Last year I completed the Melange sweater for Ryan and I just completed the Storm sweater for myself. I never blogged about the Melange sweater, so I’m playing catch up. I made Ryan’s sweater using the women’s version, but after the fact I purchased the men’s version, because I’ve been curious what makes the patterns different. The math behind the design is actually pretty fascinating.
Style and Fit
The sweater is worked top down. The back yoke is shaped with short rows to raise up the back neckline and it also creates the slope of the shoulders. The shoulders are worked flat, then joined to form the front yoke. The sweater has dropped shoulders, meaning the shoulder seam extends past the edge of the shoulder for a relaxed silhouette. The front of the neckline is lower than the back, creating a nice jewel neckline. The body and sleeves are worked in the round. The sleeves are worked from stitches that are picked up and knitted along the armholes, which makes for a seamless finish. Finally, the neckline is finished with a folded double rib.
The sweater is meant to have a lot of positive ease, meaning the finished garment should be 6+ inches bigger than your actual bust circumference so the drape and look are as intended. I find it odd that people get mad about the fit of PetiteKnit patterns, because they look awful when they go down a size and eliminate the positive ease. These designs rely on that volume to look intentional rather than just “ill-fitting.” The sweaters are not designed to fit tightly, so of course your results will vary based on how well you follow instructions.
Sizing
Ryan’s chest measures between 39-40 inches, same as me. I have always made size L for myself and Ryan, since I use the same patterns. I decided to go up a size just to see how it would look, so I made Ryan a size XL in the women’s version.
Details
For this project, the pattern recommends 600-650 g of Tynn Peer Gynt by Sandnes Garn. The sweater is worked with two strands held together, but the weight listed is the total amount of yarn you need to buy, not the amount needed per strand. I’ve seen some confusion on this, so just remember that the total weight covers both strands throughout the entire project! In other words, you need about 300-325 g of each color to create the Melange look.
In my case, the yarn I used was actually recycled from an old project. I decided to frog a sweater I finished back in May 2020 because the fit just wasn’t working. Honestly, Ryan just doesn’t look great in raglan sweaters. On top of that, the arms were too short, the hem was too tight, and the shoulders were not wide enough. The neckline is getting pulled out of shape. I hated seeing this gorgeous single-ply yarn go to waste on a garment that didn’t fit right!
Yarn 1
Madelinetosh, Tosh Merino Light + Tweed (Color: Snake) This is easily the most popular fingering-weight yarn on Ravelry, and for good reason. It’s a single-ply and has incredible softness and drape.
- Details: 100% Superwash Merino wool | 421 yards per 107g.
- Amount Used: ~4 skeins or 435 g (roughly 1,711 yards).
Yarn 2
Sandnes Garn, Sunday (Color: Blue Iris 5535) This is a great staple yarn.
- Details: 100% Merino (Not Superwash Treated) | 257 yards per 50g.
- Amount Used: 6.2 skeins or 310 g (roughly 1,593 yards).
I obviously used more yarn than what the pattern recommended, but that’s because I lenghtened the body and arms a lot to fit Ryan.
Needle and Gauge
Because I was mixing a single-ply superwash with a non-superwash treated wool, getting the gauge right was even more important to ensure the two fibers behaved well together.
- Needles: 4 mm [US6] needles (or the size needed to hit the stitch count).
- Gauge: 20 sts x 30 rows = 10 x 10 cm [4 x 4 inches] in stockinette stitch.
I got gauge as close as I could get: 21 sts x 30 rows in stockinette stitch.
The Data: Women’s vs. Men’s Patterns
PetiteKnit does not spell out how her women’s and men’s patterns differ, so I got curious and lined them up side by side. Below is a comparison of the Women’s L and XL against the Men’s L, broken down by construction stage.
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