Machine Knitting!

With my nieces and their Dad off to visit family in Washington for a week, I decided to treat myself. After my Heritage Fiber Arts meeting Saturday, I set up my standard gauge knitting machine. It took some searching as I don't have all my machines stored in the same place. They are in 2 spots in my "box room" (shipping supplies) and one machine in my shoe closet. I have an ideal shelving unit, and I need to put ALL of them in that unit. So there I was, scratching my head, wondering where the devil I could have put them. Eventually found it and I set up the SK280, a punch card standard gauge.



The yarn I chose is Cascade's Heritage Sock yarn. I chose it because it is a quality washable wool. I wanted something very washable, something that can be ironed, something that is thin because I wanted drap and of a classic fit. In my test knitting, I found that I was more than pleased with this yarn. It almost feels like Wool-Rayon, which is a high end yarn used for suits such as St John's Knits. I decided on a young teen bolero. I swatched. I put the measurements into Knitware, I knit the back, and rechecked the measurements. Nope. I knew it. Happens every time. I took the total number of rows and stitches, divided them by their inches and came up with a new gauge. Unraveled the back, and knit it again. This time it was dead-on! Wonderful. I was very happy. Sunday I woke up excited for a successful day at the machine, and it was! I knit the 2 fronts, the 2 sleeves and one band. The band didn't work out as easily as I wanted, so I spent quite a few hours undoing and reattaching the band. Now all I have to do is the other band, which will be much easier, seam, press and stitch in my labels!!


I have visions of tops out of this yarn for myself. Only if all my knitting projects would go so successfully! There are some hand dyed shades of the Cascade Heritage Sock Yarn that would really make some cute short sleeve work tops for the store. Or maybe use the Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn. It is really a soft yarn and should knit up to an identical gauge.....oh so much fun, so little time!