Thistle Pullover V-Neck Vest

This is the second in a large scale, plan, design, card, spin and knit fiber project.  My original plan for the project was to spin a bulky yarn using my Elizabeth Bulky Flyer so I could get to knitting more quickly.   I couldn't locate the early in the process shots, but they're there, so I'll add them later.  If not here, then in my flickr album for this project.

Front

My sample bulky Thistle yarn became a loooooong scarf.  At which point, I remembered how not good I look in bulky knits, briefly alluded to in my Sweaters post.

As it turns out, I didn't have enough roving to make a sweater amount of yarn, so it became a pullover vest out of necessity. 

The yarn specs in brief: 1400 yards per pound, six skeins of yarn.  Size 6 US needles, knit in the round from the bottom up to the armholes, then I switched to working both the front and back flat and at the same time.

The first cast-on I learned was the long-tail cast on, and it is the one I rely on most often, even though it usually take me 3 tries to get it right.  I worked K1 P1 ribbing and then stockinette up to the armhole.   I don't happen to like using smaller needles for ribbing, nor for adding 5 or 10% more stitches after the ribbing.  I don't feel it looks very flattering on me. 

The Back

I used the same pattern as for Bill's Cardigan vest, except, of course, it is a pullover v-neck.  My gauge is 4 stitches per inch.  This is a more casual garment, since the color striping is irregular. 

I placed markers at the side seams and just picked one side to be the front and the other to be the back. Once I reached the armholes, I switched to working the front and back together, flat, or back and forth, if you will.

I can't remember which project was the first time I used this method, but Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' suggests learning to knit truly left-handed as a two color method in "Knitting in the Old Way" book.  It happens to work to correct the vast difference in tension between my knits and purls, so I have adopted this method for my regular back and forth knitting. In brief, here's how I do it:

I hold the yarn in my left hand at all times. I work Continental style from right to left and then, without turning the piece, I work from left to right English style as a left-hander knitter. 

This works brilliantly for, well, everything.  My speed and tension are very close between my left and right hand.  There is a negligible difference but it doesn't distort the fabric as much as the standard way of working back and forth.  The right side of my work always faces me.  I don't lose my place and my tension is good when turning heels with this method. 

Start of V-neck

I did have to change where the needle enter the yarn and it looks like I'm working into the back of the stitch, but I'm not.  It's just that this method causes the leading edge of the stitches to be at the back of the needle instead of the front.  I have not mastered purling as a lefty, but it hasn't been a problem so far.

The yarns don't get twisted around each other because the garment is not spiraling round and round.  I put the back yarn in one bag and the front yarn in another.

The front and back end up being the same length.  I spent a little time before starting the armholes to write out the directions for the front and back, but honestly, it's wasn't tough to work them at the same time.  

I'm very happy the striping has turned out subtle.  Horizontal stripes are not my favorite, so while I was spinning, I consciously avoided a repetitious stripe pattern.

This baby is nearly finished.  I've almost reached the shoulders and I plan to finish the shoulders with a Kitchener stitch.  The three needle bind-off results in a bulky seam, as does sewing it.  I use the Kitchener on my Moebii, as well as for socks and it leaves a subtle seam.

Now that I'm looked at my vest through photos, it might look nice enough for work.  Bill told me this morning that several of the ski resorts in Washington have extended their season because they keep getting snow.  It's almost May and quite chilly at night and in the mornings.

I might get to wear this vest in the next month!