Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Getting a Start on Finishing

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prima shawlI don’t know if it’s spring or just beginning of the month frustration, but I’m just about sick of all the partially finished knitting projects sitting around my house. So I’ve decided that for the month of April, as much as possible, I am going to focus my time on finishing projects I’ve already started rather than casting on new ones.

I am a great starter and I often get really close to finishing without actually doing so. I have a knit dress that has almost all of its crocheted edgings done, for example, and has been in that state for more than a year! There’s a sock I started earlier this year that’s the mate of one I knit a couple of years ago. There’s that lace scarf I told you about that needs to be blocked, and a cowl that just needs its ends woven in.

Oh, and that pretty bit of knitting up there? It’s the shrug that’s part of a free class at CreativeBug I told you about recently. I’m not actually watching the class, and I’m using a different yarn, but isn’t that colorway just perfect for spring?

Please tell me I’m not alone in needing to focus on finishing. Better yet, tell me you’ll join me in working on finishing projects this month. Tell me what you need to finish and why it hasn’t gotten done yet, and we can keep each other accountable.

Through the month I’ll be sharing my finished objects and tips on getting things out of the UFO pile and onto your body, or wherever they need to go when they’re done.

I hope you’ll join me! All you have to do to start is leave a comment, and we’ll finish the rest together.

Comments

  1. You are SO not alone. Been trying to do the same thing since the first of the year. I HAVE managed to finish a few things but the pileof unfinished projects seems to be getting taller.

  2. You are SO not alone. Been trying to do the same thing since the first of the year. I HAVE managed to finish a few things but the pile of unfinished projects seems to be getting taller.

  3. LoL! I was just thinking that myself a couple of nights ago. I started projects for National Crochet Month, and suddenly the month is over, and I still haven’t finished! Well, I did finish one afghan/throw, so it wasn’t all bad. But there’s those supposedly quick projects that are almost done – the linen stitch cowl and the Reds Waves Cowl.

Have you read?

Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time. 

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring. 

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. 

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row. 

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves. 

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body. 

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy. 

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn. 

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]