This year, as well as focusing on some UFOs (like the now completed Bavarian crochet blanket) I am trying out some new techniques with the intention of making several items from start to finish. As someone who does not really enjoy sewing, the idea of knitting in the round and thus avoiding seams is very appealing. That combined with the (new to me) techniques of knitting a garment from the top down has resulted in a most enjoyable project: Poison Oak, knitted with Cambrian Mountains (slate) and Little Grey Sheep (moonlighting) wools. After the knitting was completed, there were just a few ends to work in and then it was done, but in need of blocking, especially around the bottom edge:
a bit rough around the edges!
So, it has been soaked in Eucalan, gently spun and is now pinned out and drying gently to ensure that it finishes up the right shape, with a nice neat point at the front.
This has been a remarkably enjoyable project for me and will certainly not be the last top-down garment that I knit… in fact Breathing Space is already lined up to start, right after I’ve made a bit more progress on the sofa cover (yes, that’s one of the UFOs I’m currently working on).
The Snail of Happiness 
AJ
/ June 17, 2018I love knitting top down in the round for that exact reason- no sewing after. When I finish knitting, I want to be done!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 17, 2018I’d really have liked to be able to wear it immediately, but the blocking is essential in this case, so I’m now waiting for it to dry. I’m itching to cast on the next one!
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AJ
/ June 17, 2018Ugh I so dislike having to wait for something to block. My last sweater I laid over my car seat to dry while I drove to the party I was wearing it to 🤣
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 17, 2018Now that’s good thinking. Sadly this one really does need to be pinned down to fix the shape at the front.
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AJ
/ June 17, 2018Lol well at least you’re close to starting the next one:)
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Going Batty in Wales
/ June 17, 2018I have not tried knitting top down or in the round, other than socks. Maybe I need to be more adventurous!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 17, 2018Give it a go – it’s quite addictive!
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tialys
/ June 17, 2018Ooh, I like that! I have made a couple of top down cardigans and I must admit it’s nice not to have to sew up the seams – even though I do like sewing but preferably fabric not knitting.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 17, 2018I’m thinking of a top down cardigan as a project for some yarn that Mr Snail bought for me when we were on holiday.
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nanacathy2
/ June 17, 2018Now that is one snazzy garment!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 17, 2018I may need some cooler weather in which to wear it!
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katechiconi
/ June 17, 2018Good grief! It’s lovely, but I can’t begin to get my head around the construction!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 17, 2018Basically it’s just three tubes with some decreases and increases – it really wasn’t complex to make.
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katechiconi
/ June 18, 2018So, do you have all the bits dangling off the needles at once? I can’t quite visualise this ‘top down’ business. Surely gravity dictates that all knitting is top down…? There I go, exposing the depth of my ignorance!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 18, 2018Body first – leaving some stitches on each side to form the sleeves, then each sleeve is knitted in the round from the saved stitches. If it was a big bulky garment, the sleeves would be awkward with all the body getting in the way, but because it’s knitted in 4-ply, it was quite easy.
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katechiconi
/ June 18, 2018Clear as mud, but if it makes sense to you, that’s all that matters 🙂
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thecontentedcrafter
/ June 17, 2018I’ve made one top down garment and it wasn’t such a success as yours, but I agree, it was quite fun to make. So looking forward to seeing the sofa covered 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 17, 2018I’m busily crocheting squares for the seat cushions at the moment, having moved to using aran weight wool rather than dk so I make quicker progress. I’ve decided to go for a relatively simple square repeated lots of times and joined as I go to avoid all that sewing up at the end. Let’s home it doesn’t take me as long as the cover for the back did.
I’m going to have a go at a top-down cardigan with some wool I have… possibly this pattern: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rays-cardigan because it seems to acknowledge that women have hips!
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thecontentedcrafter
/ June 17, 2018That looks lovely, I certainly like the way if flares out to encompass our wider bits. I think I would find it daunting though, so will be most interested to hear and see how you get on with it. The sofa seat squares sound most sensible to me. that and the arms are the part that take the most beating!
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anne54
/ June 17, 2018Very nice! I’ve never knitted top down either…..is it knitting in the round that makes it seamless or knitting from the top? I don’t sew in ends now. If I can’t incorporate them into the knitting or crocheting as I go, I use my crochet hook at the end. Much quicker than having to thread a needle for every end. Looking forward to your next woolly adventure!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 18, 2018Knitting in the round avoids seams, but top-down means that you don’t have to fiddle to attach the sleeves, because when you come to the arm holes, you just leave some stitches on a thread to knit the sleeves from at the end.
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juliascreativeyear
/ June 18, 2018Oh this is just stunning 😊. It makes me wish I could knit
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 18, 2018Well, you’ve gained so many new skills, perhaps this is one you’ll master too. It took me decades to learn to crochet, so don’t despair if it takes a while.
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juliascreativeyear
/ June 18, 2018Lol… Technically I can knit, and that’s what I started with, I just find (rather bizarrely) that I get motion sickness from focusing on the two needle ends moving!! So now I stick with crochet. I don’t suppose you take commissions do you? 😉
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The Snail of Happiness
/ June 19, 2018I’m very expensive!!!
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juliascreativeyear
/ June 19, 2018Oh… Maybe not then!
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Ann Pole
/ June 18, 2018Looks lovely. 🙂
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Laurie Graves
/ June 18, 2018Really nice!
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ June 20, 2018Wow, this is beautiful! No wonder you’re hoping for cooler days so that you can take it for a spin! I love the shape, and a big HURRAH for top-down seamless knits. Much as I enjoy sewing, I always procrastinate when it comes to stitching knitted garments together! Hope you get to wear your lovely new jumper soon!
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Kim
/ June 20, 2018Gorgeous sweater – and working top down is a great idea if you are a bit concerned about yarn availability. I agree with how great it is to finish knitting and have barely any sewing to do.
I’m making an Elizabeth Zimmerman sweater at the moment which is good but bottom up. Top down would be better.
Enjoy wearing that sweater when it gets less muggy. (I can’t wait for a thunderstorm to clear my headache).
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