METHOD OF KNITTING A CARDIGAN
By Dr. C.D. Jayaweera Bandara
I followed the “Knit an Easy Button Cardigan” by Ashley Lillis
The
following are the items used:-
The lower left are the Circular knitting needles (where they are joined by a transparent cord)
This was not available in Sri Lanka and was brought from the USA.
Yarn
is at the top. This too was brought from USA.
The
tapestry needle is on the lower right.
The 4
Marker rings are in the lower middle.
The Cardigan was started with only 40 stitches as shown below.
In the next row, the 1st Marker ring was inserted after the 1st stitch, (shown on the left side of the photograph below), the 2nd Marker ring after the 8th stitch, the 3rd Marker after the 32nd stitch and finally the 4th Marker ring was inserted after the 39th stitch as shown below.
The stitches are increased as knitting goes on.
The 1st
stitch will grow to become the Right front, and the last stitch will grow to
become the Left front.
The
stitches between the 1st Marker and the 2nd Marker will grow to
become the right sleeve.
The stitches between the 2nd Marker
and the 3rd Marker will grow to become the back.
The
stitches between the 3rd Marker and the 4th Marker will
grow to become the Left sleeve.
Following the instructions, the cardigan was knitted 14 inches from the neck downwards to armpit length.
With the help of the Tapestry needle threaded with black yarn, the stitches between the 1st Marker and the 2nd Marker were taken into this. This will continue as the right sleeve and will be left aside and done later.
Similarly, the stitches between the 3rd Marker and the 4th Marker were taken with another piece of black yarn. This will continue as the left sleeve and will be left aside and done later.
At
this stage the knitting has been done down to the armpit length from top. The stitch before the 1st
Marker and the stitch after the 2nd Marker were connected. Similarly, the stitch before the 32nd Marker and the stitch after the 39th
Marker were connected.
I did not take photographs as I had no idea of publishing this. I will show photographs taken from the YouTube giving the instructions.
The blue yarn holding the stitches will grow into the Right sleeve later and left aside for a while.
The
stitches between the ends of the two needles shown above were connected under
the armpit. Similarly it was done on the other side.
Next the Right front, the back and the left front of the cardigan were knitted for 14 inches from the armpit.
The above YouTube Photograph show the blue yarn at the armpit level in the left sleeve on the right side of the photograph.
At
this stage knitting has been done right down from the neck, the left front, the
back and the right front. The lower edge margin too has been done.
Next
the right front edge, up to the neck edge, round the neck edge and down to the
left front edge will be done.
When
doing the front right edge button holes are made.
Buttons
are fixed after doing the left front edge accordingly.
Next
the sleeves are done down to 14 inches. When doing the edges two stiches are
taken at a time to have the sleeve edge narrower.
Below is a Photograph of the Cardigan being knitted by me.
These photographs show the completed Cardigan.
Photograph below……..I am wearing the Cardigan I knitted for my daughter.
I knitted this Cardigan for Anjali my daughter, who is in the UK for her one year
overseas training after obtaining her MD Ophthalmology in Sri Lanka.
I am thankful to her for getting me this
website and also for getting the necessary items. Her friend sent the Circular
knitting needles and the Yarn from the USA.
I will be sending this Cardigan to her in January.
I was
at a loss when I stopped doing surgery and Anjali introduced me to Cross
stitching first and later to Painting by purchasing all the items necessary for
the above two. I am very thankful to her for helping me with these.
I wish her all the best in UK and I am awaiting her return to Sri Lanka.
Pleased to post this lovely post from Chira yet again showing her creative skills. I wonder at her patience and dedication Keep it up Chira, always love to see your skills in our Blog
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Chiara on your creativeness ! I am truly amazed at your dexterity .. a skill you have honed to perfection over the years in your practice as an eye surgeon demanding both a delicate touch and accuracy.
ReplyDeleteWell done !
Suri
Mahendra
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for taking a lot of effort and care in publishing this article. You are great for keeping our Blog alive and encouraging us to post articles. Well done !
Chira
Suri
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your lovely comment. I truly appreciate it.
Chira
Chira
ReplyDeleteSo lovely to see your wonderful creative handiwork. In this era when everything is done by machines it is so charming to see an age old craft used so magnificently to produce such beautiful work. Knitting is a timeless craft said to reduce stress while producing those great creations. Your daughter is indeed a lucky girl to receive such a thick and warm cardigan in mid winter. No doubt it will be a constant reminder of a mother’s love.
Nihal
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your Iovely comment. You always give very encouraging comments. I appreciate it greatly.
Chira
Chira it is truly amazing
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you had the patience to do this it is beautiful. I wish I had a daughter like anjalee who inspires you to do all your artistic things. Kusuma
Kusuma
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your lovely comment.
If you want to know the truth, it was very difficult, I had to unpick about 10 times at the begining. I nearly gave up.
I wrote down the first 12 rows, looking at this, I followed the instructions.
It was sheer determination that made me do it. I think it was well worth the effort. I am so glad I was able to complete the cardigan.
Chira
Chira. Youhave again proved how brilliant you are. Your brilliant hand eye coordination shown in your eye surgery was bourne out in your fabulous paintings . Now you show us that you are capable of further brilliance. . This cardigan looks fabulous And sounds complicated to knit but youhave taken it in yourstride and done a wonderful job . They say creativity increases after the age of fifty as both sides of the brain start to work together . You are proof of it . I hope other areas of creativity too will blossom for you. Good luck in everything you do
ReplyDeleteManil
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your wonderful comment. I appreciate it greatly.
After stopping painting I had to do something and my daughter got this website and the necessary items for me to do this cardigan. It was very difficult and I hope to paint again to occupy myself.
Chira
Chira, aside from creating something beautiful and useful, you have demonstrated that you are a very determined person. When you start a project you see it through to the end!! I'm glad you didn't give up. Well done! You have also shown us that it is never too late to take up a new hobby. Too bad that Sri Lanka is such a warm place, otherwise you could be knitting various things for your other family members here. Thank you for taking the trouble to share the process stepwise with us, non-knitters.
ReplyDeleteSrianee
DeleteThanks a lot for your lovely comment.
I believe " If there is a will there is a way ". Generally I don't give up when I start on something and I enjoy myself when I achieve it.
When I told Mahendra about knitting a cardigan and asked him whether it is worthwhile publishing it he said to send it.
I never thought I would get this published and didn't take photos.
I saw that you noticed my stepwise process and I appreciate it.
After completing the cardigan I did the 1st row again, took a photo and did the 2nd row again and took another photo so that I could show how I started the cardigan.
I had to include 2 photos from the Internet video to show how it was done.
Actually I was to knit the cardigan and give it to her to take it when she was going, but unfortunately I got the circular knitting needles and the yarn very late. I started knitting after she left. Any way I am glad I was able to do it and send it to her.
Chira
MESSAGE FROM SPEEDY
ReplyDeleteHello Friends, if is there anybody else who would like to share their talents ( musical, artistic, litteral, sports skills, good ( charitable deeds) or any other , please send them to me or contact me if wouod like some advice on how it should be presented..I would love to help you. Speedy
Dear Chira what an achievement what perseverance I am so proud of all your achievements .From an eye surgeon giving sight to many to delighting our eyes with your beautiful cross stitch work to painting and now to knitting !!! what amazing talent l look forward to seeing more of your handiwork on the blog. much love to my dear friend
ReplyDeleteDear Chira, your skills at handwork is amazing but then as others have said it is not surprising as you have shown this ability throughout your working career in delicate ophthalmic surgery.
ReplyDeleteAt Peradeniya campus during our time knitting was a popular past time for us girls (often cardigans for the personal favourite of the opposite sex!) due to the colder climate these creations would be worn for display boosting the morale of both the artist and the recipient. But this technique of knitting the entire cardigan in one- go was fascinating! Thank you Chira for sharing but I don’t think I have your skill and determination to complete a cardigan in the present time as I just might end up with one sleeve.
Wishing Anjali an enjoyable and constructive time in her post MD training in the UK.
Manel W (Owli)
Pram
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your wonderful comment. I appreciate it greatly.
From our batchmates you have been my longest friend.
We have been classmates at Methodist College, Colombo, next door in the Hostel, room mate during Intership at the General Hospital,Colombo.
I visited you with Ranjit and Anju in Wembly and later alone. I have been several times to your St. John's Wood, London home.
I treasure friendship so much.
I appreciate your ability to organise get to gethers and batch reunions.
Let me thank you profusely as this is the best way to meet our batchmates, relax and have fun. Let's enjoy our lives as we don't have much long to live.
Chira
Manel (Owli)
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your lovely comment. I appreciate it greatly.
So did you also knit a Cardigan to give the opposite sex when you were in the Peradeniya Campus ?
Don't underestimate yourself.
You are a doctor and became a Professor. You wouldn't have achieved these without determination.
If you had started knitting the Cardigan you wouldn't have ended up with one sleeve but would have completed it I am sure. You may have knitted a cardigan earlier too !
Chira
Ha! Ha! Chira, my Peradeniya days are of historical interest, but a good learning experience! the knitting was more jerseys or pull- overs with fancy designs. Manel
ReplyDeleteManel
ReplyDeleteI am sure you would have had Hi fun when you were in the Peradeniya campus and an enjoyable life living with batchmates.
Chira