My First Knit Sweater Knit-along Week 6
My First Knit Sweater Knit-along Week 6 is the last week of the annual knit together hosted and designed by Marly Bird, sponsored by Red Heart Yarns. Join the fun at any time. Click here to find out all the details and the instructions for weeks 1-6.
The last several weeks you have been working on the body and sleeves of the sweater. By now, you should have the them all complete and you are ready to seam the sweater together.
Some of you are so afraid of this part but let me tell you, it isn’t scary at all! You can do it!
Should I Block?
The long and the short of it, the answer is yes, it is always a good idea to wash and block your sweater pieces to the measurements listed on the schematic. One reason is that is gives the yarn a chance to get all the grime off of it from being worked with over the last 5 weeks and allows for the stitches to even out and fall into place. The other reason is that when your pieces all measure the same it makes for an easier seaming experience.
Blocking is not difficult and I did talk about it in the week 5 video (click here to watch) but I also have a longer video demonstrating how to block here (yes, it is for crochet but it works for knitting too).
Once you have your pieces blocked you are ready to do the Mattress Stitch.
My First Knit Sweater Pattern Details
Just to make sure we are all on the same page, here are all the pattern details in one place. I know that is important since many of you print off this page.
MEASUREMENTS
To Fit Size: Small, (Medium, Large, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X)
Finished Size: Bust: 39 (44, 49, 54, 59, 64, 69)” / 99 (112, 124.5, 137, 150, 162.5, 175.5) cm
Length: 24.75 (25.5, 26.25, 27, 27.75, 28.5, 29.25)” / 63 (64.5, 66.5, 68.5, 70.5, 72.5, 74.5) cm
YARN
RED HEART® Hygge Charm™: Art E882 available in 7 oz (198 g), 432 yd (395 m) balls 2 (2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4) balls 6724 Meteor
GAUGE
16 sts = 4” (10 cm); 22 rows = 4” (10 cm) in St st. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge
NOTIONS
removable stitch markers, tapestry needle
SPECIAL STITCHES/TECHNIQUES
Long Tail Cast-on: https://youtu.be/vEGwt4cedLM
M1: (make 1) Insert left hand needle under horizontal strand between st just worked and next st, from the front to the back, knit through the back loop (1 st increased). https://youtu.be/nT1e-WgynUc
Mattress Stitch: With RS of both pieces facing you, pass yarn needle from bottom to top under horizontal strand between first and second sts, pull yarn through. Insert needle into corresponding horizontal strand on the other pc. Cont these steps alternating from one pc to the other.
PATTERN (Continued)
FINISHING
Wash and block your pieces to the measurement listed on the schematic above.
Once the pieces are blocked, use the mattress stitch and a bent tip tapestry needle to seam together the front and back of the sweater at the shoulder leaving an opening for the neck.
After the shoulders are seamed, seam the sleeves to the body of the sweater. Be sure to line up the center of the sleeve with the shoulder seam and the two ends of the sleeve at the marked points on the sweater from week 1 and 2.
The last thing to do is to seam the side seam of the sweater from hem to the armpit leaving the 3″ of ribbing open at the bottom as a vent (this was not left open on the sample but it is supposed to be open).
Rejoin yarn at the cuff of the sleeve and seam the sleeve length together from cuff to armpit.
Use the nice inside seam of the joins to weave in all your ends. Remember…next week there is a YouTube Live Q&A with me about the sweater. You don’t want to miss it. Be sure you are subscribed to the YouTube channel so you can catch the show live or on rerun 🙂 https://bit.ly/SubscribeMarlyBird
????Be sure to watch until the end!????
GIVEAWAYS
Post your progress pictures each week in the Marly Bird KAL Facebook group to be entered for a chance to win a Red Heart prize pack! We’ll choose one winner each week for the prize pack. One week after the final video is posted we’ll ask you to share a photo of your finished sweater, and we’ll choose 3 winners to each win a $50 prize pack from everyone who finished.
To enter: Post your picture of your in-progress sweater in the Facebook group before Tuesday at 11:59pm Mountain Time (Marly’s time zone) to be entered. Winners will be announced on Thursdays.
Week 1: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, April 9; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, April 11
Week 2: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, April 16; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, April 18
Week 3: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, April 23; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, April 25
Week 4: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, April 30; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, May 2
Week 5: Post your progress picture by Tuesday, May 7; 1 winner of a $25 prize pack announced Thursday, May 9
Week 6: Post a photo of your completed sweater by Tuesday, May 14; 3 winners of $50 prize packs announced Thursday, May 16
MORE Free Patterns by Marly Bird
