More help for the non-French speakers!

Hi guys!

I just got this email from Sylvie at Chez Plum and thought it would be really great to post here. I'll add the link to the sidebar in the "resources" section as well! Not only is the translation useful, she links to some free patterns! Thanks Sylvie!

Hi,

I just wrote an article (in the new online mag Knitting Fog) entitled "knitting from the french" with a french to english dictionary of knitting words (plus links to free patterns in french - click the pics).. Just thought some of you might be interested.

It's there : http://www.knittingfog.net/stitchery.html

Thanks
sylvie

Yarn and Internet Illiteracy

My yarn just arrived so I should be swatching as soon as the Thanksgiving holiday lets me, but first I have a question. How do you put the knitalong button on the side of your blog? I just can't figure it out and I'm starting to think it's going to be the hardest part of this knitalong. I tell you it's hard work being internet illiterate.

Progress

Here's some progress shots so far.





I had to frog back once, since I somehow got off in the pattern. I've altered it just a bit, since I didnt like the *super* tight gauge. I'm using worsted weight on size US 8 needles. I also did 2x2 ribbing on the bottom for 3 inches. I really like this stitch, it's easy to remember and goes fairly quickly! Share your progress shots if you got 'em!

Just got my yarn

I just received my yarn last Friday. It's Jaeger Matchmaker Merino Aran in shade 662 (cream). The color wasn't what I expected. It looks more yellowish than I would have liked. I am still going to stick to it though. Hopefully it will look better knitted up.

I need to start on my Christmas knits before its too late so I am not sure if I would have the time to start on this anytime soon. I will try to squeeze it in.

Phildar's Phirst (and hopefully last) Phrogging

So no progress shots for me today. I got about 6 repeats in and realized:

1. I forgot to decrease (oops!)
2. My gague was way off! (AAArgH!)

I could live with forgeting to decrease, since there are only 2 decreases (4 stitches total), so unshapen, Tendances would have been a happy sweater. BUT, since gague was off, and not for the better, the piece was almost 3 cm too small. So I frogged and started over one size larger. Got about an inch into the ribbing, so no point to post pics...

How's everyone else doing?

Pull Manche Courte: First Frogging...

OK. So, I frogged half of the body of my sweater. It had to have been done. I want to wear this sweater and everything has to be perfect. So, I frogged. I was increasing in the wrong areas and I felt that my tension was a little too loose. So, here I go again... it's in stockinette or as the French say, Jersey, so I think it'll go fast.

Pull Manche Courte

Hello everyone! I've started the Pull Manche Courte. I figured I'd start out with an easy sweater since I'm new to knitting. Reading French patterns has been a little difficult but I've been able to translate my way through the first part. I'm using the suggested yarn: Phildar's Tweedy in Loden. It's lovely to knit with. It's my first time knitting with 3.5mm needles and I must say that I really love them! The pointed end makes it very easy to knit.

Check out the color of Loden, isn't it great?




I've made some progress since this picture. I'll update soon with another picture.

Alternative Phildar Quietude yarn source

Hello everyone,
I just joined the KAL and haven't decide what yarn to use for this project yet. Anyway, just thought you might be interested to know that Breiweb in Holland is selling Phildar Quietude at EUR$3.3/skein. For 9 skeins + shipping(EUR$15 for less than EUR$55), the total is less than US$60 which is cheaper than Knit'n'Tyme. I have ordered from them before. The only drawback is that shipping might take up to 2 weeks or more.

Swatcheroo...

Here is my swatch with the Quietude...I am a bit short on both stitches and rows with size 4s...Gauge should be 9 repeats (36 st according to the pattern, but 9 repeats are really 38 st) over 20 cm, and 7 repeats (28 rows) over 10 cm. I didn't want to go up to 5's, since they are currently in use on Colchique (2 Phildar patterns at once - hahaha!). So I wet blocked my swatch, and it's getting a bit fuzzy...maybe it's due to to the acrylic content in the Quietude?

This is the basic 4 row pattern repeat for the piece over a multiple of 4+1 st (**if you get to the last repeat and there are less than 4 st left, k all st).

Row 1: knit all stitches

Row 2: k1, *p4, yo* repeat to last st, k1

Row 3: k1, *yo, drop yo from previous row off needle, sl1, k3, psso the 3 knit stitches* repeat to last st, k1**

Row 4: k1, p to last st, k1

Hope that's enough to get started!