The Thoroughbred Swing Coat - Sleeves and Fronts

I decided to try something I hadn’t tried before, for the sleeves and fronts with this sweater: I knit the sleeves and fronts two-at-a-time (TAAT) on a long circular needle. The sleeves were knit on the same cable, bottom to top. The fronts were knit two-at-a-time to the point that the raglan decreases started. I then moved one of the front pieces to a second circular needle and finished each front piece on their own. I couldn't wrap my head around decreasing the sleeve stitches while knitting the TAAT. Since the majority of the fronts were already finished, the knitting of the separate pieces went really fast.

Back, Sleeves, Fronts

I thought the TAAT method would work for me because I would finish both pieces at the same time, and not be left with one front or one sleeve with one of each still to go. [No second sock syndrome. You can look it up, it's a real thing in knitting]. It’s a bit daunting for me to see half of the project completed and know I still another sleeve or front to knit. I had to make sure that I completed both pieces on the circulars when I was knitting. I worked across both pieces across the circulars so that I never put down the needles with only one of the two pieces knit.  It was difficult to return to the sweater with one side knitted, and the other one waiting to be knit, as I discovered. I ended up working on one side two times in a row while leaving the other side dangling waiting to be knit.

Start of Two-at-a-Time Fronts

Fronts completed to beginning of decreases.

Because I was having problems remembering and tracking where I was in the pattern I decided to create little reminders that I attached to the front and back of each piece to remind me of the stitch pattern for that side. I used my word processing program to make the slips of pattern, cut out the pattern snippets, and laminated each of them. I then punched a hole in the corner of the laminated piece and used a locking stitch marker to attach it to the pieces. It saved my behind more than a couple of times – especially when I had to put the sweater down for an extended period of time. It was easy to come back and see what row I had completed. 

Front with my pattern info attached.

Those little laminated tags are my new favorite thing about knitting. I will always have my pattern with me, and I know what I am supposed to be working on, even after setting down my projects for long lengths of time. It's a little goofy. But it sure works.

Happy knitting!