Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Hiro ~ a colorwork sweater in progress


Hi, Knitters,
It has been a busy week already and it's only Tuesday. Yesterday we went on yet another college tour. I've been on a lot of college tours at this point plus I grew up on the UW Madison campus. It's a lot of college around here. Next fall I will have three kids in college which is slightly incredible for me to believe. But that's how it goes.

I am also getting ready to leave for Vogue Knitting Live in Seattle at the end of the week, March 14-16. I'll be teaching and speaking and signing books all weekend. My schedule is jam-packed and I am really looking forward to all of it.

Click here to see my teaching and lecture schedule! I'd love to see you in class or at my lecture early Saturday evening right after class.

I will be signing books on Friday night in the Market at the Adirondack Yarns booth #217 and #219 at 5:30pm. You can purchase my books at the booth and please feel free to bring your own books along as well.

I hope to see as many of you there as possible! 

Now for my latest sweater adventure! I started knitting the brilliant Hiro sweater by Julia Farwell-Clay quite a few months ago but I put it down due to other work knitting obligations. About a week ago I picked it back up with the intention to finish it up and quickly. I have so many cardigans I want to knit but I wanted to finish this one first.


In the first photo I had one sleeve finished to the underarm and the sweater body finished to the underarm. I decided to put the body on Try-It-On-Tubing so I could get a sense of whether or not the sweater was going to fit.

I made a few changes to the pattern. I took out the waist shaping (I often do this because I don't love a tightly fitted sweater and really, knit fabric does a lot of the shaping for you because that is the nature of it). I don't love a hemmed sweater, so I took that out. Instead I did the beautiful colorwork at the bottom with a 2 by 2 rib. 



I love this product and use it with every sweater in progress.


These were my first color choices. It's all Cascade 220.


Then my friend Suzanne suggested switching out the white with gray. For the whole sweater I did not want to purchase any new yarn, I already had all of this in my stash. I happened to have a ball of gray Cascade 220 Superwash on hand. When I put the colors together with the gray I knew this would be perfect. Thanks to Suzanne! Check out Suzanne's new cowl pattern! It's really cute.


I joined the sleeves and body for the yoke. The colorwork yoke is the best part. It's like dessert at the end of a long dinner.


The sweater started moving very quickly at this point. Hiro is very simple. The construction is as basic as you can get, which is what is so appealing and wonderful about it. The colorwork is simple. There are literally three decrease rounds in the yoke. I love this kind of sweater so much. It's pure fun. Hiro is a perfect first time colorwork pattern. It's simple and motivating. The four color mixture makes it entertaining. I love that I used yarn from my stash. You can make the worsted weight sweater tonal or use bright and different colors completely.


As soon as I added in the bright rosy pink, I felt that the sweater became perfection. I just love it.


I pulled out the Try-It-On-Tubing once again and tried the sweater on before finishing off with some short rows and the ribbing at the neck. Oh I changed that, too, from a 1 by 1 rib to a 2 by 2 and I didn't go to a smaller needle. I don't like a tight neck in a sweater.


So there you go! Isn't it pretty?


My new Hiro has been soaked and it is blocking as we speak. After it is dry we'll see what the next steps will be. I think I will end up steeking the front and adding button bands to make it into a cardigan. It could maybe use some pockets, too. 

I'll keep you posted. Maybe I'll end up loving it as is but I do always enjoy a cardigan much more than a pullover. That's just a fact. 

Take care and I'll be back soon with much more!
best, susie

18 comments:

chmurka said...

This is great

Kathleen said...

I've been eyeing this pattern for awhile, and I love the colors that you chose for yours! The pink really pops at the top. I'm glad you mentioned the mods you made too, because I think I'd like to make the same ones when I start this pattern someday soon. Lovely sweater!!!!

Stefanie said...

Beautiful. The colors are spot on. Have a wonderful time in Seattle.

keatime said...

love this, it is one of the next projects on my list.

JenniferB said...

Lovely sweater, Susie! Have fun at Vogue Knitting Live.

Unknown said...

Precioso y muy práctico, disfrútalo.

Unknown said...

Love your shoes, what brand are they?

Unknown said...

love your shoes, what brand are they?

Jaxie985 said...

Your Hiro is lovely; I agree, the pink really finishes it off and makes it pop!

Barb said...

This sweater is just beautiful. I can't imagine all that work and the cutting it to make it a cardigan - I would be terrified. However, I know you will do it and it will be even more wonderful.

Do you always soak yiur sweaters after they are finished? I understand blocking them but could you (or have you already?) write about why you soak them first.

Thank you so much and have fun in Seattle!

Susan B. Anderson said...

shoes: birkenstock bern style

Anonymous said...

I've seen two last wonderful blog posts but wondered what happened to Snowflake Hat pattern you promised... I've been waiting and am disappointed! ;-(

Julie said...

That is a very fun sweater to look at. I love the colors you chose. I vote leaving it as is, but, of course, you are the one that is going to be wearing it. :) RAV: Tanknit

Susan B. Anderson said...

Hi anonymous,
I'm sorry to disappoint you, that's never my intention.

I am still writing up that hat pattern but I want to finish a second related version of the hat to publish all at once. I am almost done with the second version and I am still intending to get the pattern out and published. I don’t know the exact date when that will happen but it will.

Thanks for asking.

xo, susan

Kelly-ann said...

The pink definitely pulls it together - very striking sweater! Have fun in Seattle :)

Unknown said...

I wanna copy and make my own in those colors. LOL Can you tell me what colors you used? I love that pink!

Susan B. Anderson said...

Beth,
Cascade 220:
Black 8555
Pink 7802
Turquoise 9421

Heathered gray is Cascade 220 Superwash and I don't have the tag.

Hope this helps.

Unknown said...

I've never attempted a sweater - but the Hiro makes me want to try! - I love your color selection too! Thanks for sharing :)