An Ariann for Christmas

Hello, everyone! My name is Jennifer, and although I've been a part of the KAL for some time now, I haven't had a chance to post until now. I finished my Ariann up in time to wear her for Christmas, and I'm in love! I wrote a more detailed post on my blog.

I've enjoyed watching everyone's progress and the completed Ariann sweaters! I hope everyone has a safe and fun New Year's.

Ariann arrives in the colonies ...

Hi there

This is the first KAL I've actually participated in, so looking forward to all the photos of Ariann and of course, completing my own project as soon as possible. Ariann seems to be the kind of knit you just don't want to put down!

I'm using Eco yarns Pakucho cotton in Sage, which has a good stitch definition and appears to be a beautiful cotton to knit, with stitches just sliding off the needles.

Living in Australia I'll not be able to use Ariann for a number of months, but it's always good to plan ahead and of course, one can never have too many projects on hand!

new to the knitalong

I've just recently joined, have the pattern printed out and am shopping through my stash to see if I already have a suitable yarn for this lovely sweater. I'll be able to get started on it over the Christmas holidays and am looking forward to it very much. If I don't find the perfect wool for it in my stash, I'll be very tempted to order some Black Water Abbey, something I've been wanting to do for a long time anyway! :)

Site Tweak

Hello everybody! I've been tweaking the side bar a little for easier viewing...

There are some important links to look at - yarn recommendations, etc.

Welcome to all the new KALsters! Have a look at the FAQ and start 'er up!

In a NutShell:
1. Ariann uses Worsted Weight Yarn. Look on the ball band of the yarn you might want to use and check that the recommended gauge is 18-20 sts per 4". For instance, a Cascade 220 ball band recommends GAUGE: 4.5 - 5 stitches per inch - this is the type of yarn that will work well with this design. DK weight yarn will not work with this design.

2. Gauge is very important - 19sts/24 rows over 4" St st. If your stitch gauge is 20 sts per 4", your sweater will be too small. If you aren't getting 24 rows per 4", your raglan shaping and buttonholes will be off. Go up a needle size to get the proper gauge if you need to. For Cascade 220, #8 needles are the starting point.

3. This sweater will need to be blocked before wearing for fit and finish.

4. Be sure to measure early and often -

Have FUN! With a little early prep, you will have a sweater you will love to wear!

Be sure to email me: info@chicknits.com with any questions or concerns, or yarn recommendations.

Finished Ariann Pics on my Blog

Here's the link....I had fun knitting this! Thanks again to Bonne Marie for another great pattern and I'm looking forward to the next one!

I finish Ariann, I love this pattern, however, the collar really got me. I still don't know what I did wrong? Even so, I am going to try her again and see if I can figure out what was my problem. I used Jojo wool, it became really soft once I washed it, I love the way she feels and I can tell she's going to be warm in spite of all her eyelets. Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!!!!!

Iris in Germany

I've learnt a lot.

I made a swatch and measured it up before blocking on the last Friday. I soaked the swatch in the warm temperature water for 20 minutes and then shaped it gently on a thick towel for blocking. After the swatch is dry, I measured it again... (I measured it pattern to pattern, not edge to edge.)

(Before blocking , it was 4 inches in width. Now it's 4 and 6/8 inches.)

The result of my try is that the blocking makes the swatch thinner than I expected and the eyelet pattern is properly open. All that happened to my swatch surprised me so much.

Any way... after blocking, my swatch got 15 percent bigger than one that was not blocked. It happened this time that I got 15 percent bigger but I don't know generality. So, if I want my fabric in a 33.5 inch size, I should have to keep my Ariann body at least 14.5 inches in width before blocking. It means... I have to start all over again.

I think this time, it was worth to make a try. I'm now satisfied myself that I did something incorrect.

OK., I will start Ariann newly!

Are there anybody else to join me??

I THANK YOU ALL so much for kind help.

Blocking's Going to Work!

Here's my blog entry on Ariann - I just blocked her and she measures exactly what I wanted her to!!! I'm so relieved.

A smaller pic if you don't want to click away to the blog..

MUST SOLVE!

My Ariann has been on the needles since I started in October. I have been in my country, Japan for 5 weeks and came back here on this past Sunday. I kept myself busy with what I need to do there. Any way I have made slow progress on Ariann there. If I was in the mood, I worked on my Ariann.

**I'm now working on the smallest one, so it's supposed to measure 16.75 ".**

I am now concerned about a few things with the body I had already knitted up, though. First, my Ariann's body looks really compact. The photos that other knitters show on the KAL are that it's supposed to be wider than mine. Their eyelet holes form clear line on the body. Mine forms tight and thick. Did I choose wrong size of needles?For that reason, I tried working on the sleeve with lager needles than I used. Surprisingly I could make the gauge fine and can see my eyelet holes clearly without expanding the fabric. Obviously I was wrong, so I have to frog out all the body and redo...
Is that right?

But the road is long.

This is my first post and I'm so excited to be a part of this KAL. I've been a lurker forever and now I'm posting!!!!! I just started my Ariann and I am so in love with the pattern. I'm making the largest size (I wear a size 14) so it's not going to go as fast as you thinner ladies. I just love the fabric it makes. I'm knitting with Cascade Pima Tencel. I live in Florida, so wool really isn't as good a choice most of the time. The color is called Periwinkle, but it's really a dark grey with a purple cast. I love it - it will go with almost everything I own. The photo shows my progress so far.

Thoughts on Ariann

I seamed up the underarms last night while watching WATERLOO BRIDGE and BABY FACE and RED HEADED WOMAN and played with the collar some more - still playing with the right width for the collar - although my neckline still seems kinda big and loose and i am fearful of it getting worse with blocking.

i may have to rip and redo the decreases to make it snugger.

i wish i had done my sleeves flat - the pattern increases are kinda wonky in one of them - and even on the other where i did it better they still look wonky.

anyway, i loved the pattern - i made it longer.

Finished the Knitting on Ariann...

Finished the knitting on Ariann last night, except for the collar. Like everyone else has said, it is snug, but I'm taking encouragement from how much my swatch "grew" after washing it. It only measures like 31" right now and needs to measure 35.5 - I'm hoping that it will block out that much. If not, it's going to a good home, because no way in H&&& am I frogging it after all that lace! Plus the yarn is silk and mohair so I don't think it would frog well anyway. Going to do the collar tonight and maybe tomorrow night if I need two nights - then washing, blocking and sewing on buttons. Wish me luck!

ALMOST there...

Stayed UP WAY past bedtime last night to finish - but made it to the end of the four inches and then was too sleepy to cast off = didnt want to mess up!

I had to RESTART the neckline decreases - had to rip back TWICE to the point where the 8 sts go on holders - for some reason i misread the the directions about the EXTRA decreases - and had 20 rows done and couldn't figure out WHY the neck was still so big! DUH then I re read and realized I had to DEC at EACH point - the two outer edges and besides each marker for the raglan!

ok. so the next time i miscounted the rows. anyway on the third time I got it ... now to cast on and try on.

I made mine a bit bigger and longer than most so it will be interesting to see....

watch this space!

Ariann is done, and I'm a happy knitter.

Thanks Bonne Marie for a great pattern. Like many others, I'll knit this again. More info, including yarn choice, can be found over at my blog.

Question of the day

In the spirit of new stupid questions, what have people used as the cast on method? Despite, probably knowing better, I used the cable cast on, and it looks rather tight. This was what I was taught to use for sweaters, but I think that really applied only to the tight ribbing with flare look that appeared in the 80's and has hopefully died. This is an easy pattern to memorize and work on, so I don't mind ripping out the half of the body that I have knit. I am just questioning whether there would have been a better choice, or if it will block out and look fine. I know the chevron shaping is affecting the look at the moment too.

Any words of wisdom?
Janet

She's Beautiful

I finished my lovely alpaca Ariann and laid her out to block today. She might be the most beautiful thing I have ever made. I learned so much while making this cardigan. Unfortunately, I did not learn to double check that I have circled the numbers for the correct size until I finished weaving in the last end and slipped her on. I did wonder why I had two whole skeins of Misti Alpaca 4 ply worsted left over when I was pretty sure I had bought the correct amount.

I was quite intimidated by the raglan shaping, having never done it this way before. It turned out to be easy, and beautiful. With just a bit of attention to detail, I was able to match up the way the lines flowed into the faux seams . I am so pleased with the way it turned out!



Olive Ariann will shortly be gifted, and I will begin Ariann two as soon as I find some yummy chocolate brown alpaca to make her with. Thanks for creating such a lovely pattern Bonne Marie.

Updated Buttonhole

I'm back in the KAL again! I've been working on my second Ariann, for a trunk show (next weekend!)


So exciting - racing to the finish line like never before.

It come to my attention that the original link for the one-row buttonhole is kaput.

I found it on the author's site - I think she did some housecleaning and moved it here from the other site: One Row Buttonhole Version D.

Many thanks to Ms. Barbara Breiter, the author for sharing this cool technique...