Diana wearing Ribby Cardi

Here I am at Stitch N' Bitch (Purlygirls Seattle) tonight sporting my new ribby. Zipper is complete and fabulous.


And with my two-way zipper in action


My wishes for my next sweater to be perfect: sleeves 1 inches longer and body 1 inch longer. If I was to make this for my boyfriend, I'd make the sleeves 2.5 inches longer.

I can't believe I did this!

I ordered the Nutmeg Heather for the sleeves, but I didn't order it! I changed the quantity from elann's website, but forgot to change the color. So I got the default Bisque. Ugh. I think I'll keep it and overdye it. Back to elann for Nutmeg Heather...

Sewing in your zipper

Ribby #1 in lavender and raspberry for daughter #2 is done except for the zipper, which I ordered from Zipperstop.com. Anyone else attempting or did sew in the zipper to the Ribby by hand? Don't have a sewing machine, and the seamstresses around here kill plain seams, let alone be trusted to set in a zipper on a hand-knit! Any tips appreciated.
Ribby #2 in a light heather blue with cream stripes (merino wool from Beaverslide and Patons) has been started; this one I am doing on 1 needle; joining the 5 pieces at the armhole was a major pain. At least here only the sleeves will have to br joined to be body, and the decreases will have to match.

Sleeve Stripes

**updated**
I had to break out the camera, so I got a shot of my zipper pull!

For those who were interested in my sleeve stripes, I updated my finished objects blog to include my sleeve stripes...

For others who want to know what my zipper pull looks like, I'm waiting for more opportune photography light (it's been raining nonstop and I have a thing about natural lighting) I've currently got a fortune cookie (like the earrings, but on a lobster claw clip) from Amyville. She does custom orders :) so if you want a zipper pull she can convert any of the stitch markers she makes into zipper pulls. Great fun for further customizing :D

I finished my Ribby!

I actually finished all the blocking and seaming a few weeks back, but I only just put the zipper in. This was a great knit, I really enjoyed knitting it. I wish I had made it a size smaller, but it'll be fine as it is.
Now I just have to wait until it gets cold enough to wear it! Here in Sydney, we're having hot weather, so I shan't be able to wear Ribby for ages yet :(

Donna
Random Knits

Diana is done!

I have basted the zipper in (which I had to cut short at the top) and I love the way it feels. The yarn was much softer on my arms than I expected. And I think if I made this in a Grey all rib, it could pass for a men's sweater too.

Row 0 after long tail cast-on

Liesel, I don't understand what you meant in your post on January 5 when you said make row 0 the reverse of row 1. Make all the K's to be P's and all the P's to be K's?

So you did:
Long tail cast-on
purl row
row 0
row 1 as usual

Is that it?

Also, is your swatch pic from Jan 4 long-tail or long-tail followed by a purl row?

Thank you so much for posting the different cast-on swatches and sharing the scoop. Also, I'm sorry I'm posting up here but I didn't think you'd see a comment in the January archive and I couldn't figure out how to email you. Sorry, everyone. Also, I couldn't figure out how to link to the posts. Newbie blogger!

Time for Blocking

So finally I have all my pieces knitted up and am ready to block. Did I mention I have never done blocking before? I pretty much know how to do it, but I am wondering how much to block it. Am I just blocking to get rid of rolls, even stitches out etc..? Or am I supposed to actually make it bigger?

Please interpret this (aka more possible sizing/yardage angst)

When I bought the yarn for this sweater, I swear the website said get 1/3 the total yardage for sleeves and trim if desired. For my sweater (a 10 skein sweater), 10/3=3.33. Rounding up, I bought 4 skeins of the constrasting color. 2/3 the total yardage was 6.66, so I rounded up and bought 7 skeins. That's 11 skeins total for a 10 skein sweater, which makes sense with the leftover yarn you'll have off the last skein of each color.

Now I see on the ChicKnits website that it says to buy 1/3 the total yardage plus one skein!!!!! Please tell me she means to round up, not to add 1 then round up (in my case that would mean 3.33+1=4.33, which I'll have to round to 5 for a total of 12 skeins). Then I won't have enough yarn.

Just checked: This wasn't my imagination. The .pdf pattern I downloaded in December also says 1/3 with no mention of "plus one."

Did they update the yardage requirements? I am screwed? (and this is assuming I can make the sizes I had planned, not one size bigger!)

Why would a 10 skein sweater take 12 skeins? What am I missing here?

Thanks, all.

welcome new KALers!

I just caught up my email and sent out a whole slew of new invitations to join the KAL. I'm about to add names to the list, but please let me know asap if I have missed you!!Thanks!
Also, I'm not really the best person to ask pattern questions-- I have yet to finish my first piece! It's probably best to post here and get responses from those who have completed theirs or are closer than I!

At long last

Hi, everyone. I sadly wasn't able to start Ribby at my parents' (my dad's surgery went great, but there was just so much going on), but I did get lots of holiday presents done. I am finally home, with a new puppy and the desire to start Ribby! I thought I was too late, so I'm happy to see that Cheryl is just starting, too. I will have to read all the posts to catch up. Thank you for the wisdom of your experience!

If I do decide to size up, I'll have a problem because I bought 10 skeins and sizing up needs 11. I was going to make my [first] Ribby solid, but I suppose I could change that. I wasn't loving the Arizona Clay Peruvian Highland Wool that much anyway. It is darker than the photo at elann. Do you think Chocolate Mocha sleeves would look good with it? I might actually like it better 2-color anyway since A.C. is awfully rust looking. Does any other color strike you as the perfect match for A.C.?

I do love the other colors I bought. Yes, I insanely got enough for 3 sweaters (solid, 2-color, and a 2-color for my niece). They all seemed just like the elann pic.

Reb

An Introduction...

My name is Cheryl and I just began making the cardi last Monday after months of contemplation. So far, some executive decisions I've made after reading all the posts in this knitalong are:

• make the body 2" longer
• make the sleeves 2' longer (I had to agonize about doing this)
• choose to make a plain panel version rather than a ribbed one

I bought 6 balls of Claret and 5 balls of Chocolate Truffle Peruvian Highland Wool. Wouldn't it figure that these were some of the few choices left when I bought my yarn almost two weeks ago from Elann. Had I waited longer (actually, one more day), I notice there are now many, many great colours to choose from.

I'm really wonder whether Claret for the body and Chocolate Truffle for the sleeves will actually look good together. I just started one of the sleeves and the two colours look like night and day, when placed side by side. If anyone has used this combination, please let me know what you think. I'm seriously thinking of ditching the Chocolate Truffle for some other colour that is more complimentary. I'm also open to a trade if anyone is in search of Chocolate Truffle.

Thanks to all the people who have posted their trials and tribulations on this site. It has helped me immensely with my decision making process. I'm learning through the experiences of others. I look forward to reading and making future posts.

Pics of my progress can be found at my blog at http://mason204.journalspace.com

Sleeves

Last night I casted the sleeves - yeah!

Stick a fork in me, I'm done :D

A little overdue in the posting, I actually had Ribby Seamed up last week, but dragged my feet on installing the zipper.

I finally got the zipper taken care of early on this week, and I'm pleased to say she's done and she fits perfectly :)

Size wise, I made her 1 size bigger than my "measured" bust size to give a little bit of extra ease through the body - and I made adjustments in the length and arms based on what I know of my own personal measurements. I'm not normally a Cardi kinda girl, but I derive such pleasure from wearing this one, especially since it was my first garment :D

Read (and ogle more photos) at my blog.

Collar Turn

I am doubling the collar (mock turtleneck). When I got to the point to turn - I did a row of all PURL on Right Side. Then reversed the pattern of the rib. This makes the ribbing lay together when folded down. The purl row makes a natural crease for the turn.

Now I just need to measure for a zipper!

Maybe not for naught...

Last I checked, the Peruvian Highland Wool in Coffee Bean Brown was gone, and then it looked like all the other colors sold out, too, because I couldn't even find the link to the page...

But today, I notice they got new stock (I'm guessing I just missed that it had moved to the top of the "What's New" page when I was looking for it yesterday), and either Coffee Bean Brown was included in the new stuff, or it really wasn't sold out, there was just an accounting glitch that took it off the page. Either way, it looks like I'm in the clear.

But, if you wanted to make another Ribby, the "new" colors might be what you were wishing for... go check them out :)

All for naught...

Well, I got the Oxblood yarn I'd mentioned, and I don't think it's quite what I had in mind (there's more about it on my blog, if you want more detail as to why), but it looks like it doesn't matter, anyways... the Coffee Bean Brown went from 50+ to 0 so fast I missed it. I figured since it was taking so much longer to go down below the 50+ mark, that it wouldn't vanish quite as quickly as the Oxblood, but it went even faster. BUGGARS!

So, it looks like I won't have a second Ribby to do all that soon. Oh, well... it's not like I needed another project on my plate, anyways... I still have a LONG way to go on my first one, and I've got plenty more to keep me busy.

- Leisel

Raglan on 1 needle--it is possible

Thanks to the Knitters Review Forum, I do think I can make this cardi on 1 needle from armholes on. Will post complete instructions, as well as progress report. Back is done to armhole, started left front-- done halfway to armhole. Had to buy Fee's Sweater Workshop Book and Zimmermann's Knitting Workshop for help here, but at least all armhole dec will be the same (I hope). Also will be setting in zpper by hand (no machine to do it). Stay tuned.

and one more...

Cast on yesterday, in these colors of Cascade 220:

Darker one for the body. I hope the striped arm ribbys are done & posted before I get to the sleeves on mine, so I can see how it looks all put together, love the pieces alone.

Introduction

Blogger finally allowed me to join the group so I figured I'd introduce myself! I've been in the KAL for a bit and have actually made some progress on my Ribby. I've been using the Peruvian Highland from Elann in Black and plan on doing the sleeves in Ruby. I love the color combination, as well as the feel of the yarn. I'm totally digging the pattern. While I finished the back, I screwed up on the the initial cast on of the left front by grabbing the wrong needle out of the bag. Fortunately, I wasn't very far along. I've been blogging my progress on my own blog while Blogger hated me. You can read it here if you so choose. Here's a picture of the finished back.



I'm just in love with this pattern. I already have the yarn for a second one. That's going to be the Peruvian Highland as well, but this time a solid in the Dusty Rose color. Who knows, maybe a third in a cotton blend for the summer. Oooh, now there's an idea.

--Risa

Starting a Ribby

Hello everyone. New member here, starting my first Ribby Cardi for my daughter. I'm going to use a cotton blend (Berroco Luxe, in Lavender and Raspberry-- she wants itch-free guarantee), after making sure the row gauge works for the raglan sleeves (the spi on this is 5, but that's OK, she's small). Question--Has anyone done the raglan sleeves and body by putting them all together on 1 needle to finish and do the neck? That's how I usually do raglans, seems easier that way. Enjoy looking at everyone's cardis. Such lovely color combos.

Getting there

I've finished the back and fronts of my ribby!!! Here's where I am with the sleeves. I decided to put a stripe down the arm rather than doing the whole arm in a different color than the body. (the body is the brown/purple color). I'm planning on making the collar and button bands in the cream color as well. Hope it fits.... wish me good blocking luck!


-Amber

Being Sick is good for Something....

Unfortunately, I have no photos to share, but being laid up with the flu and not able to sleep made it so I finished Ribby (with the exception of the Zipper... which is yet to be purchased) I'm liking how it turned out, and it seems to fit well (I lengthened both the Body and Sleeves) and while it is definitely a close fitting cardi, I still have room to move around (at least as best as I can tell by holding the front shut)
:) Hope to post photos soon!

New Kid on the Block

Guess what?



That's what!

Ribby Cardi is blocking now and boy, oh boy, am I excited to be close to the finish line. The pattern was so well written! The Peruvian Highland Wool handled and blocked so fabulously! Can't wait to see it on.

Ribby *almost* done!

I loved knitting this sweater! I knit it up in maybe just over a week, in the 40/41 size. No problems with the pattern, but I did find that I needed more of the sleeve yarn than expected. As the pattern calls for 12 balls, 1/3 in the sleeve colour and 2/3 in the body colour, I bought 5 for the sleeves and 9 for the body. (I always get extra).
I found that I had nearly 3 balls of the body colour left, and used 4 1/2 balls of the sleeve colour.
Now my problem is the zipper. The sweater has been complete for a week, but I couldn't find a zipper! So I've ordered 5 today, from www.zipperstop.com, in 5 different shades of purple in the hope that at least one of them matches!
Donna
http://avocadia.net/randomknits/

~ Update ~

Ok so I have the back complete and working on the front panels. I am doing both panels at the same time. I think that this way you feel like you are working faster than you really are. I will update with more pics soon!!