A New Test - Part 3 (Final)

I thoroughly enjoyed my test on this one since there were such subtle but clever design elements all along. Still love the collar bit and am planning to use the technique in one of my own future patterns. For now, here are some finished project pictures.

Flat view

I contemplated on which kind of closure I want for this one since the pattern didn't offer a suggestion while test knitting. So even though I tool some great pictures with a DPN as a pin to close the fronts, I decided I needed a more permanent and practical option. So I have finally added an I-Cord closure to this sweater and it works really well.

Here is a closeup

In the end, I would highly recommend this pattern for folks with kids in addition to themselves. Here are the details:

Pattern Name: Harvest

Designer: TinCanKnits

Availability: Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/harvest-10

And I am sure other sites where the designer is available.

Sizes available: Newborn to 4XL

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A New Test - Part 2

Since my last post, I have rather enjoyed completing my test knit. I completed it on Dec 1 while knitting a few rows everyday since I began. It is difficult to get knitting time during weekdays whence juggling between full time work, taking care of son after school and then maintaining the house and cooking dinner for the night and lunch for next day for everyone. I admit I also skip my lunches most of the time. Anyways, I do try to get in a few minutes of knitting or crochet while watching TV most nights. 

So I did do two gauge swatches for this project but none of them gave me the exact gauge as in pattern. (See previous post for details) Gauge 2 was the closest with stitch gauge matching exactly and row gauge 2 rows short. i.e. pattern required 28rows per 4 inches but I got 26. This is generally the case with me. I do try to match stitch gauge exactly and then follow the directions for inches instead of exact number of rows in the pattern. Of course for me to be able to do that, the pattern needs to have the required inches information. And this one did. However, there was a confusion due to two different stitch gauges mentioned in the testing call and the actual patterns. After getting clarity on this, I would say, the rest of the knitting went on smoothly. Any errors/ confusions/ issues that I found, were already addressed or pointed out by other testers. Here are a few pictures of the project in progress.

Here I have completed knitting the back neck.

Here I have done the yoke and all front increases but I was too quick… 

I had made a mistake and misinterpreted the directions. Some of the front increases were to be done after sleeve separation, so I had to frog back to before sleeve separation and then redo this bit. This looked much better and exactly as per given directions.

Here I have completed the body and am on to knitting the sleeves.

I rather like that the front bands are completed with the body. Just wished there was some kind of closure added to the directions. Hoping that the final published pattern would have it.

Stay tuned for final project completion and modeled pics in the coming weeks.

------------------------------------------------------ © DESILOOP