“This is for the right side of Autumn Tango, the other side is the flip and most of the designs follow this chart except with some designs, the orientation of the shape of the first three triangles is different.”
Along with YarnXpress.com, Pat also carries the Triangle Tango patterns (and many more Kureyon colors!) Here is her address:
Yarn Barn
Rt 3 Box 8945
Dillwyn, VA 23936
1.800.850.6008 or 1.434.983.1965
http://www.yarnbarn.com
Question:
“I do not like the way it looks when I knit the last three stitches together. What can I do to make them look better?”
Answer:
“Instead of the ‘knit three together’ at the end of the triangle, I make a centered double decrease. (This is done by slipping two stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit one, slip both stitches over the knit stitch. This leaves the middle stitch on top, giving a balanced look.) I found that this made a big difference in making my triangles nice and straight on each side.”
How to follow Colleen’s Stitch Pattern:
“Triangle #1 gives the pattern for a 6 stitch triangle, but anywhere past that, I was a little confused about how to treat the stitches inside the triangle: Should I just repeat the pattern, or should I just do the stitches in stockinette after the ssk and before the k2tog - the answer, obviously, is the second "should" - now it would probably have been helpful if Ms. Davis had put this little factoid somewhere along the line so that those of us who take things "literally" wouldn't have that brain twist - but maybe a little thinking is good for us now and again! ;D Anyway, I'm on triangle 10 of the first piece, and it's going swimmingly.”
From: Margaret Velard
Here is a hint that may help visually oriented Tango knitters:
“Isometric graph paper is available (published by Alvin). I have made two equilateral triangle patterns- Lucy Neatby's vest and a jacket by Laura Bryant. Currently I am making Lucy's vest again, but I want to add sleeves this time so I picked up a pad of Isometric Sketching paper at a local art supply shop. The paper is directed to pipe, sheet metal heating, A/C layouts... but I find it helpful in planning where I am going to put the next triangle.
After all the conversation on this list about the Tango pattern I decided to make up a triangle swatch based on what I learned at a Valentina Devine workshop earlier this year. The paper really helped. I am making a key as I go so that I can keep the required number of stitches to pick up under control.”
From: Elizabeth Rice
Picking up Stitches:
Suggestion 1:
“I may eventually be interested in making the Triangle Tango pattern(s) but have never been that comfortable with picking up stitches. This is how I do it and if someone has a better or easier way, I'm open to any suggestions:
I go along the edges of the work and try to guess how far to go between stitches as I go along. I take a strand of yarn and working from left to right with my needle point pointing to the right and my needle running along the right side of the work, I draw the strand of yarn through the edge from wrong side to right side, using a crochet hook and then put the loop (stitch) onto the needle and continue till I have the amount of stitches I need and begin to knit with the yarn running from my ball of yarn. I've always worried when a pattern has quite a bit of space for a neck line and just a few stitches to pick up all along the length of the neckline.”
From: Marcie Brink-Chaney
Suggestion 2:
“It is unfortunate that the sketch on the back is that, a sketch. A precisely drawn picture would make it somewhat clearer. When you finish the 3rd triangle it kind of does look like a dome, however on the next triangle you pick up along the long edge of the dome. (*For your info here, I didn't cut the yarn after each triangle as I was using off the ball and found that on one module I knit picked up the stitches but to reverse the module, as there was no indication on the vest how to do this, I did a purl pick up and this went the other direction.)*This is probably clearer in a class setting or maybe clearer for people who don't have profound dyslexia!” (See Pat’s graph at the top of this article.)
From: Pat Kirtland
Suggestion 3:
“Picking up stitches for the Triangle Tango is very easy because you're picking up 1 stitch in EVERY opening along the edge. I always pick up under 2 loops of thread and then knit into that hole.
Same with short rowing - you need to see pictures, I think. You can "google" for shortrowing and there are several sites that have good diagrams of how to pick up stitches and also do short rows. Here are a couple to start with:
http://www.dnt-inc.com/barhtmls/knit/shortrows.html
http://knitting.about.com/library/bllearnpickup.htm
From: Carol Hurt
Suggestion 4:
“Here is a tip that Carol Anderson told the Rochester Knitting Guild. When picking up stitches with a crochet hook, pick up several stitches in a row, sliding them up the "shaft" of the crochet hook as you pick them up. When you have several on the hook, slide them off the 'unhooked' end onto your knitting needle. For me this is much faster than trying to pick up stitches with a knitting needle. Also, a tip from EZ, don't get too hung up on the exact number of stitches you are supposed to pick up. Pick up what seems right for your knitting, then adjust in the next row by making stitches or decreasing stitches to get the correct number for your pattern. I tried this on the last sweater I knitted (at the neckline) and it worked out very well.”
From: Patricia Deane
Yarn Suggestions:
Suggestion 1:
I figure that if I need to have some contrast in the triangles, I will just pick up using a different skein of Kureyon, so that I am using a different color, rather than the previous one. That will emphasize the triangles. On the other hand, not changing skeins will, I think, emphasize the direction of the knitting, and the swirliness.
Suggestion 2:
As another knitter has said this is a pattern to play with...I did make the vest bigger to fit me...54" and longer....if I had to do over??? I think I would be more attuned to having the triangles one color or at least the colors in the triangle the same color values.....the larger the triangles become the strippier the triangle....if used to that advantage you can have some interesting other effects going on. Not unhappy with the results....on another one, think I will make the panel narrower with the underarm piece wider as the shoulders come down farther than I like, however I knew this would be a problem so made the armholes not as deep so the shoulder comes down on the arm rather than stick out.
Suggestion 3:
Colleen suggests size 6 needles for Kureyon. That yielded a very stiff fabric. I bumped the needle size up to 8’s and it is satisfactory. Depending on your gauge, you might even consider a size 9 needle.
Length:
It seems as though some of the patterns produce very short garments. The general consensus is that (in garments without lower edge ribbing) you can add additional triangles to add length.
In the Triangle Tango garments that have ribbing, there are instructions for the first 12 rows. If you need a longer garment, you should knit more than those 12 rows before beginning any other shaping.
Ribbing for the Triangle Tango Sunset Mambo:
As an experienced knitter, I was able to tear through the pattern. However, when it came time for the ribbing, I was stumped! After writing to other knitters (thank you, Julie Yeager!) and speaking with Colleen, here is the rewritten version (which should save you much aggravation!). The bold areas are the instructions that were excluded on the original pattern:
Ribbing:
Using a circular needle, p/u 54 sts from one back section, place a marker, p/u 54 sts from the other back section. Next row: (wrong side) Follow directions as written on your pattern. Next row: (right side) Repeat these decreases on the outside edges and [increase one stitch on either side of the marker]. From now on work the decreases [and increases] on the right side rows only. After 12 rows, [or the appropriate length for you, you will begin working in two pieces]. Start decreasing at the center edge on every row [and continue decreasing on the outside edges on right side rows] until two stitches remain. K 2 tog. Work the other side [of the back in the same manner].
Summary:
Colleen Davis is a creative and imaginative designer. Knitting her garments is great fun and enables you to use many different textures, fibers, and colors. Because the sweaters are modular designs, they seem to progress more quickly than those knit in a more traditional fashion. Some of the patterns need a bit of clarification. I hope that this archive of hints assists you. You may also want to watch for opportunities to take her classes. There is no substitute for learning from the designer!
Please feel free to contribute to this resource. You can send any tips, suggestions or general comments to: Sue@YarnXpress.com.
© 2003 YarnXpress.com
