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my third sweater: the Central Park Hoodie

I’ve started knitting the Central Park Hoodie which (you already know this if you knit) is a very popular pattern. It was printed in the Fall 2006 Knitscene magazine but you can purchase a downloadable pattern at the Knitting Daily store that comes with expanded sizes and corrections. (More on the corrections in the next post.)

I decided to use Fantasy by Dark Horse Yarns. It’s 50/50 Acrylic/Nylon and very soft to the touch. Despite already having plenty of yarn I could use for this sweater, the moment I touched this, at Full Circle in Ballard, I decided to buy it to use right away. I am using Charcoal (color # 13), and it has a slightly heathered look to it which I like a lot. My thanks to whoever it was first suggested I check out this yarn, I cannot find where that is (comments? email? Flickr? Ravelry? in real life? — it’s all blending together).

The swatch on size 8s gave me 20sts/4in, whereas the pattern calls for 17sts/4in. The fabric is not very dense, so instead of going up a needle size, I went up a pattern size to the 40″. After washing the swatch was 19sts/4in, how it ended up growing I’m not so sure. I am sure it is a portent of doom for my eventual sweater.

I did the 2×2 tubular cast on for the back and made some nice progress in an afternoon, I’m very happy since all the ribbing on the last two sweaters (Ribby Cardis) meant progress was pretty slow.

I decided to knit the sweater as is instead of doing the body in one piece or the sleeves in the round because the seams will add some stability. I’m worried that the sweater would stretch too easily without it since the fabric isn’t very dense. In particular I’m picturing trouble pulling the sleeves on if they were done in the round.

I have been waffling over making the hood the pattern calls for, or a ribbed tall collar, or changing the fronts so they cross over like the black sweater I show here. That sweater is so cozy. One day I want to just follow the pattern, the next I decide it would be easier to do the cross over since I could just sew in a few snaps for closure and it would be warmer with tall collar. I suspect I go one way or the other depending on whether the room I’m sitting in is cold at the time. Since I have not made up my mind I’ll knit the back and the sleeves first in the hopes I come to a decision before I need to start on the two front pieces.

· comments [9] · 03-27-2008 · categories:knitting ·

9 responses so far ↓

  • 1 drcarrie // Mar 27, 2008 at 6:36 am

    I had a “growing problem” with an acrylic yarn recently. I made a cardigan out of “fitted knits”, and it was fitting nicely, gauge was on. Then I washed it, and the whole sweater just, grew. Now it is much too big and I think I may have to frog it… or give it away. It’s just the proportions are off. You are smart to wash your swatch. I think that will save you.

  • 2 DimKnit // Mar 27, 2008 at 6:51 am

    Love this hoodie! I queued it up in Ravelry…can’t wait to see your finished product.

  • 3 Jody // Mar 27, 2008 at 9:09 am

    This was the first sweater I ever knit and it is still my favorite sweater.

    Love the color of yours!

  • 4 Liz // Mar 27, 2008 at 9:31 am

    Ooh, yay! You must be a fast knitter–you’re zipping along.

    Like practically everyone else in the knitting world, I’m pondering the CPH, so I’ll be interested to see how yours goes. I need to finish my half-done Tangled Yoke Cardigan first. Good times, good times.

  • 5 demondoll // Mar 27, 2008 at 10:10 am

    You are so inspiring! I’m still knitting the sweater I started last December, as well as gazing on the sweater that needs sleeves redone…

  • 6 Julie in Houston // Mar 27, 2008 at 3:09 pm

    That sweater is so cool. I would buy it for sure! Like the color you chose too!

  • 7 allison // Mar 27, 2008 at 7:40 pm

    Wait! Before you decide what to do with the neckline, can you post a picture of yourself wearing the cozy tall-collared black sweater? I clicked on the link and saw the model in red, but I really am interested in seeing how yours looks with the collar snapped up. Please?

  • 8 MadCarlotta // Mar 28, 2008 at 6:35 am

    weird. I was just going through my stash thinking that I would knit a Central Park Hoodie myself.

  • 9 Amanda // May 24, 2008 at 11:00 am

    I had the same problem with the growing issue on my first sweater that i did. I used Red Heart yarn. It grew twice it’s size. I still don’t know how it happened. Now I don’t wash my stuff anymore I just handwash them all. I’m too afraid to ruin it. I wish I knew how it happened. If someone knows email me at jcurry3@neo.rr.com

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