114 comments on “Three Rectangles, Two Triangles”

1. Finally got my yarn yesterday. Wool of the Andes-Hazelnut. To the swatch!
   Fyi, FA REAL wash and block like Staci says before measuring gauge. I lost a whole stitch lengh.. It relaxes and softens. Stretches slightly. This hazelnut is beautiful. Thanks Staci.

2. Hey Staci!
   I’m trying to figure out what size I should cast on for. I’m medium-ish but overly gifted in the bust department. Should I go for a medium or go up a size instead?

3. There is plenty of ease in this sweater…you can look at the “to fit actual bust measurements” that I have listed out both in this pattern and on this webpage. You will get plenty of ease if you choose a size based on your actual bust measurement.

   S t a c i

4. I just discovered your website and think it is super! The yarn I am considering to make this wonderful sweater jacket is Debby Bliss “Paloma” 60% alpaca, 40% merino wool. I really like that it is chainette and is an alpaca mix with a little halo, lighter weight and just as warm if not warmer than 100% wool. It is the closest yarn I have found to your Knit Picks Wool of the Andes that meets these criteria.

   On various websites Paloma is called bulky, super bulky, chunky, or super chunky. However, the gauge is listed as 3 stitches to 1” on US 15 needles and 12 stitches and 18 rows for a 10x10cm tension square using 10mm needles. I can recalculate the pattern based on this gauge, no problem, or perhaps the mock rib stitch pulls the stitches closer together? The size difference between 9s and 15s is pretty large. Allowing for the natural stretch of the alpaca, how much stretch is likely? Or will the elasticity/rebound of the wool take care of the alpaca’s lack of same? I have searched online pretty thoroughly, but have I missed any more suitable alpaca mix/chainette candidate yarns?

   I would rather have a garment that is less thick than more so because I live in Southern California, although I do plan to use it for travel.

   Many thanks.

5. Judy – thank you for the note. Sorry – I am not familiar with that yarn, but if you adjust your needle size to get the correct gauge, you will not need to alter the pattern. You will need to knit a swatch (instructions for “swatching a pocket” provided in the pattern), block your swatch, and determine the gauge and personality of the yarn that way. If the yarn is listed as bulky, I’m sure it will work and make a great sweater.

   S t a c i

6. Hi! I just bought this pattern and am waiting for my yarn to get her so I can start! I’m wondering if it would make any difference to do the pattern backwards, so every other row is knit instead of purl? I don’t mind purling, but I’m much faster at knitting, and I think it would give the same look, right?

   Thanks!

7. Hi Annie – no, using knits instead of purls on the wrong-side of the work won’t look exactly the same – you’ll end up with columns of purl stitches instead of columns of knit stitches on the right-side. If you really prefer to knit it that way, you can always test knit a swatch and see if you like the look.

   S t a c i

8. Thanks for the reply. I forgot to say I would use the reverse side as the right side, so then I think it would look the same, especially if I start with a purl stitch on the k/p row. Looking forward to starting!

9. Hi

   I love the pattern for the sweater and I bought the pattern but I have one little question as I am from Belgium and not familiar with english knitting words: in the sleeves you speak about K1, kfb, P1. I understand that K1 means knit one and P1 is purl 1 but what means “kfb” please ?

   Thanks
   Ann

10. Hi Ann – “kfb” means “knit front back”, and it is a one stitch increase. Sorry, I realize now that it isn’t explained in the “Abbreviations” part of the pattern! Here is a video for that increase:
    https://verypink.com/2010/03/13/video-knit-front-back-kfb/

    S t a c i

11. Hi Staci,
    I have just completed one swatch pcoket. I made mine 6 inches long as I have long hands and fingers. Should I have counted the number of rows it took to get the 6 inch length. I am not sure how to measure for gauge?
    I am using the needle size and bulky yarn that you suggest.

    Another issue or concern that I have is though they say the yarn is bulky the strands actually varigate from bulky to less bulky. It is Cascade Jewel 100% Andes wool; which has been discontinued. So gauge is most important here.

12. I forgot to mention my swatch is 7 inches wide and 6 inches long. Is this the correct width using 27 stitches and the recommended needle size?

13. Sharon – regardless of how big you made the pocket, you need to measure your stitches per inch with a ruler (after you wash and block your swatch). Since you are using a thick/thin yarn, you may want to measure over 4″. Since the stitch gauge in the pattern is 4 stitches per inch, you’ll want to adjust your needle size, if necessary, to get 4 stitches per inch. If you have difficulty getting both row and stitch gauge correct, focus on stitch gauge.

    Here is my video on checking gauge: https://verypink.com/2010/12/21/checking-gauge/

    Good luck!
    S t a c i

14. Hi Staci,
    This is exactly the kind of sweater I love to wear. Is there a way to make sure the back does not hang higher than the front?
    Thank you!

15. Dede – this sweater doesn’t ride up in the back, or hang lower in the front.

    S t a c i

16. Staci, am I the only person who finds the closed captions you now have on your instructions annoying ? Am trying to put together the 3 rectangle 2 triangle sleeves and it seems the parts I really need to see are cover over with the CC. I realize there is a need for this but could the captions be moved away from the instructions or someway to remove it from the screen like the TV?

    Enjoy your instructions and patterns very much. Jo Ann
    PS. I REALLY LIKE your answer the question… Most of the ones with letters and number drive me nuts????????????

17. Jo Ann – if you don’t need to use the closed captions, you can easily turn them off by clicking the “CC” button at the bottom right of the video player and selecting “off’. You can also click and drag the captions themselves to move them to a different part of the screen.

    Sorry, I don’t know what you mean by, “Most of the ones with letters and number drive me nuts????????????”. Hope my answer about the captions has helped.
    S t a c i

18. The back panel came out to 165 rows 28.5 inches;

    The first fron panel knitted is already 28.5 inches at only 155 rows.

    I have a ten row difference between the 2.

    Should I knit the second fron panel and see if I have hte same 10 row difference?

19. Sharon – the pattern says, “Make note of the number of rows you have worked to reach the length you want, since you’ll want to knit the fronts the exact same number of rows!”
    Regardless of how the knitting might be measuring out now, you need to make the front and back panels the exact same number of rows so that they will block out the same, and match up perfectly for seaming.

    S t a c i

20. Hey, I have question! When you go to seam the shoulders, should you block the pieces first? Or do you sew the entire thing (shoulders,sleeves, sides, etc) and then block?

21. Nur – I recommend steam blocking to the schematic measurements before seaming, then wet blocking after seaming.

    S t a c i

22. I’ve looked at most of your videos and they’re very clear. Love the magic loop. It worked for me on a cap. Made your tee shirt. Worked well and it will be gift for my daughter. Made the colorful table mats. Short rows were super easy with your guidance and it looks great. Am now beginning your sweater jacket. It may take me a while but then so did all the afghans I’ve made for charity, and they got to be boring. I’ve been quilting for charity and am happy to learn another skill. I’m now retired and getting more ‘crafty’ by the day. So glad I found your videos on U-Tube. You make sense out of what could be confusing. Kudos to you and your skills.

23. Hi!
    I still have struggle getting my yarn because I don’t know the amount of yarn I should get. I have watched your “skein, ball, hank, cake” video and in France we mostly have skeins (50 grams) and not hanks. For a size M you say that we need 9 hanks to knit the sweater, so could you give a suggestion for the amount of skeins needed for this sweater? Or an equivalence in grams (approximately)?
    Thanks ! Amanda.

24. Amanda – that yarn is 137 yards per hank, which means 9 hanks is 1233 yards. That is 1127 meters, which should help you with the amount of yarn to purchase.

    S t a c i

25. Indeed it helped a lot ! Thank you ! Amanda.

26. If I don’t use PayPal, how can I get your pattern for this sweater which I very much want?

27. how can I get your pattern if I don’t use PayPal?

28. Esther – I’m not setup to accept payment any way except PayPal. You can use PayPal with a credit card without setting up an account. Additionally, I offer this pattern in ebook versions – for Kindle (sold on Amazon) and ePub (sold on Google Play, using Google Wallet).

    S t a c i

29. Hi Staci, I am almost finished with this sweater and I have a lot of curling of the edges even after steam blocking. Will this lessen when everything is seamed? Or did I do something wrong?

30. Hi Tina – hmm…I’m not sure what could be causing that, because this fabric shouldn’t curl. Seaming it will keep most of the edges from curling, but the front edges probably won’t change. Hopefully you’ve used a wool or other animal fiber yarn, since wet blocking might be what you need to get it to lie flat.

    S t a c i

31. Yes Staci, I used the same yarn that you suggested in the pattern. I will have to wait until I finish seaming and wet blocking to see if this fixes the problem.

32. Buen día. Me encantan sus chaquetas. Quisiera hacerme esta, pero no sé hacer punto ¿podría hacerla en crochet? y si es posible, alguna de niño. Gracias anticipadas y un abrazo,
    Carmen

33. I started knitting your pattern…fun and simple. Bought the brooch from UK too! Bought Wool of the Andes…very nice but one problem: As I knit the burgundy color, my bamboo needles, my fingernails AND the white sweater I wore all became discolored with burgundy color from the yarn.

    I’ll finish the sweater but want to ask if you think wet blocking should be in water with white vinegar to set the color and prevent further bleeding. Not sure how much vinegar…. Help please?

    I watch all your videos and have learned so much! Love that split splice on this Wool of the Andes yarn!

34. Nikki – yes, it’s a good idea to set the color with cold water and vinegar before washing it with wool soap. I always use about a cup of white vinegar to a full kitchen sink of water (half sink, my kitchen sink is in two parts).

    Good luck!
    S t a c i

35. Ref Wool of the Andes Color bleed……Knit Picks eventually responded that the yarn was over-saturated with color. They suggest to soak in lukewarm water with wool wash (my thought is Eucalon) and rinse ’til water is clear. Then block. Maybe other users of Wool of the Andes will want to know this suggestion too. When you used vinegar to keep colors from bleeding was that on commercial dyes? I have NEVER experienced color bleed while knitting. YOUR pattern is easy and looks great so far……. (had to pause the project to make donation scarves)

36. Dear Staci,

    I bought this pattern and I cannot wait to get started. I was wondering if you could create a pattern and video tutoring for knitting a boyfriend style cardigan since they are in style this season. Thank you so much!

    Sarah

37. Hi Staci, dumb question but what is easier adding a row or taking a row out? I’m working on this pattern and I added an extra row on the front and didn’t notice it until I started the second front and counted the purl bumps.

38. Melissa – I would just add to your current piece and the back…pulling out the BO row can be sticky sometimes. Either way, however, you can do whichever you choose.

    S t a c i

39. I love your videos and expertise! Bought Knit Picks Wool of the Andes to make this sweater pattern, size L requiring 10 hanks. I had two hanks/cakes remaining, assuming one for each sleeve. Not finished with one sleeve and I see that I will not have enough yarn to finish the project. My gauge is perfectly matching your suggestion. I swatched pockets and no wasted yarn. Knit Picks does not have more yarn. Looks like I will have to completely unravel back, two fronts and most of one sleeve. I bought the brooch from UK and am so disappointed. Maybe the hanks were not all the same length? I had trouble with over-saturation of color with this yarn. Definitely disappointed…..

40. Nikki – I’m sorry to hear that, and I can’t explain why that would have happened. I haven’t heard of anyone else having this issue, and when I list out the yarn amounts, I always round UP significantly so everyone is sure to have extra yarn when they’re finished. Again, I’m sorry – that’s really disappointing.

    S t a c i

41. Hi Staci, is there a preferred way to end and secure the neck seaming when attaching the two fronts to the back?

42. Is there a preferred way to securely end the neck seaming when attaching the two fronts with the back?

43. Cindy – if you’re using the yarn I recommend (or another animal fiber), you can just weave the ends in normally.

    S t a c i

44. Staci. I love this sweater pattern but I am having so much trouble getting the gauge. I am using Schulana Cortina. Tried pocket swatch with size 9, 8 and now 7 which also looks like the pocket will be too big. The yarn is bulky. Shall I try a size 6 (4.00mm)? Very frustrating. Maybe I should just try with the recommended yarn. I’ll start another pair of socks while I wait for your reply.
    Thanks.
    judith

45. Judith – I’m not familiar with that yarn, but it isn’t abnormal to need to adjust your needle size to get the correct gauge. It may be that that yarn is too bulky…but when you get gauge, and if you like the fabric you’re creating, you’re good.

    Good luck!
    S t a c i

46. Would like your opinion on the bulky weight vs superwash in Wool of the Andes?

47. Gail – you must use the bulky weight to get the correct gauge for this pattern. If the bulky weight is also available in superwash, that would probably be okay, provided you wash and block your swatch. Superwash yarn can stretch out uncontrollably once it gets wet.

    S t a c i

48. I am nearing the end of my long journey of knitting this, my first sweater! I have the sleeves sewn on and am wondering if I sew the sides together in the same manner?

49. Cindy – yes, all of the seams are worked the same way.

    S t a c i

50. Hi – just purchased this pattern and excited to start. Have not knit a sweater in many years.. wondering if there is another yarn that I can find in my local knitting store that would substitute knit picks yarn mentioned. Want to purchase right away since I am traveling and want to take with me.. not much time to wait for yarn to arrive

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