the blue blog archives: when at first you don't succeed...

A zip raglan (from Last Minute Knitted Gifts) for hubby, who is long overdue to get a sweater. He said he wanted something soft and gray. While the Manos in the original is lovely, I didn't think it would pass the soft test, so I focused on finding some merino. And a quick peek in hubby's side of the closet revealed that he already had several gray sweaters, but could use something blue. So I compromised with blue-gray Bingo. It's not the same gauge of course, but after swatching it appears that I can knit the next size up to get the proper measurements with my yarn. (Who's made this sweater before? What's up with the four inch difference in finished sizes? If I were on gauge, I'd have a terrible time deciding which size to make!)

Shannon is making one for her guy too and we're sort of knitting along together. With her encouragement (read - she came over having already knit about four inches!), I've managed to get this far already.

posted by alison at 9:26 am | in man sweater

Comments

I love that blue-grey color! I wish my DH would wear something like that. :)

Lauren (of LollyKnitting) just finished one for her DH in mmm-mmm-Malabrigo -- it looks fantastic! :)

Posted by: jess at January 11, 2006 9:39 AM

That colour is fantastic. I'm sure your guy will love it. :) I bet my husband would like a sweater like that too ... I guess that's just another reason for me to buy that book.

Posted by: Samantha at January 11, 2006 9:42 AM

The color looks great!

Posted by: Chris at January 11, 2006 9:45 AM

Men ARE big. I've made only one sweater for hubby because I can't bear the thought of more endless miles of stockinette. He refuses anything resembling a cable. So I knit for me and my daughter instead!

Posted by: Kate at January 11, 2006 9:45 AM

Alison! Let's have a significant other knit along! I just started Anniversary Sweater
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall02/PATTanniversary.html
for my 6'2" 250 lb giant boyfriend. What do you think?

Posted by: Jenny at January 11, 2006 9:49 AM

Huhu,

I am also making one of these sweaters. Like Lolly I am using yarn from handpaintedyarn.com, but not the same like she is. I can not give any advise about the size, but I know I hate how the increasing at the sleeves is made/ described. perhaps you find a better solution than the author.

Best Wishes

Sibylle

Posted by: Sibylle at January 11, 2006 9:50 AM

Blue? What a surprise... :)

Posted by: helene at January 11, 2006 10:48 AM

I've knit with Bingo, and it's a dream. It even machine washes like a dream. I'm making my second pair of sox from it right now (big, fat, soft, squishy sox for Michigan winters are the best). And then my Brother gets a pair. I don't envy you 16 balls of yarn, neither quick nor cheap. You'll love the results, though!

Posted by: LynnH at January 11, 2006 11:18 AM

Yep, just made it, and absolutely loved it! (you can see over at my blog) I am already thinking about making another one for him - maybe in a lighter yarn for spring and fall.

Sibylle mentioned in her comment above about the sleeve increases - I pretty much did my own thing on them because I did not like the way they were written in the pattern. I made the smallest size (39" I think) but made several modifications for length of arms and torso.

Just some notes... looking forward to seeing more of yours.

Take care~

Posted by: Lolly at January 11, 2006 12:48 PM

That sweater looks great! I wish I can do one for myself. But first I really have to learn to get the right gauge...or even doing gauges at all. I need to do a proper gauge for my mum's hat...And I really need to get that 'Last minute knitted gifts' book! (well, it's on my wishlist, but doesn't seem that anybody pay attention to it).

Posted by: Elemmaciltur at January 11, 2006 1:04 PM

You can see some ridiculous images of my version in a disco Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran on my Flickr page. I found the collar too wide when zipped; it looks nice flattened down in Lolly's blog but I am considering undoing the whole zipper, the collar facing and collar and knitting more decreases to bring it closer in. I am considering all this work because it would be faster than knitting him another sweater, mind you!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/crankyisgood/tags/menszipperedraglan/

My tags are a little funky right now but there are some pics.

Posted by: Daphne at January 11, 2006 1:19 PM

woohoo - love your choice! hubby keeps asking me for a sweater... i think he's nuts!

Posted by: rebecca at January 11, 2006 1:41 PM

Send Lolly an email! I'm sure she could tell you all about hers...she just finished! I saw it in person...it's really a nice sweater!

lollygirl.com/blog

Posted by: heather at January 11, 2006 1:46 PM

You should check Lolly at http://www.lollygirl.com/blog/index.php?blogId=1 She just finished it.

Posted by: kimberly at January 11, 2006 2:32 PM

This guy knit one and had some issues with it: http://www.yarnboy.com/main.htm

Posted by: Tania at January 11, 2006 2:57 PM

Wait, how is a man sweater a "Last minute" knitted gift? Seriously, last minute to me means oh, say, less than a week.

Any road, that's a lovely, lovely yarn. I've been resisting Bingo at my LYS for awhile now. But it calls so enticingly.

Posted by: Colleen at January 11, 2006 3:24 PM

Your last sentance - YEAH they are! I'm knitting for the feet of one at the moment and I feel like I've been knitting forever!!

Posted by: Jessica at January 11, 2006 3:28 PM

ooh i love that sweater! can't wait to see it finished.

Posted by: emily at January 11, 2006 3:42 PM

ooh i love that sweater! can't wait to see it finished.

Posted by: emily at January 11, 2006 3:55 PM

I've never knit that sweater, but the instant I saw it I wanted to make it. ...For myself (a female), even...!! I think the color choice is excellent.

Posted by: ruth at January 11, 2006 4:26 PM

Hehe, I forgot to mention how funny it is to me, that you so love Bingo Yarn. I can get it nearly everywhere but I am not that fan of it. I think it doesnt feel wooly enough for poor wool and really prefere US Yarns ;) But how is said, the gras is greener anywhere than home.

Posted by: Sibylle at January 11, 2006 4:59 PM

Hey there I have question as a girl who is always having trouble getting gauge when you say
"It's not the same gauge of course, but after swatching it appears that I can knit the next size up to get the proper measurements with my yarn." I get confused - is there a sliding scale for gauge to size?

Posted by: Aubyn at January 11, 2006 5:28 PM

That color looks great! I'll have that down as a hubby color when I get round to knitting another project for him.

Posted by: Emy at January 11, 2006 8:04 PM

I feel your pain, I'm knitting a sweater for my husband and he has the longest torso in the world!

Posted by: Jenn at January 11, 2006 8:15 PM

Thanks for the heads up about the raglan shaping. I know that the raglan shaping on the kid's placket sweater and the hourglass sweater are messed up in the book, so I won't be married to her instructions there. I feel confident enough to do a raglan on my own.

Hey Aubyn, there's not really a reliable rule about reworking for a different gauge. You just gotta do the math. After swatching, I knew the gauge I was getting. It was smaller than the original gauge. When this is the case, I usually check the larger sizes to see if there is a set of numbers already given in the pattern that will get me the dimensions I want in my gauge. I divided the number of stitches to be cast on in the larger size by my gauge and it ends up exactly the size I want. So perfect, I don't have to work up new numbers for myself! Of course, I'll be following length measurements as given for actual size I want to make. And it is a simple rib pattern, so there's not any complicated shaping to be reworked.

Posted by: alison at January 11, 2006 9:03 PM

oh honey, you ahve no idea, lol! my fiance is 6'8", and about a medium around the chest (tall and skinny, sigh). the last sweater i made i had to increase the body 6 inches, and the arms 3 inches. whew.

Posted by: minnie at January 11, 2006 9:44 PM

Really, you're starting to freak me out. First it was the Leaf Lace Sweater, which you started right after I picked out my yarn for it. And now this. I just ordered some yarn for my hubby's version of the same sweater. What should we knit next?

Posted by: Jenn at January 11, 2006 11:01 PM

What a beautiful blue-grey color. I think it's a great compromise and the hub will love it!

Posted by: Wanda at January 12, 2006 10:45 AM

thanks alison-i have done many socks and not so many sweaters so gauge still confuses me - but what a great trick i would never have thought of on my own - this is the greatness of the knitting community

Posted by: aubyn at January 12, 2006 11:18 AM

Bingo is fabulous to work with. I knit the Anouk from Knitty.com for my niece with Bingo and it so nice to knit with and the piece turned out better than I thought. I really holds its shape quite nicely. You are going to love the results! Have fun!

Posted by: Nicole at January 12, 2006 1:55 PM