Tunisian Cardigan Continued…

I wish I had an interesting post to share with you this week but the truth is that I have been very busy taking my Pattern Grading Class with Kim Guzman and working on my Tunisian Cardigan.  I would like to let you in on the progress that I made this week.  I know it doesn’t seem like much but my yarn is very thin and it takes me a long time just to finish one row!

Below you see how the partially completed back matches up with the back of my prototype.  I’ve laid both my pieces on the bed and pinned one on top of the other.  It appears that the sleeve increases have worked well so far.  I left myself a little room on each edge to add trim.  I just have a few more rows to work before I begin my decreases for the shoulders.

The hem is extremely wavy.  Not only does it curl up, which is what I expected, but it seems much looser than the body of the sweater.  I am hoping that working some traditional single crochet around the hem once the parts are seamed together will solve this problem.

The Next Step

I am now very tempted to begin using the pattern grading information that I learned in Kim’s class.  I think that I will play around with it a bit just for practice but in the meantime, I will continue with my drawings and my high school math.  The measurements in the photo below illustrate the numbers that I must consider when working the shoulders.  I must decrease from 33 inches across the tips of the sleeves to 16 inches at the top of the shoulders. I have to do these decreases on 7 inches for the back to get to the bottom of the neckline which is also shoulder-level.

So my calculations must be as follows:

Gauge: 20 stitches and 20 rows = 4 inches or 5 stitches and 5 rows = 1 inch

First off, I must deduct my trim since I measured from tip of shoulder to tip of shoulder.  My trim accounts for about 1 inch  of total width so I will deduct that from my 33 inches to come up with  32 inches.  I have to decrease the width by 16 inches or 80 stitches.  I have to make these decreases in 7 inches or 35 rows.  I can see already that I am not going to be able to meet my target of 80 decreases in 35 rows. After working 35 rows and decreasing one stitch on each side, I will only have decreased 70 stitches, leaving 10 stitches or 2″.  This means that at a height of 7 inches, my shoulders will be 2 inches wider than the prototype or 1 ” on each side.  If I work the fronts the same way, then my sweater will be 4 inches wider in the shoulders all the way around.

I am not sure how to resolve this issue.  Since the tops of the sleeves slope upward evenly until the shoulders and then level off sharply, I wonder if I can just simply keep decreasing one stitch on each side until I get to the back neck.  I have examined this top and it appears as if the decreases are done evenly all the way up.  I’m wondering now if the bulge I see as forming the shoulders is actually “hanger bulge”.

At this point, I have decided to try decreasing evenly all the way from the tip of the top of the sleeve to the edge of the back neck.  This encompasses 9″ of height which will be (9 x 5) or 45 rows.  Then I can decrease 42 times (once on each side) over a course of 45 rows.  Much better! It remains to be seen whether this will end up being the correct shape.  I’ll distribute the increases, work feverishly on my project, and get back to you with the results, good or ill!

 

Tunisian Cardigan Design Notes

Tunisian Cardigan

I already had a design in mind when I ordered my yarn from Knitpicks.  I really like the looks of the Tunisian simple stitch. The fabric resembles woven cloth. I also like the geometric nature of the stitches.  I’ve never been too fond of lacy styles but have always preferred clothing with a bit of a modular look. Therefore I will work this cardigan in Tunisian simple stitch.

I chose to make an attempt at copying a very well-fitting sweater that I already own.  The sleeves are short but batwing in style.  This particular sleeve design always looks very flattering on me because it minimizes my large bustline.  It is very slimming and elegant.

To begin, I started to work my swatch with a size G Tunisian hook.  My yarn is fingering-weight and I know from experience that Tunisian crochet always calls for a larger hook that what you would normally use.  I expected to have to experiment with the hook size but after working only an inch of my swatch, I could tell that this was the one I wanted to use.  My fabric is coming out slightly airy-looking which is perfect for a spring sweater.  I am using a hook extension that accommodates 14″ of fabric.  Even though my piece will measure 21″ across, this is enough because the stitches squeeze together.  Too much extension on the hook makes it heavier and harder to handle.

As you can see from my swatch, I have a nice loose fabric here.  The bottom curls up as is usual in Tunisian crochet.  I will have to add trim to the bottom of the sweater to fix that when it is finished.  I wanted to make a quick statement about the Knitpicks yarn that I chose.  This fingering cotton blend is called Comfy and is extremely nice to work with!  The blended fiber is acrylic and this makes the yarn very soft and pliable, much nicer than the usual 100% cotton would be.  There are a lot of positive comments on Ravelry about Comfy and it seems that I chose the right thing!

Then I set about making a rough drawing of my project and adding the measurements of each area.

I edited a photo of my existing sweater to make a better-looking schematic of the measurements for the finished project.

From the swatch I made, I know that my gauge is 20 stitches and 20 rows in 4″.  This means that I must make a chain to accommodate 107 stitches for the back hem. (21″ divided by 4″ = 5.25 and 5.25 times 21 = 107.25 stitches)  I know I must work for 45 rows before I begin the underarm shaping.  This is enough to get me started!  Progress in Tunisian crochet is always a bit slower than traditional crochet.  I think that it takes concentration to pick up the horizontal loops on the forward pass, especially when working with soft fingering yarn.

Ultimately I would like to make this the first pattern for which I will offer a range of sizes.  I will be taking Kim Guzman’s Pattern Grading class at Crochetville on March 22 and hope that I can add the additional sizes after I finish the class.  This is such a non-structured garment  that I think it will be a good candidate for my first foray into pattern grading.

I was at Goodwill Monday morning.  On Mondays seniors get 15% off!  I am a real pushover for potential yarn totes so I scored this little pocketed make-up basket for $2!  Another great find in a string of great finds!

 

Design Lesson II

 

The last time we discussed how to design different styles of clothing with squares and rectangles.  If you can make an afghan or a dishcloth, then you can design and make a sweater. Below you will see some of the other shapes that result in stylish designs.  Study them, choose a layout, and then go back to Design Lesson I and do your math.  Once you have planned your design and finished your pattern pieces, you simply join them together and do some edging. Voila! You’re done!

The Simplest Design of All

 

The above layout is for a sleeveless jacket or vest.  You can see that you simply make a large rectangle to your measurements and then leave two slits open for armholes.  The top of the jacket will fold over as a large cowl.  This design is very flattering and various types of yarns can give many different effects.  I made the Draped Sleeveless Jacket using this layout.

Another Simple Design

 

In the above drawing you will note that the basic rectangle has been changed somewhat to include cutouts for the neck area. Once you have finished your pattern pieces, you can either make a rounded neck by working decreases at the corners when you do your trim or keep the neck square.  You can also add a cowl collar which is what I did when I used this layout for my Envy Sweater.

Envy Sweater

 

Other Popular Layouts

        

                                                                                                           

My Favorite Design

 

This side-to-side cardigan is a composite of my own design and a commercial pattern. But the layout is simple and one that I have used over and over again. You can work it in an airy open stitch as in the above photo or you can use a denser stitch and make a winter jacket.  By simply adding a collar and cuffs you can change it into a coat.

 

I hope that I’ve given you some good ideas. Please let me know if you are going to try one of these layouts.  I’ll be happy to help with the math and any other problems you might encounter.  Next lesson, we will explore some ways of shaping your garment to make it a little more fitted.

 

DESIGN LESSON 1

 

 

Okay, let’s begin to design!

Step 1:  Choosing your layout

For this first lesson, we’ll choose the simplest layout of all: rectangles joined together to make a sweater.  This is also sometimes called a modular design since it uses different geometrical shapes to achieve the end result.  Examples of modular design pieces on my blog are: Vintage Cardigan, Openwork Jacket, Bog Jacket, Draped Sleeveless Jacket, and Side-To-Side Jacket. In the illustration below you can see the 3 different shapes we’ll need for this design.

Step 2:  Choosing Your Hook And Yarn

Since the modular design is inherently boxy in shape, you can either play this up by using a thick yarn and a small hook or you can have wonderful drape by using a thinner yarn and larger hook.  Play around with a few stitch patterns that are easy for you and that will give you the look you desire.  A more open pattern will allow for more drape while a tighter pattern will make the sweater warmer and more suitable as an outer garment.

Step 3:  Making Your Drawing

You do not have to be an artist to design your own clothing.  Simply make a rough sketch of how you want the sweater to look when finished.  For our purposes in this first lesson, we’ll stick with the easiest configuration.  In the drawing below, you see how I’ve assembled the basic rectangles to make the shape of a sweater.

Step 4:  Determine Your Measurements

Determining your measurements for this project is easy.  You can simply measure another sweater that you have that has the fit that you desire.  Or you can go by another crochet pattern that gives you a schematic of your pieces.  You can also measure yourself and write down the following:

     Bust and Hips:

     Length of Back and Front:

     Length of Sleeve

     Height of Sleeve

These are the only measurements you need for this modular design.  Remember that this is a boxy design and you will want to add a few inches of ease to enable the sweater to hang properly.  If you prefer a more fitted design, we will cover that in future lessons. This time we will stick to the modular method.  Your ease should be anywhere from 3 to 6 inches around your bust and hips.  Again, you are probably aware of what makes you comfortable when it comes to fit so you might already know this measurement.  For instance, if you have a size 36″ bust and hips, you might want your sweater to measure 40″ around.

Step 5:  Make A Gauge Swatch

This is a great thing to do when you are watching TV in the evening.  Assemble your chosen yarn, hook, a pen and notepad, a ruler, and a calculator next to your chair.  I recommend that you also bring along a hook one size larger than the one you are going to use.  This will be for your starting chain.  I can’t tell you how many times I could have avoided gauge problems by making the starting chain looser.  With your larger hook, make a chain of about 30 or however many you will need for your stitch pattern. Switch to your smaller hook and crochet a square. Measure to see how many stitches are in 4 “. Write this on your notepad. Then measure the rows to see how many are in 4″.  Write this down.  Now, what I usually do is grab my calculator and divide those figures out to see how many stitches = 1″ and how many rows = 1″.  For example, if you came up with 16 stitches = 4″, then you know that 4 stitches = 1″.  Sometimes you will come up with a fraction.  Write these figures on your notepad.

Step 6:  Planning Your Dimensions

Now that you know how many stitches and rows = 1″, you can determine how many stitches and rows you will need to make your sweater.

Back: The back is 1/2 the width of the front so you will divide your bust and hip measurement by 2 and get  a number.  Write this down.  Multiply this number by the number of stitches per inch in your gauge calculation.  Write this down. This is how many stitches you will need to make your back width. Now, multiply your rows per inch by the  length you want your sweater to be.  Write this down. This figure is how many rows you will have to make to make your sweater the right length. 

Fronts: You must leave about 3″-5″ between your two front pieces for your neck.  You already know how many rows you must make to get your length. Divide your back measurement in half. Let’s say you are leaving 3″ open for the neck. Subtract 1.5″ .  For example: if your back measures 20″, divide this in half to get 10″. Now subtract 1.5″ and get 8.5″.  This is the width that each front piece must be. Write this down.

Sleeves:  Since your back and front pieces do not have an armhole cut-out in this design, the shoulders will drape over the top of the arm by about 2″.  Therefore, you will subtract 2″ from your total sleeve length.  Write this measurement down. You can have your sleeve height be any figure you want but if you make it too high then your wrist area will be like a kimono sleeve.  A good measurement for sleeve height is about 8″.  Since you are making the front and the back of the sleeve all at once, you will double this for 16″.  Write this down.  So now you know your sleeve length and width.  multiply the width in inches by your stitches per inch and write this down.  Multiply your length in inches by your rows per inch and write this down.

Step 7: Finishing Your Schematic

Go back to your sketch and write your measurements for the length and width of each piece below each pattern piece. Then write the number of stitches and rows that correspond to each measurement.  You now have a completed design for a sweater that you have formulated yourself.

In the above schematic, the length of the back and fronts should read 120 rows. This schematic is based on 16 stitches = 4″ and 20 rows = 4″.  This is just an example.  Yours will look different because your measurements and gauges will be different.

Next time, we’ll explore some of the many ways that modular clothing can be designed.