The Fix is in!

There are times when you agree to stuff and you end up thinking you should have your head examined!

A good friend at church had a little problem, that wasn’t so little. She was knitting this lovely little cardigan for her great grandchild and something went wrong.

Having sewn in one sleeve and the right side up. The other however was sewed up without the sleeve. This is were the trouble began.

I must say that this very experienced knitter is a very exceptional seam sewer! While trying to open the seam at the shoulder to insert the sleeve, things went pear shaped.

I have to admit I would most likely have thrown in the towel. While trying to remove these very well concealed stitches 3 or 4 edge stitches in the front panel got snipped. Luckily the back was fine, however a hole 9 stitches deep and 5 rows long developed… Yup!

The final row wouldn't come out smoothly when grafted. The stitches were too mangled. I figure a blind man would be happy to see it. Matched the colour and patched the 10 st across, knitting the side stitches seamlessly on the right side. the 7 rows join up and lay smoothly below. Fixing a patch against an open edge was a first for me and a little nerve racking. Very pleased with the overall result :0)

The final row wouldn’t come out smoothly when grafted. The stitches were too mangled. I figure a blind man would be happy to see it.Starting from the most secure stitches at the bottom of the hole, I matched the colour and patched the 10 st across, knitting the side stitches seamlessly on the right side. The 7 rows join up and lay smoothly below.
Fixing a patch against an open edge was a first for me and a little nerve racking.
Very pleased with the overall result :0)

Remember my post on mending? Well I went back and forth three sides of the hole, using the most stable stitches. The tricky part is working a patch against an open edge. Wasn’t holding a lot of hope that this would work out.

Finished it up by fixing the shoulder seam and inserting the sleeve. Then with a long thread secured the underarm leaving 1/2 the yarn to sew the sleeve, and the other half to mattress stitch the side seam. Then returned to the under arm to continue to sew the sleeve together.

Visualize, visualize, visualize, work at it till it looks as you see it in your mind. Be optimistic and plaster a smile on your puss!

Finishing advice:

I am a great advocate of sewing knitted garments together with the outside facing you. Follow the rows on either side to make a straight and seamless line. When working a shaped edge, I lightly pin (Coiless pins preferably plastic) the front and back, then working as smoothly as possible, easy the pieces together using the closest stable stitch to fit them together. Really important to match increases or decrease where possible. This is so much easier on the front side of the work. A knitting teacher once told me “That sewing it together right side out and seam to seam, made for a better finish as you can see what is actually happening. You don’t wear sweaters inside out. If you sew it together inside out, the inside will look lovely, but the outside will look like you sewed it together inside out!”

Part of my family is Catholic, so for the each of the children’s first communions I have made them a Rosary. Only one more to go after this. Finally finished this one. Thank goodness the other side isn’t, I would have 18 more to do! The Protestant side is very prolific!

This is a Catholic Rosary for my cousins daughter. Catholic uses 5 decades of 10 beads.

I also do Protestant Rosaries. For those that are interested in this meditative prayer practice. I am considering making some for my Etsy shop.

This one is mine. Note that the Protestant version of the Rosary has fewer beads. 4 wks of 7 beads.

If anyone is interested in Rosaries, let me know in the comments and I will provide links for making and use of both kinds.

WIP List = 9

FO’s 2015 = 8 + 1 = 9

WIPS 2015 = 9

Long-term Projects = 4

Stash Used 2015 = 13

Yds of Handspun 2015 = 0

Sewing FO’s 2015 = O

Books 2015 = 5

cya next week :0)

I’m off on to my blogwalk

come join me in the blogpond :0

I also have a Ravelry shop and an Etsy shop!

for my Literary blog, see Totally Austentatious.

5 Comments (+add yours?)

DanielleB
Mar 26, 2015 @ 18:32:24

Is there a chance you could link me the Protestant rosary info? I have often thought that would be a wonderful idea

kitenswithmittens
Mar 26, 2015 @ 20:36:39

How to make a Protestant Rosary
http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Prayer/2009/04/How-to-Make-an-Anglican-Rosary.aspx
How to pray a Protestant Rosary
http://www.myrosarybeads.com/anglicanrosary

kitenswithmittens
Mar 26, 2015 @ 20:49:59

To make a Catholic Rosary

For how to pray the Catholic Rosary, there are lots of websites with information that you can refer too.

kitenswithmittens
Mar 27, 2015 @ 18:10:39

I wanted to add a note of thanks to the my friend, who brought me the adventure that was her damaged Great Grandchild Cardigan. I received the most lovely thank you card, and a gift certificate for far too much, from our local yarn shop (LYS). I would have happily knit her a replacement sweater for only part of what she so kindly gave me. I have decided to contribute the yarn I purchase to our Church Craft Groups fund raising campaign for a wheelchair accessible ramp for our 1856 Church Hall. I was truly stunned by her generously!

Andrea Morrison
Mar 29, 2015 @ 08:33:53

I love your explanation of the mending. I’m still too freaked out to fix a few knits that I have.