How to Seam a Sweater

It's the halfway point for the Vivacious Sweater KAL and so that prompted us to think about some sweater techniques. We love thinking about clever construction so much that we've got a whole Pinterest board dedicated to sweater techniques but for today we thought we'd focus on seaming.

'Gather' gains just the right amount of structure thanks to seaming

Seaming your hand knit sweaters is like the icing on the cake after a long time knitting, measuring and swatching. Finishing touches to garment knitting is what takes your sweater from the one you wear round the house when you have no intention of being seen to the one you wear out with pride!

Hackney Hops showcases the joy of a good seam!

In Vivacious Volume 1, we included 5 sweater patterns that benefited from the structure and form that seaming allows garments. While some people prefer to knit in the round, a good seam can deliver a garment with a little bit more structure and can really add definition to the shape of the garment. However, we know seaming can be a little burdensome so here are a few of our favourite seaming tutorials on the web:

Purl Bee- A clear photo tutorial for mattress stitching vertical pieces of knitted fabric (You will find this really useful for the Rum Raisin jacket).

Amy Herzog Designs- How to set in sleeves (this would be useful for the Herbin sweater for example)

Knitting Daily- Another photo tutorial on how to mattress stitch horizontal seams

Of course, if seaming really isn't for you, there's always this tutorial about converting the sweater into the round!



You can find these tutorials and other great sweater tips on our Pinterest board. What's your favourite seaming trick?

Free Whiskey Cocktail Recipe!

Yes, we're back from a little time out at Fyberspates HQ and what better way to blast back into action than sharing a recipe for Whiskey Sours??

This Sunday is Burns Night,  the annual celebration of Scotland's national poet Robert Burns.  When we released Vivacious Volume 1, we celebrated all the good things we love about the weekend and a cocktail in the name of a poet? That seems pretty good to us!

So join us in tucking up with your favourite knitting by a roaring fire to celebrate and make yourself a cocktail (or two!).

Whiskey Sour: (Makes 2)

1. In a cocktail shaker (or jar with a lid) combine 85ml whiskey, juice from 4 lemons, juice from 2 limes and 4 teaspoons of powdered sugar. 

2. Shake till the sugar dissolves. 

3. Fill 2 glasses with ice.

4. Strain and pour over the ice before garnishing with a little lemon rind if you're feeling the need for a flourish!

We love this tip via A Beautiful Mess for adjusting the sweetness with simple sugar syrup which she also shows you how to make!

Cheers!

Our Most Popular Collection EVER is Now Fully Downloadable!

Rum Raisin by Belinda Boaden

Vivacious Volume 1 offers knitters 10 timeless pieces that are simple to knit and a pleasure to wear. Whether you’re an experienced knitter seeking the comfort of a soothing knit or a beginner knitter taking your first steps into a new hobby, this collection offers pieces that suit every knitter’s weekend wardrobe and look great with your most trusted pair of jeans. Whatever comfort the weekend brings you, do it in Vivacious knitwear.

Want a little treat without all the commitment of a full collection? You can enjoy 3 single download patterns from Vivacious Volume 1 for the price of 2 when you add all 3 to your shopping cart. So that's one free pattern per purchase. Offer applies to the cheapest pattern and will end at midnight GMT 7th January 2015.

Love what you see? You can download the full digital collection now for just $16.00 or order your print copy from retailers listed here.

Which new indulgent projects will you choose to treat yourself to?

Soonly by Rachel Coopey?

Herbin by Belinda Boaden?

Hermes Baby by Rachel Coopey?

Vivacious Volume 1: errata

Sometimes even with the best of intentions, mistakes happen. While we test our patterns and have them professionally tech edited, we have had a few mistakes brought to our attention that we want to make you aware of so your knitting goes smoothly.

Rum Raisin: (print copy only)

PATTERN BEGINS should read:

Left Back and Right Front Panels

Using 3.25mm Needles, cast on (96(108,120,132, 144)sts.

Begin with a RS knit row, work 4 rows in st st.

Change to 2.75mm needles.

Next row (RS): *k1, P1; rep from * to end.

Next row (WS): *P1, K1* rep from * to end. 

This last sentence should read:

Next row (WS): * k1, P1* rep from * to end.  (This creates a rib)

Vivacious Stockists

UK Shops

I knit - London
Purlescence - Wantage
Love Knitting
Deramores
Laughing Hens
Darnit & Stitch - Oxford
Wild and Woolly - London
Stash - Chester
Stitch Solihull - Birmingham
Hand Made Studios 
Coastal Yarns - Cornwall
The Woolly Brew - Fife
Be Inspired Fibres - Edinburgh

European Shops:

 Wereldwol - Netherlands
Titityy - Finland
This is Knit - Dublin Ireland
MeinWollshop -  Germany

Australian Stockists

The Stash Cupboard- Hobart
The Purl Box -
Chronic Yarnaholic

USA Stockists 

The Knitting Patch - 
Jimmy Beans Wool - Reno
Webs
Paradise Fibres
Serial Knitters - Washington
Knitting On The Square - Ohio
Little Knits
Black Locust Farm - Ohio
Yarns Etc - North Carolina
Knitting in the Red - Georgia
Vulcan's Rest Fibers - Maryland
Black Locust Farm
K2TOG -  California
Auburn Needleworks - California
Knit Wits
Parrot's Perch - Michigan

The Vivacious Sweater KAL

2015 is the year to knit your favourite sweater!

We've teamed up with super retailers Purlescence to bring you a sweater KAL to beat all sweater KALs. Not only can you pick from 5 new sweater designs but you can also win back a sweater's worth of yarn. Yes. You read that right. Here's all the details of how to win:

1. Choose any of the sweaters from Vivacious Volume 1: Hackney Hops, Rum Raisin, London Fields, Gather and Herbin.
2. Choose your Vivacious yarn from Purlescence
3. Cast on no earlier than 1st January 2015.
4. Post your FO in the Glamourous Knitters FO thread by midnight GMT 22nd February 2015.

Winners will be chosen by random number generator and will be announced the w/c 23rd February 2015.

Prizes:
Grand prize- win back a sweater quantity from Purlescence

Runners up prize-  2 winners can choose from any of the Vivacious single patterns in the Fyberspates Store along with a skein of Vivacious 4ply or DK in the colour of their choice. 

What if I have just the yarn in my stash but it's not Vivacious?

Sadly, you won't be able to enter for the grand prize but you can still knit along with us! If it's a Fyberspates yarn, we'll be offering an alternative way to enter on social media near the end of the KAL so keep following along for more details. In the meantime, come join in the chatter in the Fyberspates or Glamorous Knitters group!

Got a Hashtag?

Sure! #vivacioussweater2015

Note- Hackney Hops is currently available online and the others will be released on the 5th January with the full collection launch. Need to know the details sooner? You can order a print copy from one of our stockists here. Alternatively, why not take advantage of the fact the whole of Vivacious Volume 1 is currently available for the price of one single sweater pattern? That's just $7.50 until 3rd January 2015.

Hackney Hops- The Preview Sweater to Vivacious Volume 1

Hackney Hops is the first release from Vivacious Volume 1. To celebrate the launch of this new collection on Ravelry, you can buy the ebook for the price of this single pattern for the next 48 hours- simply add the ebook to your cart at checkout!! Offer ends the 3rd January 2015.

A modern update for a classic shape takes this sweater from the perfect companion with jeans to something a little special. Hackney Hops takes it name from Belinda's (the designer) favourite craft beer as we celebrate all the things we love about the weekend with this comforting collection of knitwear.

Yarn is held double to add weight and structure to the ribbing before continuing on the main body and sleeves while just holding one end of the yarn. With an emphasis on strong hem lines and worked in pieces before setting in the sleeves and seaming, this is a classic sweater that really goes the extra mile to ensure great fit and a flattering shape. Simple enough for beginners who wish to learn garment construction or a soothing knit for the more experienced knitter who wants a little comfort.

::Sizing Information::
Sizes 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 (UK)

To fit bust
32 (81), 34 (86), 36 (92), 38 (97), 40(102), 42(107), 44 (112), 46 (117), 48 (122), 50 (127) in (cm)

Actual bust
37 (94), 39¼ (100), 42 (107), 44¼ (112.5), 46½ (118), 48¾ (124), 51 (130), 53½ (136), 55¾ (141.5), 57¾(147) in (cm)

::Yardage Information::
Fyberspates Vivacious 4ply (100% superwash merino wool; 365m/399yds per 100g skein)
Shade 607 Deep Aqua: 5 (5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9) skeins. 

In this first volume of Vivacious knitwear, we are inviting you to celebrate the weekend with your favourite knitwear. Vivacious Volume 1 offers knitters 10 timeless pieces that are simple to knit and a pleasure to wear. Whether you’re an experienced knitter seeking the comfort of a soothing knit or a beginner knitter taking your first steps into a new hobby, this collection offers pieces that suit every knitter’s weekend wardrobe and look great with your most trusted pair of jeans. 

And it's all only $7.50 until the whole collection goes live!

Whatever comfort the weekend brings you, do it in Vivacious knitwear.