no sweat



sweatpants from Interweave Knits Spring 2004 in Lion Brand Homespun

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I'm wearing my sweatpants. Right now!

So here's an update on how they're wearing. They are super comfy: soft, soft, soft and warm, warm, warm! They do slip down my waist a bit from their own weight when I'm walking around, but they don't feel heavy and cinching up the drawstring a bit does the trick. They haven't stretched so far. After I had heard from a few Homespun-pros that the fabric will grow, I decided to leave the legs a little on the short side, so they could stretch without becoming something that I'll be treading on all the time. All I have to do is tug on the legs to bring them down to the right length and yet they don't seem to be stretching on their own. I even slept in them last night. Thought I was gonna expire from heat stroke the first few minutes under the covers! But I usually get real cold at night and the sweatpants kept me nice and toasty. Finally, fashion-wise I think I look pretty bad most of the time I've got these pants on. They simply are not terribly flattering. But for knocking around the house and keeping warm on a cold night, I love 'em.

Do you think Stacy and Clinton would approve of handknitted acrylic sweatpants?

But they're so comfortable!

Isn't that what the people always say? Well, now I understand. These pants are the silliest things ever, but I can't help it, I really, really like them! They're cozy and warm and it's just so cool that I knitted them. I'm glad that I ripped back the top and reknitted it in two pieces so I could keep the side seam. I think the side seam gives the pants a straighter look and keeps them from sagging.

For those of you knitting these or considering how to resize them, here are some details. I knit the pants flat - 4 leg pieces, then I joined the two backs and two fronts and knit the top in 2 pieces. To size them up to what would have been the next size, I cast on 5 extra stitches for each leg piece. I did the same number of increases as called for in the original pattern, beginning them as written in the pattern. I cast off two of the extra stitches with the other stitches cast off at the crotch and knit 2 together when joining the two backs and the two fronts. I also shaped the top a little to keep it from being too bulky (I needed leg room, not tummy room) by doing decreases at the edges after 4 inches and 6 inches. I must have spent an hour and a half making that bleeping tie for the waist. I'm not very skilled with the crochet hook and the one hook I own was considerably too small for this yarn, which, as we recall, is terribly splitty. But I survived the crochet/Homespun torture and miraculously, that teeny-tiny tie manages to hold up the rather heavy pants.

Overall, I found the pattern to be really simple - easy to size up a little wherever you need an extra centimeter or two -, enjoyable to knit, and the result is comfy, cozy and stylish to boot. When I'm wearing them, I feel like a hip momma coming back from yoga class. I'd even consider making another pair if I could come up with a lightweight yarn to substitute for the Homespun (can you think of any?). And then I'd love to take K's suggestion of trimming the cuffs with fabric. How cool would those pants be? Can you believe that I'm considering more of these crazy pants?! Don't tell Clinton and Stacy!

Got a lot of sweatpant knitting done over the weekend, but I've been ripping the last few hours worth. I finished the two pieces of the second leg, joined them to the first and as per the pattern started knitting the top in the round. After a couple of inches, it really started to look like pants, but that missing side seam was starting to bother me. I was doing the pant legs flat because I wanted side seams, but here I am on the widest part of my pants knitting in the round. Bad idea. I stopped knitting to think about whether or not I should rip out what I'd done on the top and reknit it flat. And since I'd stopped forward motion, I decided I'd put the whole thing on some scrap yarn, take out the needles and try 'em on. Good thing I did!

Yup, one leg was like an inch and a half too short. Heh, heh. Frogging back to the crotch to fix that leg and reknit the top in two pieces. Coming soon: sweatpants with complete side seams and (call me a perfectionist!) matching legs!

Beginnings of the last blue sleeve. I can't wait to finish this sweater, block it (I'll take an extra centimeter anywhere I can get it!), and wear it. The yarn is so soft, I can really imagine wearing this right up against my skin. No need for turtlenecks and the like here. Just what I'd order for early spring: one soft sweater please, hold the layering.

Oh and can I get another sweatpant leg on the side?

I hope all you pant-alongers got your magazines! Anyone else started their sweatpants yet? Despite the stockinette, I'm cruising along on mine. Not too far ahead, though. I'm only a leg up on you. (Ba-dum-bum)

I finished both panels of the first leg and seamed them together to get a sense of how it'll fit. Looks nice and roomy, so onto leg #2. I am knitting the legs flat as called for in the pattern. What have the rest of you decided to do? Anyone knitting the legs in the round? My small circular needle was busy (with a practice hat I use to show techniques and mistakes to my beginning knitting class), so I didn't consider knitting them in the round. But I was also thinking that seams might actually be better. Isn't it the case that many garments really benefit from having a seam to give them shape and help them hang correctly? I've thought about real pants that I would wear and I think I'd be wary of pants without any side-seams at all. Any seamstresses out there (Silvia?) who can comment on this?

Hey did you see that Bonne Marie was giving away Homespun earlier in the week to make this project?? How funny! I guess I'm not the only one who got a kick out of this pattern.

[UPDATE: I just noticed that Theresa has finished hers already! Check out the pics and her thoughts on the yarn, the pattern, resizing and knitting them in the round. Thanks, Theresa!]

Way ahead of schedule, I sat down and started my nosweat sweatpants over the weekend. First task, a little resizing. I mean did you catch the hip circumference on the largest size?? What is that, like a size 6?! Ha, ha. So I pulled out another pair of pants and measured ankle, knee, and hip to see how much rewriting of the pattern would be necessary. Although I have to add some extra stitches, the numbers I got had the same proportions as the pattern as written. So it doesn't look like I have any major maths to do. Phew!

I cast on right before Knitsmiths. By the time I got there I had concluded that I hate the Homespun. Don't get me wrong, I really like how it knits up. It's certainly soft and just right for sweatpants. But what a pain to knit. Could it be more splitty? Ugh. Once I got out the plastic needles things seemed to go a bit better (note to self: plastic yarn likes plastic needles), but I'm still not loving it. This, I do like though: the front left leg flying off my needles.

I'm getting such a kick out of knitting these sweatpants! I'm not planning on wearing these pants outside of course. They'll be like pjs, to knock about at home in. And even if they don't work out, the knitting is easy peasy (except for that splitting) and the yarn was so cheap, it's all good. This project's just for fun.

Yesterday, I trudged out in the snow and sleet to visit a new yarn shop in my area, Circles. Best selling-point? A kids' play area and a Friday knitting circle... "kids welcome". Okay, you don't have to tell me twice! The playroom got four thumbs up from my boys. There's a nice separate space with couches for comfy knitting (with a view to the playroom) and nestled in-between is a very pleasant little store with some wonderful specialty yarns from small manufacturers along with other high-end yarns from names like Manos, Jaeger, Mountain Colors, and Karabella. Oooh, she had the most wonderful brushed alpaca from Karabella! You must go to the Karabella website right now, check it out under Yarns - B and then see the pattern they have for it, Patterns - Brushed Alpaca. Too die for fabulous! I didn't get anything yet though. I'll have to plan for something special before I can go too wild in this store!

But I did buy some yarn before the day was out. I went to the opposite end of the spectrum, A.C. Moore, and picked up the Lion Brand Homespun called for in the No-Sweat Pants pattern in the newest Interweave Knits. (See a pic here and hey, I'm up for a pant-along if anyone's interested!)

So, is it okay to bring my $3.88 Homespun to knit at the fancy yarn store knitting group?