2009 Sampler & Basic Sweater newbies

If you've just started the Sampler or Basic Sweater since the first of the year, or you've come back to the project since the first of 2009, please post a comment here.

I'm trying to gather together anyone who is actively working on the Knitalong currently. I"m here if you have any questions or need encouragement or whatever. I've completed the Sampler since the first of the year and will complete the Basic Sweater in April. I've posted several blog posts about my Sampler experience, and photos of my completed Sampler and once I've completed my Basic Sweater, I plan to post a blog and photos about that.

Welcome, and welcome back, if you've recently started the Sampler or any of the sweaters from the book! :-D

Tags: 2009, basicsweater, newbies, sampler, sweater

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cricket54 on April 21, 2009 at 9:04am: Hi Elianastar! My book is due to be delivered today, and I'm anxious to start my sampler. I found the wonderful list of suggested supplies and have ordered the 16" circulars (which I didn't have), but I already have everything else I need. I was very glad to find this group, as I will probably need all the help I can get. *LOL*; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Elianastar on April 22, 2009 at 4:33pm: Hi! Great, Cricket!

Even though you won't be doing "Magic Loop" to work the Sampler, (although you certainly could if you wanted to, but I'd encourage you to use the 16" circular for reasons I think you'll appreciate as you go), you might find looking at some information about ML helpful, in that you will still have to join that first round and some people have a hard time doing that in a way they are happy with the first time.

Here's some links to ML... focus on the parts that talk about the joins cuz the same techniques will work with joining your CO stitches into a round.

Magic Loop tutorials
http://community.knitpicks.com/notes/Knitting_in_the_Round
http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/advanced-techniques
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6WjsTMALu0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-aWWES8Rxc&feature=related
http://www.knitpicks.com/The+Magic+Loop_BD30340.html

Don't hesitate to ask for any help you need... I'll do my best if no one else is around. :-) However, it really isn't nearly as hard, overall, as it may look. Just take it a stitch at a time and I'm reasonably certain you'll be pleasantly surprised. I think everyone gets a little "stuck" here or there, but overall, it really isn't nearly as intimidating as it appears. :-)

I'm happy to report I finished my first sweater last night. I'm not overwhelmed with it, but I knew I wouldn't be. I used up some old acrylic yarn I already had and focused on the elements of the construction rather than the goal of a finished masterpiece sweater. :-) After a few email exchanges with the author, Jacqueline Fee, I came to see my first sweater as an extension of the Sampler project and that gave me a lot more confidence and freedom to screw it up as I went. From that perspective, I'm very happy with it! :-D

I did have a few places where I frogged quite a bit, but it was always because I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing or because I'd failed to fully read the directions and left something out. :-\ I still need more practice with grafting, but that's a learning disorder/A.D.D. issue for me not that its a hard thing to do at all.

I'm looking forward to my next "real" sweater! LOL!

Happy knitting! :-)
Star in Portland, OR; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joan Mahony on September 8, 2009 at 5:16am: I bought the book as a result of listening to the Podcast. I have been struggling to knit a sweater for my son in a wool/alpaca which needed much smaller needles than suggested, and consequently the gauge did not fit any of the patterns I have (many hundreds) After knitting and frogging, and doing the body twice I am soooo frustrated. I fear it is still wrong.

I am glad you are suggesting using a circular. This is a technique I want to learn. I cast on the sampler with a 16 inch needle and had to use 80 stitches. It is not an easy size needle to use. I will start again with a long circular - in a few days when I get a few spare hours together
Best wishes
Joanm; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cricket54 on April 23, 2009 at 5:51am: My book arrived yesterday....oh, this is going to be fun! Since I have to wait for my 16" circulars (to be delivered next Wednesday....I'll be waiting for the mail carrier, you can bet. *L*), I started the Spiral Socks last night. I love Jacqueline Fee's writing style; it's sooooo readable. Thanks so much for the tutorial links for Magic Loop. I'll study that while waiting for my circulars, too. I keep reading high praise for that method for knitting socks and have thought of trying it. I've only knitted one pair so far and am nearly finished with my second pair on DPNs, which I actually enjoy.

I have a sizable stash of inexpensive acrylic (leftover from an afghan I started to crochet several years ago for an ex-boyfriend...*LOL*). I'd bought some lovely CotLin for my sweater, but am now thinking that, like you, maybe my first effort should be from the acrylic. I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself, since I've not even started my Sampler yet, but would like to have my supplies in place so I can start without waiting, as I'm doing now. (Impatient? ME? Naaaaaaaah.)

Okay, enough rambling for now. Congratulations on finishing your first sweater, and thanks for your kind words of support.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Elianastar on April 24, 2009 at 11:25pm: Maybe you could work a couple of rounds to practice joining since you've got to wait anyway?

I am really glad I made my first sweater with yarn I didn't care about all that much, but in colors I like. :-) I washed it today and am a lot happier with it than I was before running it through the washer and dryer... the dryer really softens up "good" acrylic yarn a lot. With a turtleneck top under it, I'm gonna enjoy wearing it next fall/winter. :-)

The yarn I used was also left overs from an afghan... I completely over-purchased yarn for that project! I made the afghan I intended to make... plus two more smaller ones, and a sweater, and still have a few full skeins left! LOL!

Happy knitting!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Christine Sloat on April 24, 2009 at 10:40am: I just got my book today! I started reading it here at work! I will be casting the sampler on over the weekend, and may bring it with me on my business trip next week.

Looking forward to working with others trying it out - from what I read so far, this is exactly what I was looking for!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Elianastar on April 24, 2009 at 11:30pm: I never realized how much I would get out of doing the Sampler... I'm so glad I worked my way through it. There were benefits on so many levels. You're gonna love it! :-)

In terms of "productivity," this book was the best one I've purchased so far on the subject of knitting!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by MushroomMom on July 19, 2009 at 10:50am: I'm a very late comer to the group. I've been knitting for 3 months. Up until now mostly hats and scarves for charity knitting and one very long throw as a graduation gift. I've taught myself so have lots of holes in my learning. I'm listening to the podcasts in order and the Sweater Workshop sounded like a great way to organize my skills. And of course, I'm in love with the feel of yarn. I already have way to many skeins with only vague ideas for projects. I ordered the Sweater Workshop and the Knit Komono book (Vicki Square) also because of a podcast. I started my sampler this morning.

I'm going to do everything just as written but I already have a question for all you knowledgeable knitters. The cast on used is cable cast on. Is it really a better cast on than long tail or a knitted cast on? They all look the same to me once on the needles and I find the cable cast on to be much slower for me. I would like to know for future reference in other projects.

Thanks,
J; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by MushroomMom on July 21, 2009 at 10:16am: Hi all,

This may be a really dumb question but I'm confused. When you do the Cardigan border, what is the "opening you have created." I understand the 6 stitches I've cast on need to be purled but do the instructions mean to go around the entire sampler? If not, what is the opening?

As you can tell from my question, I am a new knitter but I want to learn all the skills I can to get better. Incidentally, the short rows made sense to me and I do not have a hole (LOL)

Thanks,

J; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cricket54 on August 3, 2009 at 8:01am: I finished my sweater yesterday!! And it FITS! I couldn't be more pleased. I was so excited that I wore it to work today. *L* I'll try to get a photo of it in the next day or two and post it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cricket54 on August 6, 2009 at 5:55pm: Here's my Basic Sweater! It honestly looks better than the photo....I'm a dreadful photographer of knitted things. *LOL*; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by stefani westfall on September 3, 2009 at 4:30pm: Hi
I luv this book!!!! I've made 4 sweaters and I'm on my 5th. This process is so easy. I luv that I can change my mind in mid sweater and redesign as I go. I first got the library and ordered from my bookstore. I have 3 or 4 other sweaters in mind mixing ideas of lace and great borders that I saw on other sweaters.
I'm thrilled that is kintalong is here.
Stefani; ▶ Reply to This