Rosemary Woodhouse in her Cuff-to-Cuff

Here's a “nearly finished” photo of Rosie's Cuff-to-Cuff sweater, knitted as part of the Ample-Knitters Cuff-to-Cuff Workshop. List member Sue Esser wrote this pattern, and helped us all through the process. Rosemary plans to finish her sweater with pewter clasps for closures, but is still looking for that "just right" set.

Click here for detail photo of Rosie's sweater fabric.

Rosie used Babajoe's bulky wool and Bartlett Bulky wool. She increased a total of 10 inches from the pattern, for a 56 chest measurement. To make this increase, she added the extra 2-1/2 inches of stitches just before (and then just after) the front bands, but says that next time, she would do this before dividing for the neck. She had to sew the neck closed a couple of inches each side.

Rosie used garter st cuff, collar and bands. She knit the body of her sweater on a US #10-1/2 needle, used a #8 for the cuffs and #9 for the collar and bands. She picked up the collar sts from what is considered the "wrong side" of the sweater, so the smooth seam is on the inside, where it can be seen with the collar folded open.

More details from Rosie

Soon after Rosie joined the knit-along and started planning her sweater, she posted a very informative message to the list about the process. Since it's chock full of interesting details, I asked for Rosie's permission to share it here. Her excitement is definitely contagious!

Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 21:09:40 -0500
From: "Rosie Woodhouse"
Subject: [AK] C2C reborn

I have a tale to tell, so fill up your coffee cup!

I had started the Cuff to Cuff back before Thanksgiving. I was using Babajoe's Bulky yarn in 7 different colors. This was yarn I had bought at Stitches East last year, hoping to make one of the Jamieson's Patchwork Jacket.

The colors I chose just didn't work out for the Patchwork, but I was sure I could do the C2C with them. I made my plan and got started. I was just about ready to bind off the front opening sts, when I realized I was going to run out of 2 of the colors.

I frogged it this afternoon and started thrashing through my stash, patterns and books, looking for an alternative project for this yarn. While going through tubs of yarn, I discovered 6 skeins of bulky Bartlett yarn, in a beautiful Heathered Denim. Wow! It was just perfect. It could save my C2C!

Here's a photo of Rosie's Swatch and the Yarns she used:

The extra 870 yards is more than enough to get this made. I redesigned my stripes and am much happier with the look. The Denim pulls all the other colors together and will give it just the casual jacket look I want.

Here's the plan: I want more of a tailored jacket shape than sweater look, so I'm doing the garter st. edging instead of ribbing.

I CO the 70 sts, with the 8 1/2 needles and did 4 rows of garter st. Made a nice firm edge! Then I switched to the 10 1/2 needles and started with st. st. I am doing a single garter st ridge, every 10 rows, to help pop the denim color away from the neutral color stripes, otherwise it is st st. The accent colors I'm using are: Cranberry, Blue, Teal, Gray, Light Heathered Brown and Dark Heathered Natural.

I set up my rows as:
2 Cranberry, 2 Denim, 2 Cranberry
2 Gray, 2 Denim in garter st, 2 Gray
2 Teal, 2 Denim, 2 Teal
2 Dark Natural, 2 Denim in garter st. 2 Dark Natural
2 Blue, 2 Denim, 2 Blue (luckily they are close to the same shade, the blue being just a hair darker, and not heathered)
2 Light Brown, 2 Denim in garter st, 2 Light Brown

I'm increasing one st at each end of the right side Denim rows as I go up the sleeve.

Looks great so far. I'm so happy! Thanks Sue! One thing I realized when I was frogging my first attempt, is the front was not near big enough. It would have never gone around me. I'll check the pattern and see what I need to do when I get to that point.

I have officially signed up on the KAL page and hope I can fly through this. I'm really pumped tonight and know I'll have trouble putting it down and get some sleep.

Stay safe and warm all,
Rosie
Lancaster County, PA

Thanks for sharing, Rosie!

For more photos of Rosie's knitting, see her Webshots Community page.