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11.17.2005 :: Swatch One
Swatch One for the soon to be named Japanese Twisted Stitch sweater.
Yarn: Jamieson's DK, color #231 Bracken
Needles: US size 4
Swatch: I approximated something of the pattern based on the picture of the sweater and used the wide panel that is one of the German books that I already have.
Results: I like the yarn for it's own heathery color and textural goodness, but I'm not convinced that it's perfect for this sweater. The yarn may be just a little bit too smooshy to show off the little details in the crossed twisted stitches.
The following is a swatch that I knit up with Cascade 220 last year. This is the stitch pattern from the Canyonville sweater in Alice Starmore's booklet American Portraits. Given that the twisted stitches in this swatch are much crisper, this is a yarn worth considering...
A list of links related to Austrian Twisted Stitch Knitting:
Chart Explanation
Notes from a class with Anna Zilboorg
Another set of books (hardback - I have these as well and they are also a good resource)
Posted by Mary on 11.17.2005 AT 10:29 PM
Comments
Gotta love the Cascade 220! It's my personal favorite. :)
Posted by: Annie on 11.18.2005 AT 08:52 AM
Call me strange, but I like more subtle cables than crisp one and almost ALWAYS would pick Jamieson yarns to work with...if I hadn't been off that yarn. I was addicted and had to taper off. I loved it all, DK, Soft Shetland and the Bulky...finally those at the shop held and intervention. The new obsession...Baby Alpaca Grande. Soon they'll ban me from that too...sigh.
Posted by: sean on 11.18.2005 AT 09:16 AM
Beautiful work. I love pattern or Aran stitches.
Posted by: maryellen on 11.18.2005 AT 09:21 AM
The cable do seem to pop more with the Cascade 220, but the color and richness of the Jamiesons is just yummy.
Posted by: Jennifer on 11.18.2005 AT 09:26 AM
Oh, Mary. I LOVE YOU! How wonderful this is all going to be. Now that we've got a name, want to help me with the design for the KAL blog? Totally say no if you want - I've got some ideas.
Oh and my twisted stiches books arrived the other day. I'm SO EXCITED! :-)
Posted by: Cara on 11.18.2005 AT 10:48 AM
It's gonna be a tough choice! I think the Cascade feels right.
Posted by: Mary Beth on 11.18.2005 AT 10:54 AM
Love the cascade 220--it's surprising how well it shows off crisp when it is such a nice soft yarn.
have you see the cascade 220 heathery colors?
Posted by: Leigh on 11.18.2005 AT 04:19 PM
I haven't visited your site in awhile and just now checked in to see what you are up to lately. Boy was it worth it! I love the sweater you are planning to knit! I can't wait to see the progress that you and the others make. Have you thought about trying out Brown Sheep Nature Spun? It is similar to Cascade 220, but has a little bit of a tighter twist to it that makes the stitch definition even better than Cascade's. I think it would really show off the twisted cable stitches well. Cascade would work well, too, though.
Posted by: Suzanne on 11.18.2005 AT 07:58 PM
that bracken is a lovely color.
Posted by: vanessa on 11.18.2005 AT 10:38 PM
You take such amazingly lovely photos. And you knit such lovely swatches. And you've trained your dogs so well.
Sigh. I'm probably a bit old for a girl-crush, but what the heck.
Posted by: spaazlicious on 11.19.2005 AT 03:37 AM
I agree with you, the Cascade swatch shows the stitches better. Both are nice yarns, however.
Posted by: Chery on 11.18.2005 AT 08:51 AM