Problem solved

Hi Amanda, 56"!!!! Socks sound like a great idea to me too :) MY DH saw pics of Georgia's beautiful sweaters and said he would wear one if I made it. After explaining that I don't knit yet, and Georgia has years of experience ( you don't just learn that in a day) he seemed to understand - I hope. Good luck with the socks - I'll have to think of something to make my DH eventually.

Debby (FL)

On 20 Mar 2006 04:48:29 -0800, "Amanda Tikkanen" spewed forth :

Why do you need a pattern? EZ's percentage system is easy enough to master.

Measure the intended. Swatch. Figure gauge.

(Chest + ease) x stitches per inch = T total number of stitches for body

T - 10% = cast on

Rib 3", increase to T

Work to underarm.

For seamless sleeve method see EZ's Knitters' Workshop or Medrith Glover's Circumnavigated Cardigan pattern.

For "afterthought" sleeves divide body at underarm and work front and back flat to shoulder, adding neck shaping as desired/appropriate. Don't forget to insert some short rows into the back of the BODY and the SHOULDERS to prevent PLUMBER'S ASS.

Join shoulders somehow; three-needle bind-off is both sturdy and easy. Put some ribbing on the neckline. If making afterthought sleeves pick them up and knit them down, decreasing as necessary to suit the wearer. Add ribbing. Cast off.

Darn in ends. Done.

I knit a 54" sweater out of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride bulky in less than two weeks. It isn't rocket science, just endless knitting.

Reply to the list as I do not publish an email address to USENET. This practice has cut my spam by more than 95%. Of course, I did have to abandon a perfectly good email account...

I made Tim an aran sweater for Christmas. He's pretty big too- a size 52. He used to play college football. It wasn't hard, just time consuming. There's a picture of it on my site at Photo buckets. Marie and the cats

If he is lifting, then he needs very strong hands and forearms. Knitting is an excellent way to develop such strength. Teach him to knit!! By the time he is ready to embark on his own sweater (after doing a smaller one for you), you will have progressed so that you will be able to help him design his own sweater.

Then when you are buying yarn, the two of you can buy in bulk and get discounts!

Aaron

Well put, and also TRUE. Noreen

I've tried to teach him so the next time he gets deployed he won't be so bored sitting in his tent or whatever... he hasn't bitten yet, but says he does know how to crochet.

When he was in Iraq (and quite a bit larger) his body armor had to be custom made for him. He had a 64"+ chest. I don't even want to think about the endless rounds for that one.

-Amanda

Definitely socks! (OR find a smaller boyfriend. )

Higs, Katherine

My technique was having Tim take me to *pick* out the yarn and color he wanted. And he paid for it! hehehehe Marie and the cats

Butbutbut!!! You *still* had to knit it! ;-)

Higs, Katherine

Butbutbut!!! (changing the emphasis, here) she still *had* to knit it .... like her arm was twisted, and she cried nonono! LOL! Noreen

And in return, he got me knitting mag subscriptions, a BIG gift card at the LYS and other stuff. I'm one of those people that is *high energy* and always have to have something to do. I'm always working on some kind of project anyway. I think I'm the one that came out ahead of the game in the long run LOL LOL LOL> He wore that sweater when he took me out for dinner and everyone really liked it. And if I *really* want my way with something, I just *remind* him that I spent 160 hours knitting his sweater....LOL LOL LOL>

Marie and the cats (don't take any of this the wrong way, he's a big jokester and we tease each other a lot)

This type of sizes , you beter knit length wise , also if he knows how to crochet ,,,, let him crochet big sqares than you knit the parts between , and he will have a very contemporary sweater as joint work of you two. [less work for you !!!] mirjam

sorta like the moms who remind their kids that they laboured 31 hours, etc, LOL!

seriously, though, one HAS to have humour!

^that^ was an oxymoron, to be sure!

Noreen over-tired! ;)

LOL

HIgs, Katherine

As long as you don't feel short-changed.

Higs, Katherine

Like that was a problem....

sue

Wow, that does sound like a challenge!

My problem is my DH finally wants me to make him a sweater after years of my offering. However, he's under the impression that an aran is "plain looking" and "simple". Since when were all the crosses for cables and keep track of different stitch counts for an aran SIMPLE, and when were the results PLAIN looking!?!? That's something I'd like to know. I'm glad he wants me to make him something, though, as it's been years. He still won't give up a ragged old scarf I made for him with a large raspberry colored tunisian crochet cable in the center and dark blue ribbing on the side. I'd like to make him a new one, but he refuses until this one falls apart .

Leah

Huge sweaters can be problems to knit! Trust me, I know!

Higs, Katherine

I was cheated from being able to use that excuse! I had 9 hour labors with both DDs! Just right in my opinion.

JJMolvik