The Bloke Sweater KAL

n · The Bloke Sweater KAL

Would anyone care to join me for a Bloke Sweater KAL?

Any Bloke-sized Bloke.... Son, Husband, Partner, Grandad. (Small Blokes too.)

Any Sweater.

Any Yarn.

Start whenever you like.

n

*wriggling because of having three potential Bloke-Sized Blokes to knit for*.

NB I have never knitted a Bloke sized anything before, so this is not my KAL. You will all know lots more than me. It's a team effort.

cazzie

Can I cheat a bit - DH wont wear anything knitted - the only bloke I can knit for is DS who is 4.

Although there is always my dad - have to think now...

murdo

yesssss! Cobblestone!

Nevisknitter

I would love to knit something for the men in my life but DH and DS1 arent interested and DS2 has a drawer full of jumpers at present.
Will maybe ask DH again, the last time I knitted him something was 16 years ago, (2 striped jumpers), havent made him anything since we got married

n

The first jumper I knit will probably be a dog-walking one, an alternative to the ubiquitous zip-up polar fleece.

Now, what are your views on knitting coned yarn? Debs is kindly enabling me with some man-coloured yarn on a cone, aran weight.
Coned yarn seems to be fairly tightly wound onto the cones, to stop it from slipping off into a disgruntled heap at the bottom like Andy Capp's wife's stockings.
I also seem to remember reading recently, possibly on the yarn harlot, that you should wind off your yarn and wash/rinse/dry it to let it relax before winding it into balls to knit from. I think the idea is that if you knit with the stretched yarn, when you wash it after knitting, the garment appears to shrink because the yarn isn't stretched any more. It isn't that it has ACTUALLY shrunk. just that it isn't stretched. I think that EZ says the same thing. This isn't to do with it being oiled, it's to do with it being stretched.

What are your views? I'm happy to wind and wash and dry and wind again, it seems quite reasonable and compared to the time taken to knit the sweater, it's not a big deal.

I've also seen on the yahoo knitting list that some people just knit from cones, so I need some input here.

n

jessica

I have just knit from kones, can't say i had any bad experiences, with hand knitting it is slower so there is some time for the yarn to relax.

knittingnanny

Would it be ok if I start to make this on 21st and 29th December?
I promise not to knit in between, but I need something really plain and simple for my mammoth 11 hour (each way) coach journey!!

DH's yarn has been here for so long, it now thinks it's a piece of furniture!!

It might be a mammoth project too - although he's not a big size, it's plain yarn, and very dark grey - almost black!!

Linda

terri

mmmmm, I'm a Possibly for this I think........ I want to make seamless hybrid for DH, but pondering over whether he will wear something handknitted Confused

I'm sure he would in the house. I've got some kilcarra tweed in a natural colour that I bought to make something for myself with, but I have some rowanspun aran in an almost identical colour, so this would be ideal.........

Nevisknitter

n, my gran used to knit from cones a lot, cant remember her rewinding first. I think the yarn harlot washed hers recently as it was oiled.
Colourmart sell cones and they have a forum for questions, you may find an answer there.

n

n

gilraen

Oh yes I bought some pale blue/navy RSC from Jannette to knit sweaters/hoodies for both my 2 sons. Smile

I also bought the Kids books from Rowan for £1 to get a pattern from Smile

Soon........

jeanette

N, can I join this as well? Trying to stay motivated for the sweater group Rolling Eyes

.

Jeanette

Hanne

After I finish Spartan Pullover (Thingmas knitting) I'd like to start another Lucinda Guy sweater for my son. I'm in!

n

terri

melody yarns

A sweater-a-month?? Smokin' needles!!

I think I might knit my big 'little fella' a sweater as he ASKED for one yesterday Shocked

Strike while the iron's hot as they say....

terri

yeah, theres a sweater a month group on ravelry! I'm well up for it, having made agnes already in december Wink

Just shown DH the seamless hybrid.........he likes it, but said he wouldn't wear it Sad

n

I'm not asking DH!
He really wants his handspun shetland shaggy jumper, but have just shown the Seamless Hybrid and the rowanspun to YS who would like it in green!!!
A (young) bloke with taste, clearly.

n

KnittingLadybird

I think this will spur me on to knit a jumper for DS (7)...I know he would wear something but the girls usually get the most knits, cos they are girls I suppose lol.
DS gets socks...nice little socks, poor little love Wink

I can't see DH wanting anything though...his loss!

jeanette

cazzie

Libby

Oh Crumbs! Shocked

I've never done anything 'BIG' just child size, I shall have to think long and hard about this Confused

terri

jeanette

That man of yours doesn't know how lucky he is having a wee wife to knit for him. Evil or Very Mad

I have found that men don't really know what they want until they get it. In my experience all it takes is a confirmation from another male like "oh my Mr Terri, That's a lovely jumper you are wearing" will probably have Mr Terri asking for another one in a different colour Cool

and you will have to give up work to meet the demand Very Happy

I'm lucky 'cause I know my lot will wear theirs even if it is under jackets or out in the garden Rolling Eyes

jeanette

terri

Do you think I should just go ahead and knit it on the sly then??? Give it to him next christmas Laughing

jeanette

Either that or tell him you have found someone who appreciates your talents Shocked

Might shake him up a bit

Poor Mr Terri, he doesn't know what he is missing. I'm sure he will see the light. Just keep knitting and hang them in the wardrobe. He's bound to try one of them surely. Might take a while and you need to hope he doesn't widen a wee bit Rolling Eyes

You know what men are like very hard to push but so easy led. It works every time

Jeanette

terri

awww, Jeanette, thats made me chuckle!!!!!

I could if course just sew a burtons tag into it and he'd wear it without question Rolling Eyes

I'd better start keeping the tags when he has a wardrobe clearout Laughing

melody yarns

On the other hand, Mr Melody wants a jumper and so does Little 'Little' Melody.... but I don't want to knit such a huge project! Laughing

But then the Big 'Little' Melody wants a jumper now, but only if it's in cotton Rolling Eyes

That's three Blokey jumpers by my reckoning then Rolling Eyes

I could be doing this KAL for some time to come!

terri

little meoldy size won't be too bad though Wink

you may aswell jump right in Laughing

melody yarns

Yeah I see what you mean. It's kinda nice only having two big projects on the go though, so I might finish one and then start two more. Or three more, or I'll be in deep trouble Laughing

Would you believe I even have the yarn already sorted out in stash. But you knew that anyway didn't you? Laughing

terri

surprisingly enough, I have some yarn in stash in mind too Laughing

n

I am trying to resist ordering yarn for YS (16, so almost-bloke).

I like this one.

And yes, I know it's 4 ply.... Has anyone got any of it stashed in DK which they would like help with?

Or there's always Sludge, perhaps?

n

terri

mmm, very nice green that is!!!!

I've got some rowanspun aran that I got cheap from cucmberpatch I think Confused

Its to make Juno for me, whenever that may happen Laughing

I think I'm going to go for kilcarra tweed, which is aran weight. Absolutely no chance of me making something that size in 4ply Shocked

n

He particularly wants green because he has green baggy trousers (not the under-your-bum variety, just loose fit). But he's not a huge Bloke, a slender not quite Bloke-size of five foot four or five, so it might not be too bad.... and at a pound a skein for Rowan... I think I'd need a dozen or maybe 14 skeins.

Interestingly, DH is very anti the cobblestone, and YS definitely prefers the seamless smooth one too.

n

terri

I think Brooklyntweeds version of seamless hybrid is gorgoeus!!!! I love the colour too, although I'm sure thats definately one step too far, suggesting I do it in magenta Laughing

malteser

DH asked me earlier in the year to knit him a jumper, but didn't like any of the patterns I showed him. I've just showed him Cobblestones and he thinks that is ok.

I won't join the KAL as I am only knitting from stash and I have nothing that will do. I think I'll have a go at knitting it next Autumn as a Christmas present.

mogiebear

DS was fondling the New Lanark yarn when we were at Woolfish in St. Abbs recently and remarking that he'd like a sweater - so I'll join in (not with NL yarn) as I may have forgiven him for leaving "somewhere" the only bloke sized sweater I've knitted him . It will have to be black (as was the abandoned sweater), probably a seamless hybrid.

melody yarns

He *gasp* left it somewhere???? Shocked

knittingnanny

n

That's what I thought.
You know how mittens had elastic threaded onto them so they would remain attached to your coat when you took it off... is there a Bloke version for jumpers?

n

melody yarns

Aha. Velcro. Laughing

Jon the Yank

n

I have just spluttered all over the keyboard!
Thank you, I hadn't thought of it that way. Laughing

n

probablyjane

Ssshhh - I'm hoping n might knit me Mr December 10th in it!

n

I know this is a bit "how long is a piece of string" but how long (in hours) will a simple Bloke sweater take to knit?
Are we talking 20 hours? Forty? An hour a day for a month?

n

n

Glynis

n

I have yarn!!!
Proper grown up stash.
Sealed in a bag with ten identical skeins.
I have never had ten identical skeins of anything in my life before. My sock club stuff doesn't count because it's only "mine" for a few days before it's "yours".
They are all alike, and have identical labels saying Rowanspun Aran.
Ten identical skeins of soft dark grey woollyness.

What have you all done to me?
I have been absorbed into the Collective.

And in true forum style, it's a swap/exchange for Mutual Benefit.
The enabler was Blueadt... and there may be another enabling in progress too.
Shocked

Ten Skeins.
Ten. Skeins.
All Mine. (But I'm swapping back what I don't use, which is ultra kind of her.)

I'm off for a fondle....

n

PS.

Did I mention that there are ten of them?

pictish

Your proper stash is about to begin Laughing

blueadt

n

I'm trying to resist casting on immediately.

I have Ann Budd's Book of Sweaters here....

Surely all sweaters are the same up to the armpits? I could safely knit up to the armpits before the EZ book gets here, couldn't I?

On circs?

n

Jon the Yank

With regard to the time it takes, being a bloke who knits bloke sweaters, I say it depends on the gauge of the yarn and your motivation. I'm stuck on a sweater for Mr. Yank simply because I have no motivation to do it. But after the hols, I guess I should finish it because he's annoying me.

Certainly, if you knit something out of a bulky yarn, it could take about 2 weeks, depending on how much time you have on your hands. LOL

Jon

n

Yee Gads!
This knits on 5 - 5.5 mm needles US 8-9.

I am sooooo tempted.
Can I do it for DH for Christmas?
He's away in London until Friday evening and then goes back again next week for three days.

2000m.
I'm off to look at the book properly.
I can't do one for YS and not do one for ES. so it would have to be for DH.
And I do have to WORK too.

n

terri

I reckon its do-able if you spend ALL you spare time on it........ just st st???
I can knit something plain for me in less than 20 hours of knitting time, so even twice as long to allow for size difference, 40 hours...... you can get 40 hours of knitting in in 13 days I think Wink

GO on, get those needles smokin Laughing

pictish

Go Natalie!!!! *waves some more pompoms* Laughing

Auntie Noo

Yeah you can definitely do it n!!! Smile

I made a jumper for OH last year and it took only 2 weeks of just evening knitting. - these blokes aren't as big as you think they are!!!!!

gilraen

We will be rooting for you!!!!! Very Happy

mogiebear

n

Technical question.

The Ann Budd Book of Sweater patterns says, for sleeves "inc 1 at each end of row" and when you look in the back it gives Raised inc's, Bar inc's and lifted inc's.
You were all in bed when I needed the answer to this at 01.27 this morning, so I am doing Raised ones, for no other reason than that they are first in the book.
... left slanting ones at the beginning of a row and right slanting ones at the end. I can't see much difference myself, but is this right?

n

Glynis

My immediate feeling is that it probably isn't too critical, since I've never even given it any thought and just make an increase Laughing

I either knit two stitches in one or I lift the yarn between the stitches, simply because I've never come across the raised one before.

Note to self: take more interest in different types of increase next time.

pictish

I'm sure they'll be fine n Cool

. I often just knit into the front and back of the last stitch on sleeves which gives an uneven seam but you lose it in the seaming. Or I do one 3 stitches in by picking up the loop between the stitches and knitting into the back of it. That gives a smooth seam edge. I don't know the US terms Confused

Auntie Noo

I agree with everyone - it'll get lost in the seam anyway. I think I normally pick up the bar between stitches and knit into the back of that, but it really won't matter.

terri

They'll be fine!
I tend to use either left or right raised increase, or m1 increase, which you can also do left or rigth facing. If you have a copy of an IW mag, they're shown in the back of there really well........

n

Progress pic on blog...
just off to knit another four rows...

n

mogiebear

So you're doing the sweater flat, rather than in the round ?

n

No, I'm doing the sleeves first. I thought I could use them as big swatches!
And I keep reading that people (not here of course) knit bodies and then get second sock syndrome with one or both sleeves, so I thought it would be better this way. Laughing

n

mogiebear

So any special reason for knitting the sleeves in the round? as they are going to be a flat swatch rather than an" in the round" one, so your guage might not be the same any way?
Don't think you can knit the hybrid without having both sleeves done before you join it together for the raglans anyway - so second sleeve syndrome would be a problem.

n

Aaah, should have explained better.
It's not a hybrid... Embarassed

I'm using Ann Budd's book of knitting sweaters and it's the most basic of simple sweaters, a drop shoulder (or modified drop if I'm feeling brave).

So I'm knitting the sleeves flat and then the body in the round and I'll divide it when I get to the arms and knit the front and the back up separately. I didn't have short enough circs to do the sleeves in the round too and the Knitpicks needles can come unscrewed so I didn't want to chance magic loop.

I'm sure this isn't the usual way to knit a sweater, but I just wanted to get going. It's not a dressy posh one, just an everyday walking the dog type sweater, so I'm hoping it will be more forgiving if I get it wrong. I know the tension might be a bit different, but with less fitting at the shoulders I'm hoping I can fudge it if needed.

Am I doing this all wrong?
I'll frog if I have to....

n

mogiebear

Aaaah! I would knit the sleeves in the round anyway cos I can't seam Embarassed

I usually use two circs, with the right sized ends in the appropriate places and smaller ends on the other ends, iyswim. . Pain if the knitpicks come undone, though Confused

Jon the Yank

Just a couple of hints for you:

M1R is lift the horizontal bar from the back to the front and knit it through the front loop.

M1L is lift the horizontal bar from front to back and knit it through the back.

If you don't twist the stitches, you'll get a hole, which is still a legitimate increase.

I always increase and decrease at least 2 stitches from the edge of anything. That way, you don't get nasty knots that you have to sew through. It's ugly.

Jon

Auntie Noo

It'll be just fine the way you're doing it n. I have done sleeves both in the round and flat for a jumper knitted half and half - you may find your tension changes v. slightly when you split for the armholes, but like you most of mine are for walking the dog - and I haven't had anyone notice the difference yet!!!! They all work out just fine.

n

Thank you for the info about the increases, Jon. I have been twisting the stitches, but I've been doing it between the first and the second stitch... something to change for jumper number two, perhaps. Wink

I'm up to 12 and a half inches and I've got to get to 21 inches for the size I'm doing, and of course the rows are getting two stitches longer with every four rows I do so I'm slowing down a bit. I'd really like to get Sleeve One done before tomorrow night, but I have lots of other stuff to do during the day too, I can't just sit and knit, sadly.

The yarn seems to be going on forever, I'm wondering if I can get one sleeve from one skein. And the knitted fabric is much softer than I thought it would be, I'm definitely a convert.

Has anyone else got yarn picked out and needles ready to go?

n

loobyj

I've got a slipover all ready to do. In fact it's been all ready to do for the last 19 months - so this is a good push to start Very Happy

Rowan Wool/Cotton I think, in a pale olivey-green. Going to knit in the round up to the armhole split- should help to get it out of the way a bit quicker.

Then we'll see if he wears it!

lj

n

gilraen

Wool Cotton is fabulous to knit with n. I'm doing the Basic Black cardigan in it and I want to knit more with it now. But it is expensive.

n

Hanne

I'm working on Spartan Pullover I started for DH a year ago. I have finished the body and last night I started the first sleeve. This year most of my Christmas knitting is finishing old WIPs and UFOs, I'm knitting only one pair of socks from the beginning.

loobyj

Wool Cotton has lovely feel to it and a good drape. I've had the yarn for sooooo long I can't remember how much it was - but I thought for the first husband make I'd do it in something lovely to hook him in Very Happy

I've got this terrible urge to cast on for it now and blow my christmas knitting Laughing

Think I'll just move away from this thread for the next week Laughing

n

Well I am three quarters of the way up Sleeve One and still on the endless first ball, this stuff goes on forever. Very Happy

After much thought, I decided I needed feedback from the future owner. It would have put me off sweaters forever if I knitted it all and then he didn't like it.

Soooo

I got him to feel the knitting with his eyes closed first, and then he had a look at it....

and....

.... he loves it!

So now I can Knit It In Public which will speed up the whole process and is much more relaxing than me shoving it in a bag every time he comes in from the garden or whatever.
I am so pleased.
He wanted to know what kind of neck it would have and everything! I said I didn't want to do a V-neck but apart from that he could choose.

n

murdo

That's great.....it will be nice for him to be able to see it's progression too!!

n

Okay, time for Numpty Questions.

Numpty Question One.

Blocking.
I am a few cm away from the top of Sleeve One.
If I knit the sleeves on straights (or circs used as straights) and the body on a circ, (in the round)... do I need to block the sleeves?
And if I block the sleeves, how do I block the circular body?
I'm assuming I don't block one and not the other....
I can see the point in blocking lace, but what is the point in blocking a sweater which will be washed fairly often anyway?
Surely I'm not going to be blocking it everytime I wash it?

Numpty Question Two

My knitting on the sleeve is coming out at four and half sts per inch, I was aiming for four, but it seems I am closer to four and a half. Rolling Eyes

The "ballband" says 16-18st per inch I think so my tension is reasonably accurate and I'm very happy with the appearance of the knitted fabric so far.
So, I am knitting the pattern for four sts per inch, DH doesn't want it too baggy and I think it will come out the size below what I wanted in a preblocked version.
Is a simple drop shoulder sweater likely to "droop" a bit anyway?
I am happier with it snugger rather than baggy and because I am doing the sleeves first I can actually knit the next size up on the body if I need to... I'm just going to put the sleeves onto waste yarn and not cast off until I've done the body in case I need to adjust the length of them a bit... add or remove a few rows.
But I sort of need to know soon about the likely behaviour of this yarn (Rowanspun Aran) before I decide about the body size.
I'm still on the first skein for the sleeve BTW.

Numpty Question Three

Will I need blocking wires?

Here endeth the NQ's for today...

n

mogiebear

You'll want to block it - mainly to see how it behaves when it has been wet and dried. Steam blocking will be easiest with a partially knitted garment - see what the tension is like after this, it can alter superwash ( is rowanspun? , can't remember) a lot I've found, and the fabric can seem much floppier.
No blocking wires required - steam iron and lots of steam not touching the garment, or pressing cloth , and then pin(or not) to shape/ size required and leave to dry - then measure your tension again.
HTH - just rushing through!

n

Thanks MB.

Rowanspun isn't superwash... I guess this is the next stage of the Big Knitting Adventure.
Good job I got all the melted plastic off the bottom of the iron isn't it!!!

I think I'll wait until I've done both sleeves and then steam block them and then make my body-size decision based on that.

It seems I am in good company by doing the sleeves first. Anne at knitspot is doing the same thing Cool

.

n

n

This is on the knitspot blog today...

most men’s sweaters benefit from having a bottom rib that is at least 10 percent smaller than the sweater body, but where most patterns will add that 10 percent just above the ribbing, i like to add it gradually as i work up the body, by increasing every 2 inches or so, to about 3 inches below the underarm. this creates an attractive, tapered silhouette and eliminates that poochy pouching just above the ribbing which is such a turnoff (i still leave plenty of ease to mask any belly action; we just don’t want to add to it).

I asked Fegrig aka DH and he read it (!) and he says he agrees... does anyone else have a view?
He thinks it will give a better fit. I suppose it makes a similar shape to the sleeves, a sort of V shape.

So what do you all think?
And how is everyone else getting on?

n

KnittingLadybird

sounds ok to me...i'm not sure what DH would think, I suppose i'll have to ask him Wink

n

Excellent idea.... everyone... Go And Ask Your Blokes!!!

This is called a User Survey!

n

KnittingLadybird

Mine would agree that a more flatterng knit is err... more appreciated (whatever that means Wink

)

Glynis

Another way to block, if you've time and space, is to pin your pieces out to size and then spray (not too heavy handedly) with water using a plant sprayer. Pat the pieces gently to encourage the moisture to penetrate the fabric, and then leave to dry naturally.

murdo

That sounds a flatterring shape....wporking out Maths isn't my strong suit but sounds worth it

melody yarns

How am I getting on with the bloke knitalong??

Well the yarn is still in the loft.... Evil or Very Mad

Hanne

I have chosen the pattern for my Bloke. It's Tiger Sweater from Zoe Mellor's Animal Knits. You can see the picture here.
I'm going to use wool instead of cotton, like usually. Most children's patterns favor cotton but I don't like knitting with it, and cotton sweaters have a little use in this climate. In summer they are too hot, in winter they're too cold.
I chose the pattern because I have enough Grignasco Tango in different colors in my stash. It will be green with blue stripes and orange tiger so I can use stash yarn.

I'm trying to make an effort with children's knits next year. They grow up so fast, and after three or four years they will be too big for all nice patterns I've bought. At this rate (2 in a year) I'll never get chance to use them all.

I bought two sweaters from H&M this autumn and boys have worn them maybe five times. Now the sleeve on other one is full of holes. H&M clothes are cheap, but they don't last at all.

murdo

Melody Yarns....is your loft also known as the Tardis?????

Hanne...what a lovely pattern....he will LOVE it.

n

Sleeve One is at 20 inches and I've threaded it onto waste yarn but left the remainder of the skein/ball attached. The pattern says 21 inches so I'm just erring on the side of caution.

Sleeve Two is now 11 inches long. So 9 to go before I can start the body.

I am ridiculously excited!

I have also been reading my new EZ in which she suggests we all learn (in December's chapter) to knit in the dark by practicing doing it with our eyes closed. I'm hoping that this will enable me to knit the body while watching TV since it's all on circs and will all be "knit" after the rib.

How many of you can knit with your eyes shut?

n

craftylady

I can, but have to count every stitch so that I know if I've dropped one or not.

melody yarns

n

Sleeve The Second is finished.

Silly question time.

I cast on using the only cast on I know Shocked

which is a long-tail one I use for socks. This gives a line along the edge on one side and a row of bumps on the other.
I have managed to knit one sleeve with each. Embarassed

Which is actually the "right" side?

I need to know before I get the the end of the rib on the body so just decide among yourselves and I'll do whichever one you tell me to do.

The body.... how esciting... can't type it I am so escited!!! Laughing

n

Who else is knitting this with me? Melody is the yarn still in the loft?

Hanne

I'm knitting the Tiger Sweater, but I accidentally ordered too thin yarn and had to change my plans. Now I'm knitting from Ann Budd's book and just making it look like the Tiger Sweater.
The bad thing is that Aleksanteri has announced he likes also the Rooster sweater and Doggy Sweater enormously. It looks like I'm knitting bloke sweaters for a long time.

murdo

n

I can do a photo if that helps.

It will need to be later though, I have a room-full of sock club parcels waiting for their blue bags.... after that I can play Very Happy

n