Monday, March 05, 2012

Try It On As You Go


Hi Knitters,
I want to share a quick progress shot on my latest cardigan project. Hannah Fettig's Calligraphy Cardigan is moving along. I am knitting with Tosh DK in the Thunderstorm colorway on US size 6 Signature Needles, 24-inch circulars.

I separated the sleeves and placed the stitches on waste yarn. Now I am cruising on down for the body. This could not be a simpler, more straightforward cardigan pattern and who doesn't love a good stockinette stitch cardigan with some heavy-duty ribbed edgings? I know I do!

So as you can see I think it is going to fit really well. All is good. One of the best features of a top-down garment is that you are able to try it on as you go to see if it fits or if the length is good before binding off. Recently, I heard about a new and inexpensive tool to help make the trying on as you go a little easier.

Usually, I work on a 24-inch circular needle so when I try things on I have to place all of the stitches on a piece of scrap yarn so it will fit around my body. After I try the garment on I have to put all of the stitches back on the needles to start working again. This can be a tedious process.


I was listening to a couple of knitting podcasts and I heard them talking about Try-It-On Tubing which enables you to leave the stitches on the needles while you try on your in progress knits. I thought this would be a good thing and I was right! The tubing comes in the little bags you see above with directions inside.

Click here to see more information or to purchase Try-It-On Tubing!


I know the focus is off for the above photo but you can see that what you do is place the end of the plastic tubing firmly onto the tips of your needles. Then you slide the stitches off the knitting needle and onto the tubing so you can try on your garment without removing the stitches from your needles. No more scrap yarn on a yarn needle is necessary!

After you try the garment on you simply slide the stitches from the tubing back onto the needles, remove the tubing from the tips of the needles and you are ready to start knitting again. It really is a time saver. Genius.

I purchased both of the sizes of tubing to fit the larger and smaller needles and I think I ordered 2 yards of each. It is only a few dollars for each and I have used the tubing quite a bit already.


Anyway, I love when someone thinks of something so simple and clever and it solves a problem or makes something easier. That is good stuff.

Try-It-On Tubing is a worthy and inexpensive investment if you are knitting sweaters and cardigans that you want to try on as you go.

On another note, I want to thank you for the Wee Ones pattern love! The individual pattern for the Wee Ones knit toys has been flying out of my pattern shop. That is so fun and gratifying to see so thanks for the support. I really appreciate it.

Also, I just want to remind people that you don't have to be a member of Ravelry to purchase patterns through any Ravelry pattern shop. The pattern shops work for non-members. I know I have been contacted by a few blog readers who aren't on Ravelry and they are wondering about purchasing patterns. It's just a good thing to remember.

Happy Monday!!! I hope it's going to be a good week ahead for all of us.
best, susie
p.s. If you are an email subscriber and didn't get the embedded knitting video last week on the email click here for the direct youtube link.

16 comments:

Wendy said...

I have to have those! Thanks for bringing to our attention.

abipolz said...

Susan - just got itty bitty toys and have started the giraffe for unborn baby girl. I'm loving your seemless construction on everything and how you write your patterns - they're the first patterns I ever used (starting 2 years ago) and I still find they are some of the most simple to understand and to get great results. Thanks!

Cambria said...

what an excellent find! I usually have to go with the scrap yarn (totally inconvenient) or an extra needle. I'll be looking for these tubes!

Suzanne said...

When I saw the first shot, I thought, "I wonder if Susan uses the try it on tubing?" I too have been hearing about this all over town and really need to make the investment. I loathe taking the stitches on and off waste yarn. Thanks for the endorsement!

Amanda J Anson said...

What is this technique about the waste yarn, you spoke of at the beginning of your post? Do you have tutorial explaining it? The sweater looks good by the way!

grandmastatus said...

That is really rad. Thanks for mentioning such a useful product.
I will be casting on the Calligraphy Cardigan soon: my extra ball just arrived today ^_^

Unknown said...

I'm starting the Tea Leaves Cardigan but my next one is so going to be "Calligraphy". With the price of the yarn I thought I'd better prove that I can start and finish an adult cardigan before I make that kind of investment. Just finished a baby sweater with less than two skeins of sock yarn...you know what I mean!

Anonymous said...

OMG, I so needed that for the last two sweaters. The one I'm doing now is a cardigan, so that'll be easier. Another thing to add to the buy list!

Dorothy said...

What a great idea. Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to see your finished Calligraphy.

Stefanie said...

OMGosh! What an invention! Clever for such a need. You are so cute to try it out and are the queen of cardi projects.

Brandi Schoch said...

I have a problem with back and forth stockinette. My purls are alot tighter than my knits and I think it looks a bit strange. I'm not sure if there is a fix as it seems to be my knitting style. I was wondering though if it is "normal."

Ginger said...

Thanks for the tip! I placed an order for both sizes today. I just started the Tea Leaves cardigan & the tubes will be really handy!

Anonymous said...

I love the try it on tubing! I bought some a few weeks ago, and I can't imagine doing without it. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Lora said...

Thanks for this info and the photos. The product website photos aren't nearly as informational! Thanks to you, I just ordered the tubing and can't wait till it comes.

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Anonymous said...

Susan, thank you so much for writing about the tubing product! I'm just about to try on the first sweater I'm knitting!