to see which colors are on the charts. The dark ones look alike (at least on the blue kit). There is a close up photo of the sweater in the instructions that is a little clearer. I think the first colors used after the cuff are Bark and Silver.

I'm near sighted and wear progressive lenses. I've found I have a much easier time knitting (esp fine gauge) when I wear a pair of old glasses. The distance prescription is lower and I can see up close MUCH more easily. Guess I need stronger progressives, but this works for free!

Tags: Blossom, Dogwood, Fair, Isle, Sweater, colorwork

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by wendy on January 17, 2011 at 8:25pm

You'll be glad you don't have to weave in all those pesky ends. :o) Good luck and have fun!

Permalink Reply by Lemmy on January 18, 2011 at 4:54pm

Wendy - You are just wonderful! Thanks for the link. I have viewed this video before and I use the 3rd and 4th stitch to weave in floats but it never occurred to me to use it to weave in my ends!

Sue -- Good for you! It is your knitting and you should have it the way you want! Enjoy!

Permalink Reply by wendy on January 21, 2011 at 7:45pm

Lemmy, I'm so glad it is working out for you. Not only do I use this technique for colorwork, but anytime I have to add a new ball of yarn in the middle of the row. It is a real time saver.

Permalink Reply by geri on February 8, 2011 at 9:48am

I have good vision and am having a heck of a time distinguishing between similar colours on the blue version of this pattern. It sure would be more helpful if a chart with symbols for the colours would be included with this pattern, or the two colours for each row be given on the side for the chart. That is, assign each colour a letter and have the two letters beside the row number: Row 1 AB, Row 2 AC, Row 3 BC, etc.

Is there anyone who has knit the blue version that has the colours figured out that could share them with me? I want to get started but don't want to knit the wrong colours. HELP!!! You can email me at : inglisg (at) sympatico (dot) ca

Thanks!

Permalink Reply by April Lewis on February 16, 2011 at 3:21am

Geri, did you get any emails about the colors? I'm knitting the pullover version in a size 38, in the blue kit. If you still need help let me know and I'll email you my color matches.

Take care!

Permalink Reply by cherylbwaters on February 17, 2011 at 9:45pm

Geri, I'm not working on this so I can't be of help with the pattern, but it is amazing how important lighting is in colorwork. I suggest something like an Ottlite. There is a fairly inexpensive rechargeable Ottlite that Lowe's carries. Click here and check out the first one on row 2.

Permalink Reply by Beth Heal on February 3, 2011 at 5:02pm

Hi Everyone,

I love colorwork too and this sweater is gorgeous! Before I order the kit though, could someone tell me if the cardigan version is knit in the round all the way up or just to the underarms? I don't care for purling in colorwork, although I would do it if necessary. Just would like to know what I'm getting into before I buy.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

Beth

Permalink Reply by April Lewis on February 8, 2011 at 7:28am

Hi Beth!

I just unpacked my kit and it is knit all the way up, with STEEKS! I've never done steeks before, this is my first shot at it so I'm a little nervous. I love knitting in the round, hate purling colorwork, and hate grafting even more so I hope I'll take to the steeks thing.

I can't wait to start and with the snow keeping me in today I think it's great timing. Love the colored charts and Palette!

April

Permalink Reply by Beth Heal on February 8, 2011 at 4:03pm

Thanks April!

I did my first steek with the cardigan KAL last year, and it's not hard at all - just scary! You'll do just fine with them. It's amazing how I expected all those threads to pop everywhere when I made my first cut with scissors, but it's amazing how the stitches just sat there and didn't ravel or even get fuzzy. I'm sure there's an instructional video showing how to do steeks. I have not done armhole steeks, but I'm sure they're just the same.

Did you get the blue or green kit? Are the colors just gorgeous? Now that I know there's no purling, I have to decide which color to order!

Thanks for the info! Happy knitting in the snow! We're supposed to get some on Thursday. Wish I had my kit.

Beth

Permalink Reply by April Lewis on February 9, 2011 at 3:31am

Beth,

I got the blue kit. I wear a lot of blue and browns so I think that kit will fit into the wardrobe better. The colors are great, beautiful jewel tones, Love the color changes and shading, I always have a hard time picking colors for my color work but I find the kits are helping me see how the colors should go together. I bought the Sipalu Bag kit ages ago and I get compliments all the time.

April

Permalink Reply by Beth Heal on February 10, 2011 at 10:57am

April,

I ordered the blue kit last night. You're right - the blue will look great with jeans as well as dress pants! I agree, kits take the mystery out of colorwork (and extra $ when my color choices are not good).

There's not a lot of recent activity in this KAL, but I will check back every few days to see how you, and hopefully others, are doing on this project. Keep me posted.

Beth

Permalink Reply by April Lewis on February 16, 2011 at 3:27am

Well I see what you mean now about the color matches, the colors navy and bittersweet look almost identical on the squares, if you're doing the blue kit anyway. I'm working on the pullover in size 38 and I'm up to about row 50 from the chart on page 9.

I paired Thicket & Carribean and Thicket and Opal for rows 25 - 27 and again for 35 - 37, but I'm not sure I like how bright the Caribbean is and how close in color Thicket and Opal is together. The pattern almost dissapears with Thicket and Opal and pops right out with the Caribbean. Did you guys put those two colors together for those rows?

Thanks!