If yesterday was all about making cables less intimidating, today is all about making shaping less scary! The shaping for the Palomar Top isn’t superbly complex, but it does require keeping track of a few different things. It’s most enjoyable to knit with UNIVERSAL YARN Bella Tweed in “Care”, the knitted top will be perfect even as the hot summer heat simmers down in September.
UNIVERSAL YARN Bella Tweed is a soft, cozy yarn that has a bit of rustic charm.
First, to ensure I was working the correct number of stitches and decreases, I reviewed and highlighted all the numbers for my size of the pattern (size small). I did this on my digital PDF, but if you work better on paper, then absolutely, use a highlighter pen for the same purpose! This helps keep me from accidentally working the wrong size.
The Palomar Top PDF pattern is marked up and ready to be knit!
You can also see from my notes that I made a few changes to the neckline. I don’t like the ‘stairs’ that can occur when you bind off stitches for a neckline or shoulder, so I prefer to use either decreases or short rows for neckline and shoulder shaping. That’s just a personal modification I made to the pattern as I find it easier to pick up stitches for the neckline that way.
I’ve gotten ahead of myself, though, by writing about the neckline. So, let’s take a step back.
The armhole shaping is the first shaping you’ll encounter as you’re working the pattern and (unlike the neckline shaping), doesn’t interrupt the cable pattern, no matter what size you’re making. So this one is the easy one, and for the first chunk of the pattern, it’s the only shaping you have to follow. For all the shaping, I suggest using a row counter; choose the one you prefer.
Knitting the neckline shaping and cable pattern of the Palomar Top with UNIVERSAL YARN Bella Tweed and Knit Picks Rainbow Wood Needles.
It’s really when you have to do both the armhole and neckline shaping that it gets tricky. What do I do? In addition to highlighting the pattern, I run three different row counters. One counter is used for the rows of the cable chart pattern, another for the armhole decreases, and a third for the neck decreases.
One of the saving graces here is that after a few rows, the Cable Chart is no longer used. Eventually, the neckline bind-offs and decreases will include all of the stitches that were originally in the cable pattern. I removed the row count for that as soon as I could – it was one less thing to keep track of.
I also take notes. Since the left neck and right neck are knit separately, I want to be sure that they end up being the same (or, at least, that I don’t have more rows on one side than I do on the other!) So I take very close notes of any changes I make.
It’s also at this point where this project becomes a ‘stay at home project’ and turns into something I have to focus on. Also, it’s no longer just TV or podcast knitting.
Once you’ve split for the neckline, it’s really a case of taking it row by row. Take it one row at a time, and check your work each time. Some people find it helpful to go through and write out each row, which I would be doing if I were using a manual row counter.
Another advantage is that this pattern has no shoulder shaping. Once you get finished with the neckline and armhole shaping, that’s it, you’re done, there’s nothing else to worry about. You’ve made it through the most challenging part of the pattern, now, all that comes after is lots and lots of I-cord – but, don’t worry, that’s tomorrow’s post. For now, celebrate making it through the most challenging part of the pattern, knitting with UNIVERSAL YARN Bella Tweed in “Care”, and Knit Picks Rainbow Wood Straight Needles! Join me tomorrow, as I talk about I-cord!
This is part 3 of 5 in this series
Go back to part 2: Cables 101 – working the cable pattern for the Palomar Top
Go to part 4: How to knit I-Cord ties for the Palomar Top with Bella Tweed Yarn
