Guggen KAL Cast-On!

I hope you’re all really excited to get started with the Guggen KAL! If you haven’t signed up yet but want to be part of this KAL you can purchase the pattern on either Ravelry here or my website here. When you purchase the pattern you’ll get the first clue (which is the first section of the pattern) and each of the new clues will be released on the following schedule:

  • Clue 1: May 6th (just released!)
  • Clue 2: May 20th
  • Clue 3: June 3rd
  • Clue 4: June 17th
  • Final Prize Raffle: July 1st

As well as this when you purchase the pattern you’ll get a download code to join the Teachable video class for free! With every new clue release the videos for the clue will be added here at the same time.
However to get you started I’ve added the first video, for the Invisible Cast-On to youtube as well:

Construction

Cast-on

For the first clue you will be casting on all of the stitches for the front of the cardigan. I’m using a provisional cast-on because this allows me to have live stitches for the end of the cardigan when we are working an I-Cord edging all around.
I’ve opted to use the Invisible Cast-on as y method of choice however if you prefer another provisional cast-on then feel free to use it but there are a few advantages to this cast-on.

1. While it takes a bit of work to learn, once you know the cast-on it is far faster than most other methods.
2. The cast-on puts the stitches straight onto waste yarn so when you go to work the stitches you just need to slip them onto a needle.
3. It produces the correct number of stitches, unlike many other provisional cast-on methods you’ll have the same number of stitches on the waste yarn that you cast-on.

Buttonholes

guggen buttonhole

Once you’ve got your cast-on done next it’s time to move onto the buttonhole. I use the single row buttonhole method which is always my favourite, it’s all done on the same row, working back and forth until you’ve got it complete.

Slip Stitch Pattern

Once the buttonband is finished you’ll set up the stitch pattern. This is going to be the same slip stitch pattern you’ve swatched worked on both the yoke and hem, with some garter stitch in between. I like that the slip stitch pattern gives the cardigan a bit of structure. Garter stitch has a tendency to stretch out so this keeps it anchored in place.

Short Row Yoke

slip stitch panel for guggen cardigan

Working from side-to-side you can see that the only way to shape your cardigan is with short rows. This means that you have less rows worked at the neck to make it smaller than the bust. If you need to make modifications to your size you can add or remove rows to the ‘wedge’ you are repeating. If you want a few more rows in the bust but not at the neck for the front you can add a few rows to the body and work them as extra short rows at the neck. If you only want that extra room at the front then you will just add them to panels at each side of the front.
Alternatively if you don’t want to change the bust size but would like a wider neck then you don’t add extra rows but instead extend some of the short rows all the way to the neck to make it larger.
This type of construction make it easy for knitters to take control of their work without much extra calculations!

How’s your cardigan going so far? Do you think you’ll make any modifications?