Blink

I posted about my first Blink sweater last week.  I felt like it was too big and not long enough, so I ripped it back and started over.  So, this is Blink number 2, knit in the smallest size, with a couple of extra inches in the length and normal 3/4 sleeves.  The pattern name is Jilted by Jennifer Dassau from the Holla Knits Fall 2012 collection.  It’s also my new favorite.

I’m so, so glad I re-knit this because the 34″ has plenty of room and I’m much more comfortable with a little more length.  In fact, it’s the most comfortable sweater I think I have ever made, partly because the design is sort of like a sweatshirt and partly due to the yarn.

When I say the sweater is like a sweatshirt, I only mean the color and comfort.  The dropped stitch down the front and sleeves elevates it from comfy, raglan, sweater status to something more special.

My mods were minimal.  I used needle sizes 1 and 3 to get gauge.  I also reduced a few more stitches on the ribbing of the body and sleeves for a tighter fit.

Then, I knit an extra couple of inches to the body before dropping the stitch and knitting the ribbing because I must have a longer torso than other people.  Now, Allyson did say that I could add an inch or two by blocking, but I’d already decided to go down a size, so I just knit it longer.

On the sleeves, I picked up two stitches at the bottom of the armhole before knitting around the held stitches.  Once I knit around to one stitch before the two I picked up, I knit 2 together, placed marker, knit 2 together and knit around as usual.  It just adds two stitches to that first round where there always seems to be a gap.

If I want the neckline to be wider or lower, I can always block it that way.  It’s not blocked here, because I never do that before taking pictures, but I feel like the size I chose will allow for some stretch/ growth if that happens.

So, this took me about a week to make, if you don’t count the first try.  It is good tv knitting.  I watched the David Tennant Dr. Who episodes again because of the Don’t Blink yarn.  But I threw in a little Medium too.  Now, excuse me while I go wear this forever.