The Making of a Queen
It's no longer an empty threat, my friends: I have yarn, and I'm not afraid to use it.
What you see here is two sleeves (being worked together), which are the beginning of your long-awaited Queen Bee cardigan. 
Here's a profile shot, in which you can see one of the steeks, with a sleeve growing on either side of it. Those who have made this sweater in the baby version (The Bees Knees) will notice that I have added a skep motif to the border. That's because I decided that the original proportions of the sweater were perfect for a Smally to wear, which means they are not right for an adult. I needed to make the scale more, well, Queenly. Which feels right to me so far.
And why, you might ask, would I start with the sleeves? Because I've knit this motif before, and I've used this yarn before, but this is the first time the two have really met. It's actually my gauge swatch, in addition to being my first pass at the newly-enhanced Bee border. I wanted to make a swatch which stood some chance of becoming part of the sweater, and my steeked cardigans only contain 2 knitted pieces (that's right: a cardigan sweater made from 2 tubes: how sexy is that?). So it was either the conjoined sleeve unit, which starts out with 132 sts, or the main body tube, which begins with 336. Even I can figure out that kind of math. Sleeves it is!
And of course you will want to know what yarn this is: Blue Moon FIber Arts BFL Sport
After a whole year of working on Top Secret book projects, I can't tell you what a relief it is to be able to openly tell you all about what I'm working on! I also thought it might be fun for those of you who go on to make this design, to see what I was thinking as I worked on the original. I don't know about you, but I always wonder "What were they thinking?" when I knit another designer's pattern. At least in this one case, you'll know!
And speaking of what I'm thinking, here's a word on the sizing of this piece: The nature of the big (30 sts!) motif repeat presents certain sizing constraints, but so far it looks like the sizes in the pattern will be something like (finished measurements) 40", 43", 47", and 50". If the size you've been hoping to make falls outside that range (smaller or larger), drop me a line or post a comment, won't you? This is your chance to help me get the size range right (if possible).
Can you believe it? I've been promising knitters that I would tackle this project for over two years, and it's finally happening! Bust out the honey, my Queens. It's gonna be SWEET.
I am soooo excited! My dad had a couple of hives in our back yard when I was growing up. Ever since I've seen the Bees Knees I've wanted this in an adult size. Thank you for all the hard work you are putting into this!
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I am drooling while looking at these colors coming together. Sweet as honey!--couldn't resist
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Oh dear! There's no way this pattern can be expanded to fit the enormously expanded me. I measured 58 inches, over the 2 shirts and cami that I would be wearing under the sweater during the winter months (which I now keep wrapped under a shawl or ruana or fleece blankie), and even if I stripped to the buff, I'll be much over 50 inches. Guess I'll stick to knitting baby sweaters and other wonderful baby designs you make.
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I love the colors and the motif. I am looking forward to knitting it!
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I really want to make your Queen Bee sweater. I am a beekeeper, so it would be so cool to wear it to my beekeeper Assn meetings. Could you make it in a 52 or 54 inch?
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How will the green edging be finished? Why was it not included in the steek?
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Millie, I'm going to hazard a guess that the green edge is already hemmed, with what might be a picot turning row. That would mean she did the sleeve hems separately first and then joined the two sleeves together after, for doing the color work. (But that's just a guess!)
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Be still my heart. I gasped when I saw The Bees Knees in your stranded colorwork book -- it was so breathtakingly beautiful. And now you're upsizing it? Yippee!
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Mary - I lurv you....can't wait. Also, now I'm trying to figure out if I should rip out my 4 inches of sleeve on a new sweater and tackle two sleeves together at the same time. How many stitches extra should I add for the steeking. 6 per sleeve for a total of 12?
Alix - Mary is doing a sweater class in Seattle starting 1/14/12 and will be helping people knit stranded swaters in the round, this will include re-sizing her patterns or taking traditional patterns and adapting them to knit in the round.
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Lisa, Thank you for telling me about the class. If Mary decides to do an on-line version of it, I could do that; but since I'm in Massachusetts--Atlantic shore Massachusetts, not the west side--the commute would be a killer.
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Ya-hoo!!! I've been waiting. Your green sweater fit me so is the 40" too big for me? Remember, you took off your sweater (green one) and handed it to me and said that it would fit me. I guess that I am saying that I need a sweater the same size as you wear. Thanks
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Sweeeeet! I'm a beekeeper and haven't knit a sweater for myself in decades. This is precisely the one I've been waiting for. Thank you for doing it at just the right time!
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2 conjoined sleeves -- brilliant! Mitigates the 2nd sleeve syndrome, both sleeves will match exactly... You're a very smart cookie!
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Oh, gasp! I never guessed from your post yesterday. This is going to be so awesome.
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I keep saying that I should knit two sleeves at once with Magic Loop, but I have never, ever thought of knitting them flat TOGETHER and STEEKING them! You are a queen... Queen Mary...
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This looks absolutely beautiful, and while I would prefer a 37" size (still big enough to fit well over a turtleneck), if it were not an option I would see if I could work the 40" one on smaller needles. I love the yarn colors, too.
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Mary,
Your colorwork and designs are so amazing. I just love this one.
I wanted to ask you about some sock needles I saw you using on a youtube video. They looked like wooden needles w/ metal tips. Can you point me to where I could get some to try? I'm trying to get into color work, and seeing your video was very very awesome. Best wishes.
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