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WHO: Vogue Knitting Technical Editor Jenn Jarvis WHEN: Thursday, April 17 at 12 p.m. EST WHAT: Jenn had a blast chatting with online readers about the Sideways Cardigan (pattern #2 from Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2008). We covered all kinds of technical how-to that you don't want to miss, so be sure to read the conversation below if you missed the live version.

ABOUT JENN Jenn Jarvis has been the Technical Editor at Vogue Knitting since 2005. She has always been interested in the technical aspect of knitting and learns something new with every project she takes on. Jenn does the math, so you don't have to.

[Jenn J. ]: Hey, guys. I'm here and ready to start whenever people join in.

[KAREN B]: ok

[marla12]: Glad to see Vogue doing live chat! Tricia

[Jenn J. ]: Glad to have you, ladies. We'll be starting in just a few minutes

[Jenn J. ]: I received a lot of really good questions. This should be fun.

[Jenn J. ]: Well, would you like to get started?

[KAREN B]: ready when you are

[Jenn J. ]: I'm just going to start with one of the questions that was emailed to me. If you have any questions now, feel free to jump in

[Jenn J. ]: This question is from Theresa: "I have used cotton yarn before but have had problems with it stretching outand loosing its shape and the garment getting too big. Any tips for choosing and using cotton yarn?"

[Jenn J. ]: Cotton is heavier than and doesn't have the elasticity of wool. It is going to stretch out with time.

[Jenn J. ]: But the good thing about it is that when you wash and dry it, it will go back into it's original shape

[Jenn J. ]: Though if you are really concerned about the stretch, there are somethings you can do to counteract that:

[Jenn J. ]: 1. Mercerized cotten tends to not stretch as much. Plus, it usually has a very pretty shine to it.

[Jenn J. ]: 2. Knit it in a slightly tighter gauge.

[Jenn J. ]: 3. A finer gauge yarn holds it's shape better than a heavier gauge yarn. So choose your projects wisely.

[Jenn J. ]: 4. In the same vein, the lighter the texture the better the yarn will hold it's shape. If you choose a St st or lace project, it will hold up better than a cabled or garter st project

[Jenn J. ]: Any questions on using cotton yarn.

[Jenn J. ]: I'll go on to another question from the email.

[Jenn J. ]: From Susan M. "This pattern show yarn "#3" for this cardigan. But I found the very sameyarn as it was knitted with in Patternworks and they have it as a worstedweight yarn. I'm confused. Also, I can't be at a computed tomorrow. Willyour chat be posted? I can't wait to start this cardigan-for me!!"

[Jenn J. ]: We are going to be archiving this chat on our website. So, if your friends don't catch this, they can check it out later.

[Jenn J. ]: And she's absolutely right. This yarn is, in fact, worsted.

[Jenn J. ]: We sometimes use very new yarns from yarn companies and don't get up to date information on the yarns. We'll have a correction posted on the website later today.

[Jenn J. ]: For other corrections on this and other patterns in this issue, check this page: http://www.vogueknitting.com/node/456

[Jenn J. ]: The corrections page on Vogue Knitting.com is always a great place to check out.

[pr iscilla]: Can you r ecommend the "perfect" yarn for this sweater and just

[pr iscilla]: how difficult is it

[jessica]: is this pattern to hard for a beginner? If so, what cardi pattern would you suggest for a knitter?

[Doris]: In case the specifice yarn isn't avialable can you suggest a good substitute?

[slvrbrd]: Can we talk about gauge - there are 4 listed in the pattern. Do you think it necessary to do a test gauge for all 4 before beginning?

[Jenn J. ]: Pricilla - of course, we recommend the yarn listed. We take great care in choosing yarns, though if you, like Doris, can't find the yarn, then find a yarn that knits to the same gauge.

[Jenn J. ]: The gauge you'll want to think about when choosing a new yarn is the St st gauge, which is 18 sts and 25 rows to 4"/10cm.

[slvrbrd]: I'm planning on using the yarn listed - I was really just wondering if I could get away with just doing a swatch for the st st gauge

[emhydepark10@yahoo.com]: hello

[Jenn J. ]: Slvrbrd - I would suggest that you do a gauge swatch for all the patterns.

[Jenn J. ]: there's a lot going on in this sweater and it's better to familiarize yourself with it before you get into the heavy shaping.

[Jenn J. ]: Which leads me to Jessica's question of whether this is appropriate for a beginner.

[sherri m]: I don't have this current issue of Vogue Knitting but plan to get it just for the cover sweater. Why is it called the "Sideways Cardigan"?

[Jenn J. ]: I would not suggest this sweater as a first lace pattern

[Jenn J. ]: there is some very challenging lace shaping that I will get into later that would probably be a little too much for a true beginner

[Theresa]: Since knitting stretches more in width than length, and this cardigan is knitted sideways, won't it stretch in length? I am thinking of knitting it a slightly tigher gauge to counter this.

[Jenn J. ]: However if you are adventurous and have people you can ask for help, then maybe you should go for it!

[Jenn J. ]: Sherri, this sweater is called the "Sideways Cardigan" because it is knit side-to-side.

[emhydepark10@yahoo.com]: what are good products to start with..

[KAREN B]: good luck to any beginner who attempts this sweater!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cheryl S]: Hi - I'm just joining. This cardigan will be my next project & I can't wait to get started. My question is this - if I want to lengthen it, can I add another pattern sequence, that is cast on more stitches & do another repeat? Or will lengthening it be more complicated?

[Jenn J. ]: Exactly, Karen. ;)

[emhydepark10@yahoo.com]: sorry projects..

[jessica]: thanks. perhaps I will get a few more projects under my belt before I attempt it!

[emhydepark10@yahoo.com]: how long have you been knitting

[Jenn J. ]: It will stretch a little as you wear it, Theresa, and you are absolutely correct to think that if you knit it at a slightly tighter gauge it will help.

[pr iscilla]: I want to do this sweater but have no one I can ask for help. Can I

[pr iscilla]: contact Vogue for help. I have been knitting all my life but the

[pr iscilla]: older I get the more simple patterns I choose.

[emhydepark10@yahoo.com]: lol

[Jenn J. ]: Hi, emhydepark, I would recommend any of our Very Easy, Very Vogue patterns to start with. They are marked VEVV in the magazine.

[emhydepark10@yahoo.com]: i have been at it for only 4 yrs off and on

[emhydepark10@yahoo.com]: oh i see

[slvrbrd]: Any possibility of starting a Yahoo Group for this sweater? At least that way those that don't have help could get some. I happen to be taking at my LYS as a KAL with a great teacher so I'm confident that she can keep me straight! LOL

[hello]: I'm sure there's a Rav group for the sweater, or will be.

[emhydepark10@yahoo.com]: yes

[Jenn J. ]: Cheryl - You can lengthen the sweater by adding an extra set of Zigzag Panel and Lace Panel to the body of the sweater. Just remember to bind off those extra 15 sts at the beginning of the sleeves.

[KAREN B]: what's LYS ad KAL?

[slvrbrd]: Karen B - local yarn shop and knit along

[emhydepark10@yahoo.com]: local yarn store

[KAREN B]: oh, sorry ii had to ask.

[slvrbrd]: I had forgotten about RAV - so I'll have to check there! Thanks for the reminder

[Jenn J. ]: Priscilla - you best bet is to find a friend or yarn shop owner to help you in person.

[hello]: Sorry about my dorky screen name -- couldn't read any text on the login screen

[KathyAnne]: Thanks for clarification @ LYS and KAL -- I didn't know either. What is RAV?

[Jenn J. ]: But if you have a specific question, you can email us using our contact form here: http://www.vogueknitting.com/contact

[hello]: Ravelry.com, a social web application

[KathyAnne]: Thank you!

[hello]: for inventorying your stash, projects, & groups

[hello]: also links blogs

[emhydepark10@yahoo.com]: do you knit every day..

[Jenn J. ]: We've started knitalongs in the past, but haven't found them to be very popular. We'd love to do them.

[KathyAnne]: I'm trying to knit as I follow along with this -- market bag in the new Corntastic Cornucopia yarn (can't remember which)...

[hello]: As far as strtch & cotton are concerned wouldn't knitting a garment sideways counteract the strech?

[slvrbrd]: ravelry.com is like a complete knitting encyclopedia - loads of members, thousands of projects and yarn. I used it to find out what folks were doing with a particular pattern and if a yarn I had would work well for it. Found it to be a lot of help but plan on spending a bunch of time if you join - like any internet site - you can just keep on clicking - for hours!

[pr iscilla]: what would you say is the most difficult part of this sweater

[marla12]: How does Vogue the patterns it has in the magazine?

[hello]: verb?

[marla12]: pick

[Cheryl S]: Thanks for confirming how to lengthen it. If I find I need to increase the width since it will be longer, then what?

[Jenn J. ]: hello - knitting this sweater sideways won't counteract all the stretch, but it will help.

[Jenn J. ]: Ah, Cheryl, the hardest question ever.

[Jenn J. ]: I received a lot of questions asking how to size this sweater up.

[emhydepark10@yahoo.com]: yes

[Jenn J. ]: The way I sized this pattern was to add an extra Zigzag Lace rep to the back and the front. If you notice, there's 7 1/2" difference between each size.

[Jenn J. ]: That's the problem with sizing this sweater up: the long pattern.

[hello]: Deborah Newton doesn't calculate her own sizes?

[hello]: wow! tach editors for VK do a lot!

[Theresa]: Re: sizing - If the finishe product is going to stretch, shouldn't we be cautious about going to too large a size?

[hello]: tech

[Jenn J. ]: You can either do that, if you want that much more width. Or you can try using a larger gauge yarn and rework the numbers a little

[KathyAnne]: Could you please clarify what is "biofil" cotton?

[Jenn J. ]: Hello - Here at Vogue, we size the sweaters for the designers

[sherri m]: Has anyone started this sweater and how is it going? I would consider myself an intermediate knitter; I don't want to start and find it's beyond me and get frustrated. I don't mind a challenge but knitting needs to be fun. Jenn J., I asume you've made this sweater. How difficult was it?

[hello]: Sweet. I knew there were perks to being a VK designer.

[Jenn J. ]: Sherri - I've knitted parts of it.

[emhydepark10@yahoo.com]: i came in late what or which sweater?

[Jenn J. ]: I'm in the middle of making it.

[Lisa P]: I have started this pattern and I'm into the body and it is going great. I haven't had a problem with it.

[Doris]: What yarn have some of you chosen to use?

[Jenn J. ]: The only challenge I've run into is in the shaping of the top.

[mshep4653@comcast.net]: I'm ready to bind off the shoulders. If my first bind off is on row 3, after I bind off six stitches, will my first stitch in pattern be a yo or the SK2P

[slvrbrd]: Lisa P - thanks - how would you classify your knitting experience - intermediate, advanced - - ?

[sleebraun]: The owner of our local knitting shop just finished making this sweater. It's beautiful! When I stopped in yesterday, she had decided to sew some bias tape on the inside along the seams to help control the stretch.

[Jenn J. ]: it's difficult to keep track of where the bind offs need to fall.

[vicki morin gallagher]: Will pure cotton stretch too much? Should we use a cotton-wool or cotton acrylic blend?

[hello]: Is anyone familiar with the recommended yarn? My LYSs don't stock it.

[Cheryl S]: OK - maybe I start my diet today so I don't have to worry about it! In any c ase, I can't wait to get started. I want to say I really appreciate patterns like this one. I love a project that provides different construction methods (side to side) as well as lace. With worsted weight yarn it's sure to provide some pretty quick gratification. And I can just feel the yarn on my Lanternn Moons already. Thanks for this chat, too. What a treat to be able to ask questions on a project I'm about to start on.

[mshep4653@comcast.net]: I'm working backwards using the premise that 16 stitches (12 6 stitch bind offs, and 2 sevens = 14, so doing two regular rows before begining the bind off, thus beginning with row 3.

[Lisa P]: I guess I would be somewhere in between intermediate and advanced. I am using Elsebeth Lavold's Cable Cotton to get gauge.

[Jenn J. ]: KathyAnne - "Biofil" cotton is grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers and dyed with low-impact dyes and set with salf

[Jenn J. ]: salt, not salf ;)

[KathyAnne]: Thank you -- one of the new organics you discuss in the issue. It has no impact on stretchiness or not?

[kbarrios]: I always have a problem deciding which size to knit. My bust is exactly 37 1/2",. I normally knit the medium sizes but 45" sounds huge, and if it stretches???

[hello]: How does it feel? Is it supple and drapey?

[mshep4653@comcast.net]: Also, when you bind off on row 4, someone said that you need to do four biind offs in each yo. Does this equal one bind off or four of the six required?

[Jenn J. ]: Kbarrios, If you can knit the sweater with a slightly larger gauged yarn using the numbers for the smallest size, you should be ok

[kbarrios]: thanks. I have something that might work.

[Jenn J. ]: KathyAnne, the yarn feels just like regular cotton.

[Jenn J. ]: Hello - I really like the yarn.

[mshep4653@comcast.net]: Has anyone gotten to the bind offs yet?

[Jenn J. ]: mshep - on rows 4 and 8, you'll need to work that [k1, p1] twice as you bind off to keep your numbers correct

[mshep4653@comcast.net]: Only twice, not four times?

[Jenn J. ]: the converse is true with rows 3 and 7, just work your bind offs, then worry about decreasing.

[mshep4653@comcast.net]: And will this count as one bind of or two?

[Jenn J. ]: the pattern only calls for working the [k1, p1] twice.

[Jenn J. ]: it will count as one bind off for each stitch

[mshep4653@comcast.net]: Oh yeah, I meant twice (two k1s and 2 p1s into each.

[Jenn J. ]: do you have anymore questions, or would you like me to answer one of the emails?

[KathyAnne]: email, pls.

[mshep4653@comcast.net]: Answering the emails is fine. Oh, what's the best seaming method for this piece?

[Jenn J. ]: k

[Cheryl S]: I'd like to hear some emails about this particular sweater

[Jenn J. ]: mshep, I would use the mattress st, but I'm a bit of a mattress stitch junkie.

[Jenn J. ]: From Cynth: "The front edges look like they curl in the cover photo. Is it the yarn orthe stitch pattern? Should I substitute the yarn for something with moredrape, or modify the front edges to counteract the curling?"

[kbarrios]: Can I ask a quick question about another sweater in the issue?

[Jenn J. ]: There were a couple people who wrote in about the curling. I personnally like the floaty front edges of the sweater, but if you don't you can always work the front edges like the neck trim,

[hello]: Yay! That was my Q. I'm Cynth

[Jenn J. ]: hi, Cynth!

[hello]: The staggered k2p2 seed stitch?

[Jenn J. ]: kbarrios, what's your question?

[Jenn J. ]: Hello - it's more of a double moss st.

[hello]: Oh the yoke. Gotcha

[Jenn J. ]: I used fair isle.

[Jenn J. ]: That's my favorite sweater in this issue.

[MARY]: I would like to ask you for another sweater I saw in a film. It is a men's sweater that is used by Nicholas Cage in "Capitain Corelli's Mandolin". I want to knit it but I do not know where to find a pattern or at least a good picture of it

[hello]: That is one awesome sweater. Props tp Kaffe.

[kbarrios]: thanks

[Jenn J. ]: I'm sorry, Mary. I wouldn't know.

[slvrbrd]: Try ravelry - you may find something similar

[hello]: Ditto. Search the Ravelry.com forums, too.

[Jenn J. ]: Another email about the Sideways Cardigan from Carolyn: "I wear an XLor 1X size and according to measurements I would knit the middle size? Isthat true?? My bust measures 42".

[hello]: Good Q! What's the "ease" on the Sideways Cardi?

[Jenn J. ]: That is correct. That would be about the same amount of ease at you see on the model.

[vicki morin gallagher]: say 4 inch ease?

[Jenn J. ]: 4 inches of ease would probably be appropriate. The model is wearing the sweater somewhat loosely. I needed to gauge down a little bit for it to fit me the same way.

[kbarrios]: Can you do these live chats periodically. This has been super helpful!!

[Jenn J. ]: we will be doing the live chats pretty often.

[hello]: Yeah! Way fun.

[KathyAnne]: Ditto!

[Jenn J. ]: not necessarily with me, though. All the Vogue editors will be cycling through

[Jenn J. ]: you can ask about the Fashion, the Yarn, etc.

[hello]: We miss Adina. Thanks for doing this one.

[slvrbrd]: Jenn J and everyone else - thanks - lots of info but next time I'll remember to have the pattern with me! Signing off - good luck to everyone who takes it on!

[Jenn J. ]: We miss Adina, too. Thanks for coming

[Jenn J. ]: I don't know, Vicki! You'll have to let me know how that comes out!

[hello]: Hmm... textture-y!

[Jenn J. ]: I had a great time doing this.

[marla12]: Thanks

[Jenn J. ]: I didn't get to everyone's emails, but we'll be archiving this chat on the Vogue Knitting site and I'll add answers to some of the other emails.

[KathyAnne]: Thank you!

[Jenn J. ]: Check back and see if you had other questions answered!

[Jenn J. ]: Thank you, guys, for coming!

[Jenn J. ]: I'm going to go eat lunch now. Email me your suggestions for what you'd like to talk about next time I do this.

[hello]: bye! Thank you!

We got so chatty that we didn't get to answer all of the emailed questions from our readers. Here are those answers:

QUESTION:
Shaina F. asks, “Why do the lower right and left fronts have different numbers of pattern repeats? Specifically: Lower left front: Work in pattern through row 24, then rep rows 1-24 once (twice, twice), then work rows 1-13 once more. Lower right front: Work in pattern through row 24, then repeat rows 1-24 two (two, three) times more. The schematic doesn't show different measurements for each front piece, and the model wearing the garment is covering one side of the sweater with her arm, so I'm not able to figure that out by looking at the finished project. Thanks so much!”

ANSWER:
The reps actually begin in different places, so while they have the same number of rows, they have different numbers of reps to get there. The Left Front begins on row 1 (13, 1) and the Right Front begins on row 13 (1, 13). This is to keep the center fronts mirror images of one another.

QUESTION:
Elizabeth H. writes, “Why don't Vogue patterns give the Stockinette gauge for the yarn used as well as the pattern gauge if they are different? It would be a dream come true for substituting the yarns I have in my stash! I like using the recommended yarn, but sometimes I would like to use up what I already have. Then I could buy more!”

ANSWER:
This is something we're trying to do more often. If you notice, we did add it for this pattern. It really depends on whether the designer sends us a St st gauge or not. But you can always use the yarn # listed for a basic idea on yarn substitution.

QUESTION:
From Wendy: “Do you think you could use the long stitch cable patttern to make legwarmers like dancers use? Would there be enough give/elasticity?”

ANSWER:
Are you talking about the Zigzag pattern? If so, add in the little 5-st Lace Panel between and probably so. I think your elasticity is more determined by yarn choice, though. I would choose a wool over a cotton for better elasticity. Personally, I've always wanted a pair of black angora legwarmers (with a little lace), but I've been afraid that they wouldn't have enough elasticity. Good luck!