the sweater: Ribby Cardi
the yarn: Cotton Ease in Stone
the previous entries: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Slow progress – I’ve started the collar. I did not bind off along the top of the sweater, instead kept stitches live and, after seaming in the sleeves, I arranged them all onto a needle and started knitting upwards. I like the way it looks at the back of the neck. There were some stitches to catch along the center front curved area of on the collar. I wasn’t sure if I should pull up the stitches from below, or pick up stitches using the new yarn as I knit the first row (as in: knit one, pick one up, knit one). I pulled them up but suspect this was the wrong way to go.

Once I had the sleeves seamed in and went to knit the collar I realized I had two extra live stitches where each of the seams met the point where the collar starts (so, eight total). I buried most of them by doing decreases when I knit the first row of the collar but having some there came in helpful when I calculated and decided I needed 90 stitches to do a 2×2 rib that made sense. If I had not had the extra stitches I would have had 88 stitches around the collar — meaning the center front ribs would be a purl on on the right side of the zipper and a knit on the left side of the zipper. So, I just kept two of those unanticipated stitches so that the ribs that sit on either side of the center front are both knit ribs.

The sweater seems like it’s going to be terribly small, but I felt the same way about the first one when it was at this point and it’s too large. I know that the fibers will relax, and the ribbing will not be as tense after it’s been washed and worn for a bit.

I’m going to make the collar very tall, funnel neck tall, since the first sweater stretched down enough to make the collar an inch shorter than it was when I first wore it and I just want a tall collar. I figure if the collar is too tall, I can always go back and shorten it, reclipping the zipper at the same time.

The seaming around the arms is much more visible in this lighter colored yarn, and shows as a zig zag when being worn. I might tighten these up later.

Next I have to re-teach myself the 2×2 tubular bind off. I hope my orange zipper arrives soon.