I’ve seen numerous versions of Carol Feller’s Carpino lately — in a host of different colors and yarns — and the more I see it, the more I want one. Also, the more worsted and bulky sweaters I make, the more I realize: If I’m going to insist on making all of my own sweaters, eventually I’ll need to break down and knit some thinner ones (from the perspective of my wardrobe needs and my limited closet space). But with my short attention span and dearth of knitting time — think how long it already takes me to finish a sweater! — it’s just impossible to imagine. There’s a theory that your hands move faster when knitting with smaller needles and finer yarns, and I like to think there’s some validity to that. But the only way to know for sure it so knit something in fingering, right? I’m tempted by these simple little hats as guinea pigs: Hermaness by Gudrun Johnston and Celine by Cecily Glowik MacDonald, which is actually a linen hat. So lovely.
Writing this, I just suddenly had an urge to knit Carpino in linen. Would that be amazing?
.
PREVIOUSLY in Someday vs. Right Away: Fair Isle practice
here is my carpino! it’s one of my favorite sweaters and i intend to knit it again. only took about a week to complete and i can see myself wearing it in all different types of yarns/colors. a linen one would be great.
http://kraftworkinkitsch.com/2014/04/03/carpino-sweater/
I’ve also been eyeing Carpino from afar, it seems like a simple enough sweater, but has the whole lace thing which would make for some interesting knitting.
Just want to say… I love your blog!!
I face this dilemma all the time too — because even worsted weight sweaters are really quite bulky for all-day, indoor wear. I’ve completed one fingering-weight sweater so far, I love it, and it’s very useful. But it did of course take more than a year to finish, working on it off and on.
That is indeed a very nice pattern and I think it would look and feel great in linen…..take the plunge, I say! I have knitted a lace-weight jumper in Rowan Kidsilk Haze (is this lace weight? It’s very thin anyway!) It was so worth the time, and because I knitted in stripes, it went quicker somehow! I would look forward to each colour change, even though there were only two colours! Alas, it’s on my re-knit list now, I just have to muster up the stamina I’ll need to do it!
From what I can tell, you’re a great knitter, you should have no problem with this, I reckon! You’ll feel a great sense of achievement once it’s finished!
About five years ago I developed a bad (BAD) case of tennis elbow -you can get it from knitting-and had to stop(!) knitting for about a year. When I finally came back to it I discovered that it was too painful to knit with anything much thicker than worsted weight. It was huge shift in my knitting to smaller weight yarns. I have found that while it may take longer (although I do feel like I motor through stockinette on 3’s) I actually prefer the end result. Garments in DK weight or thinner are lighter on the body and easier to layer. So the extra time it take to make one of these is worth it….
Fingering weight sweaters do take more time, but it is really not that bad. I very much want an ivory fingering weight cardigan, but it is going to have to wait a long time. In fact so does all my project! I get motion sickness when I knit while pregnant.
wow I didn’t know you could get tennis elbow from knitting! You must be a very dedicated knitter! I sympathise with you, it must have been frustrating not being able to knit!
I have often wondered whether you could get motion sickness from knitting, and whether onlookers could get sick from watching you knit?! Now I know – thanks :)
It is gorgeous though!..
Gemma
http://www.fadedwindmills.com
Lovely pattern, lovely fibre at fingering or even lace weight = More time spent in making beauty! that’s how I convince myself. The time will get spent anyway, don’tcha know :)
I’m knitting my first sport yarn sweater and it’s going along…slowly. But after the bottom edging lace pattern, I’m now in the body which is stockinette, and I can read and knit at the same time. I also have a problem with tensing my left shoulder while I knit, so I’m working on correcting that. So…it’s therapy, right?
Carpino looks like a lovely sweater – I hadn’t ever seen the pattern before. The hat patterns are beautiful, too. I love the visible texture that they each have. I just recently discovered the pleasure of making hats – it’s very addictive! Such a great outcome in such a short amount of time! DK is becoming one of my favorite weights of yarn – nice and lightweight in the hand, good stitch definition, not fussy the way lace weight yarns can be. Speaking of laceweight yarn, I’m about ready to launch a rectangular shawl project that uses 900 yards of it! Pretty sure I’m going to want to tackle the bulky-weight afghan I have been wanting to make when I’m done! Am new to your blog, Karen, and am really enjoying it!
Have you ever knitted with linen? It is Quite different……….definitely need a sample with that!!
I knit way faster using fingering weights than heavier weight yarn. I am nearly finished making a fingering weight cardigan with lots of shaping (bust darts!!!) and some lace, and the whole thing has taken me 8 days to knit (minus button bands, which are yet to be finished).
I love making hats with sock yarn held double. Talk about beautiful (handdyed yarns) and durable! Pacific Northwest beach walking doesn’t require heavy wool hats – especially this winter. But I’m now thinking of slowing down my hat making drive by using dk (as Karen L. said – have come to love the dk weight!) and under (one strand not two, in other words.) Perfect patterns. I knit a hat for myself with Tosh “Dandelion” – fingering merino wool and linen. The linen with the linen gave it such an amazing look and feel to knit! Ach! Projects – my mind is full…
Ok! You got me thinking today about a warm weather sweater using lighter weight yarn and I just took the plunge! Ordered MadeleineTosh DK to make the Opera sweater by Elise Dupont. Have been wanting to make this sweater for quite a while now – so, I guess instead of making a bulky afghan after the laceweight shawl I need for our son’s wedding, I’ll tackle this sweater. Thanks for provoking my thinking!
I have a linen version in progress and I can’t wait to be done!
I think I might actually prefer the fabric that fingering weight yarn makes! When I look at the patterns I’m drawn to, they are rarely worsted.
I knit Carpino! I love it! And I was knitting another sweater at the same time, so it took way longer than it should have.
And I’m currently working on Gable, in Brooklyn Tweed Loft. It’s actually going really fast.
And, Carpino in linen would be amazing! I’m trying to make myself pick out something in linen for my next sweater. Because summer!
So excited to have stumbled upon your fab blog – thanks pinterest!
I too struggle with the tiny needles + fine yarn = colossal project vs. big needles + chunky yarn = instant (or nearly) gratification. Have a gansey tunic on the go that has been a WIP for a couple of months and it keeps getting bumped by other little projects.
I think the key here is finding a pattern and a yarn you really love and sticking with it – looks like you’ve found that combo with Carpino + linen. It’s on my list now :)
I can’t take this anymore. Every time I visit your blog (and that is stalker-warning-often) I find a new knit crush. I must say you have the ability to find the most beautiful knitted items and EVERYTHING is right up my alley. So now I want to move to Nashville and knit with you hehe. Don’t worry – I live in Sweden so this won’t happen but it would be fun. For me that is, maybe for you – not so much. Anyway, never commented before but today I just had to. I wish you a happy Thursday and best wishes from Victoria
It would be perfect in linen.
I have seen many Carpinos popping up too – and really really want one, but fingering weight yarn, man that is not going to help me finish it… But it is so lovely, oh the dilemma!
I’m currently on sleeve island with my carpino! It’s that oh so predictable point in the sweater where I really really want the finished product but am too easily distracted by other things…i.e. the squishy delicious cables of my Ondawa…Anyway what I really wanted to say is that it’s actually a quick project for fingering weight because the stitch pattern keeps it interesting :)
I’ve knit a bunch of sweaters now of varying weights, even lace weight, and it’s true that thinner yarns take longer. On the other hand, I can often afford nicer yarns, because the skeins have more yardage, and I get much more season- spanning wear from my lighter knits. My lovely, bulky, cabled, gorgeous dream of a thigh length cardigan only sees daylight 3 or 4 days a year. Compare that too my sport weight pullover that I can wear for half the year here in temperate Oregon. You will wear the finer knits much more often. If you think of it in terms of time spent knitting to get a knit you can wear more often, the equation makes a lot of sense. I love your blog!
I am STILL needing to seam my fingering sweater I started for Shannon Cook’s Sskal two years ago! It’s Hitch and it’s lovely-you’ve motivated me to finish it this week. For small yarn, it actually went pretty fast; just the darn finishing!
Pingback: Fringe Hatalong No. 3: Hermaness Worsted by Gudrun Johnston | Fringe Association
Pingback: Someday vs. Right Away: Outerwear | Fringe Association