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 Lemmy on January 15, 2011 at 1:32pm

Hey Sue! Okay, I've cast on and I'm working on the cuff right now. I have the green kit. The colors are just lovely. Can't wait to get to the colorwork part! I am also reaching for the cheater glasses!

Permalink Reply by Frances Tornese on January 15, 2011 at 1:33pm

Good luck! It really is a beautiful sweater. I have so many projects to do or I would join you. I love stranded knitting and lots of color. I am very, very nearsighted and wear progressives like you do. I HAVE to take my glasses off to knit. Next time I can get glasses I will get some line bifocals with my distance RX on top and no power on the bottom. That way I will be able to knit and look up to see a pattern or the TV without having to take them off.

Permalink Reply by Shirley Sackett on January 15, 2011 at 1:41pm

Good luck to all. It's a beautiful sweater. Wish I could join you all but I have a lot of projects going on. I too wear progressive glasses. I find it better when I don't have my glasses to see up close better. I guess that's what happen

when we reach the golden age! At least we can still see. Have fun with your project!!! WOO HOO!

Permalink Reply by Beth on January 15, 2011 at 3:11pm

I had a similar problem with the similar colors on the blue Falling Stars Cardigan, which I'm still working on.

I found it helpful to take a pencil and write in which two colors were used on each row or few rows of the chart before I started the colorwork. I did this when I was sitting with the chart in good light, and could take the time to compare the chart to close-ups of the finished garments and compare the colors to one another in the chart.

I would have had a very hard time if I'd tried to figure out the colors as I was working.

Permalink Reply by Susan Stromvall on January 15, 2011 at 3:34pm

Thanks for the tip Beth. I'm going to write down the colors like you did, or I'll be wasting a lot of time doublechecking!

I am so impressed with the price of this kit. It sold me on it, even though I've got lots of other projects planned. It is irresistable!

Permalink Reply by wendy on January 16, 2011 at 1:20pm

Susan, you could also go to an office store and have them enlarge the chart pattern for you. I did this several years ago and found it worked quite well. Tape on a short piece of the yarn next to the enlarged symbol for the color, or even used colored pencils on your enlarged chart. It makes is so much easier to read.

Another tip for you from a friend who has done lots of chart work. Take your pattern and place it on a metalic cookie sheet, using magnetic strips to hold it in place. Then you can move your chart line keeper just under the line you are working on, and it's much easier to use. Hope these ideas make it easier for you to have fun knitting your sweater.

Permalink Reply by Susan Stromvall on January 16, 2011 at 6:29pm

thanks Wendy! I've got the cuff and first couple of inches done. It's easier to read than I first expected. The chart is pretty large already. The biggest challenge for me is going from size 8 needles for my last project to size 1 needles for this!

Permalink Reply by wendy on January 16, 2011 at 7:13pm

Boy do I hear you on that one! When I went from size 1 to size 8 last year, I felt like I was holding baseball bats. Continued good luck on your sweater!

Permalink Reply by Lemmy on January 17, 2011 at 2:07pm

Wendy -- Those are great ideas. I'm using a couple of them for this project. I did enlarge the pattern and it made it easier for my old eyes to see. Thanks!

Sue -- As of right now, I have a couple of inches as well. I love the color combinations they have used. You are right, it's a great value. I'm having a lot of fun watching the pattern emerge. KnitPicks does it again with another fabulous kit! How are you dealing with your ends? I'm leaving a tail and thinking I'll braid, but may change my mind!

Permalink Reply by Susan Stromvall on January 17, 2011 at 3:41pm

I'm leaving a tail too, thinking that keeps my options open. Not sure how to braid ends but will learn eventually (which is when I am likely to finish this sweater!!!). I switched out one of the colors on mine. Didn't especially like Carribean (too bright!) so went with Calypso Heather instead. As EZ would say, "It's my knitting! I can do what I want!"

Permalink Reply by wendy on January 17, 2011 at 8:18pm

Lemmy - you're welcome! I'm glad I could help someone. And have either you or Susan heard of Philosopher's Wool technique? It's great as you do not need to weave in your ends at all. Cheryl talks about this in several posts, and I know from personal experience it is very nice to work with.

Permalink Reply by Susan Stromvall on January 17, 2011 at 8:21pm

Thanks Wendy! I'll check it out!