Grocery Girls Knit Episode 177 - Sweater Fails & Fixes, Frank & Bean(i.e)! 

Oh my gosh, Tracie! Your sweater surgery is beautiful! I want more flowers. Your embroidery is perfect! Bravo!

Okay -coral sweater fixing (where you embroidered the white flowers) solution when you inadvertently unravel a short row loop- snip it and take lengths of yarn and Russian join or spit splice extra yarn to that loop and weave it past the potential “hole”. As for unraveling use contrasting yarn on a very large darning needle. Like you would on an afterthought heel. But never fret when you unravel a w&t loop just snip it and lengthen both ends of the loop then knit or weave them (your choice) but join new ends to snip with spit splice or Russian join. I am a knitter x 66 years (71 yrs old) and knit repair person extrodinaire! I love repairing knitting errors. I can repair any knitting errors

Love watching you guys while knitting I am in New Zealand

Thanks for another packed episode! Love it all and Tracie - GREAT idea to add those sweet embroidered flowers in another area of your sweater. You are so kind to share how you saved the sweater so the rest of us KNOW how to save ours. ♥

"I'm not here to be a hero" Bwahahaha...My new life mantra. Love you guys.

Tracie, your sweater surgery is giving me courage! That’s amazing!! And I love the embroidery, it’s gorgeous! Congrats on your smoke free anniversary Jodi!! So proud of you!

Tracie and Jodi, THANK YOU so much for popping us into your fun chat. You did such a great job with all the KAL details!

1:30:01 Looks like golf balls on tees rather than hexagons. Love it dearly. Must make!

You are my heroes, Tracie and Jodi! Your podcast is so balanced with all the yarn, patterns, books, TV shows and toilet seats recommendations! Love you, ladies 😍🥰

Tracie your sweater looks amazing, embroidery on sweaters is really in: it looks great!

Please keep up the fun, informative and long format podcasts. You’re both beautiful inside and out.

What I accomplished while spending time with both of you today: washed and got blocking a Musselburgh and a Damson Shawl (omg all the pins on that one!) as well as most of a sleeve on my Snowflake Sweater for the Raglan along (size 2-4 years, so not huge) It's so easy spending time with both of you ❤️

Oh my gosh; first I just celebrated my 3 yr of not smoking. I’m just like Jodi - I loved it and would start up again in a minute if it weren’t so stinkin’ bad for you. Unfortunately though I feel better, I now weigh about 9 lbs more than I did. Second, Traci you were so brave to unpick your collar on that lovely sweater but I loved that you shared the journey - makes me feel better and I would have thrown mine in the trash! Lastly, loved the embroidered flower - sweater looks amazing. Thanks as always for sharing and caring and giving us company and some humor in our day. ❤ ❤ ❤

As I watched Jodi sharing about her new hat I reflected back on your early videos. Look at where you are today! What a fantastic evolution. 💜

Jodi and Tracie, Thank you so much for sharing Purl & Winnie’s tote bags. My internet connection started to act up just as they popped up on the screen. Sorry I couldn’t share in the chat. You are both welcome to visit anytime. Winnie, Purl and the rest of the girls promise to put on a show! 😘

I love the flowers Tracey they are adorable 😊

Thank you so much for sharing your fibre love with all of us! Most of all thank you for bringing that lovely microphone closer. Makes all the difference. Love you both with yarny love. Xoxo

Watching this late. I knit my Cozy Classic Ragland tubular cast on on considerably smaller needle. At first it appears too small. Once finished and blocked it is perfection.

I love the way you fixed your sweater! It looks lovely.

Hi from UK- I love that you are in touch with John Arbon yarns. I’ve got a stash of their yarn and many FOs. I’ve been to the mill and toured it- fabulous people amazing yarn and great values! Really loved the range they did for vintage knitting in collaboration with Susan Crawford some years ago- they are so special! Xx

Come visit The Yarn Bar and we'll show you a great time! Billings is close to Yellowstone Park. AND Friday afternoons at the "Bar" are the best!

I stretched out this last episode as long as I could! Tracie, I love that you shared how your fixed your sweater and all that you learned. And, I also love the embroidery!

Good morning from Colorado Rockies. I can hear you fine!

Loved your show! And I must say... the bidet toilet seat is LIFE CHANGING! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Your red sweater- add a small dart where you have a pucker. No one will notice. I love the flowers.

I just ordered a Purl Tote Bag from Renningers Wool Co --- I actually live in Bucks County, PA and didn't know about them --Thanks to you two Canadian girls for bringing me up-to-speed!

I want to tell you guys we love listening to you guys and learning about all the new yarns.

Jodi, I think the flowers on your sweater are so cute and such a personal touch. I love it! 😍

I am in Bucks county Pennsylvania…adorable!

Not sure if this has been suggested, but for your sweater fix. I have done similar, but I put in a safety line with embroidery thread. Then put in a smaller needle, then cut and re knit. Just an idea. Love the flowers by the way.

Love your podcasts.

Well Done Tracie on re configuring your Classic Raglan the Flowers look Great keep them on. ❤

I loved watching you guys, you always bring me such joy. My husband bought a bidet during quarantine (heated water and seat - Yes please!) and it was really a game changer. In fact that's one of the main things my son wanted for Christmas. My mother-in-law had an injury where she broke her ribs, wrist and a vertebra in her thoracic spine and the bidet was a life saver for her. Loved all the wooley goodness too by the way.

Absolutely such a wonderful duo podcast. Just found you. Jodi, thanx for finally coming out with a worthy well fitting hat! Love love love it!

You ladies are looking so great! Those colors look GREAT on you.

Great sweaters Girls! And very color coordinated today 🤣That can opening was a delightful sound!!!!

This is my first time watching...Ms Tracie is there a pattern for your sweater. I love it!

I just fixed the neck of a round neck top down sweater, too! I picked back each stitch of a 4 round 1X1 ribbing, perfection. I decreased 6 stitches before I reknit the ribbing. I’m the queen of reknitting sweaters, if I run into a problem I just wing it!

I have knit the Rock It Tee, 4 times, 2, as written with the mohair bands, 1 time with just a varigated sock yarn, 1 time I even knit it in with long sleeves in a cashmere blend. I am going to knit it for the Raglan a long, in a Breton stripe of pink and white in cotton. I just love it.

Love your tattoo. Makes me want to get my hands done. The last tattoo I got was mostly red. Turns out I’m allergic to red ink. Had to have multiple cortisone shots into it.

Yay you finished the vest! Looks amazing on your Dad ❤🎉❤

You are too funny Jodie re the toilet seat/bidet. I’m a realtor and just saw one of those at one of my listings. Lol

OMG…..I am lying in bed watching your video and when y’all started talking at the bidet seat I busted out laughing, woke my husband…. Couldn’t explain while I was snort laughing!! Love ya’ll!!!!!

Omg Jodi and your toilet 🚽 seat!! Love it!! You just make me laugh!! 😂. Great info though. Love both of your sweaters! And what an amazing job Tracie on fixing your sweater. 🎉❤😊❤

I cut a neck band off a top down sweater. It did not go well. I have reknit and pulled back at least 5 times. I can't get it right . I have a huge mess now. My yarn is a cotton/wool blend. I am tempted to just rip the whole sweater (sleeves and all) but I am so worry my yarn is going to be ruined. Traci I love your surgery!!! So impressed. Jodi your tattoos are perfect. I want one too.

Loved the hat so much! I bought the pattern 😂. Thank you for a great podcast 😘😘😘👍

Your sweaters look amazing! Thank you for another great podcast !!! Knit on

Great explanation on how to fix the neck of your sweater. I quite like the embroidery save. Another way, when unsure of the neck line would be to do a provisional cast-on of the number of stitches after the neck ribbing knit the sweater and come back to do the neck line with smaller needles in the other direction. Then you can try many needle sizez to get the desired neck size, because in that direction it is easy to unravel..

Just did an Italian sewn bind off and made the same decision to leave the mohair behind. I tried three times with the mohair and it was not good. Glad to hear I’m not the only one!

Love the little flowers 💐 I would add a couple more over the parts that you said you didn’t like

I live in Bucks County too! Just ordered my Purl zippered bag. Can’t wait for it to arrive!

Made a headband out of the Frank & Bean pattern today. Did 3 rounds and bound off. Used Aran wt. yarn on a #7 needle . Looks great. I would like to make a cowl too.

OMG…bucks county PA is so close to me. I need one of those tote bags!

Very courageous of you Traci to tackle that neck redo. I find Andrea Mowrey’s necks are all way to big. If I were to knit another of hers I’d go down one or two neck sizes. I was thinking of taking the neck off and making it smaller but now I am reconsidering. I’m currently knitting Jodi’s Thursday Hat. It’s a quick while on the beach in Aruba.

Noon sounds good!

I paused your show, purchased the Frank and Beanie and am casting on now! ha! xo

I love the idea of an intentional mending patch. that would be super cute .

Awesome sound!! Normally I'm not able to hear yall on my cellphone!! I have to cut my TV way up to hear. I'm sitting at the coffee house n watching n knitting :)

Was not able to catch live, but if I had would have chimed in saying I think a cluster of those embroidered flowers on one side of the sweater would look great!

Definitely un-knitting is a thing. I wore a sweater for two years, ate covid...aka gained weight, then unknit the bottom ribbing then added a split hem with an additional 5" of body. It was awesome.

Thanks for the advice on a too wide neckline. So appreciated!!

Yes to the toilet seat!! We have one on every toilet in our house. We have BioBidet seats. They are electric so require an outlet but I hope to never be without one!

The sound is so much better with the mic closer. Thank you!

Love all your sweaters Tracey. If I could make a suggestion, cast on your cozy classic raglan and knit the sweater without doing the collar. Pick up and knit your collar after the sweater is done for a better fit. This way, no sweater surgery is needed.

I finished my Bridgerton sweater last week, and it turned out too short....so I did what Tracie has done....but on the bottom edge. I removed the bottom ribbing, knitted 3 extra inches, then grafted the ribbing back on. Same problem though, with the fingering-weight woolly yarn, I picked up stitches to hold on a couple of different rows...next time I'll totally unpick a stitch at a time. I also have a sweater that the neck is too wide and wondering how to fix it. After watching Tracie's tale of woe, I'm just going to leave it 😁

Congrats Jody on your quit smoking anniversary🎉🎉, and diet Dr Pepper is the best!!

Hi just found u and subscribed. Look forward to knitting skills

😅 just 😅😅installed the tushy Ace. Life changing.

Haha. I was doing the Italian bind off on a sweater when I started watching. But, both your sweaters are gorgeous. ❤️

Oh my goodness Tracie!! I have a sweater that the neck opening is to small, so I don't wear it! I can't wait to see how it goes with the green sweater! I was thinking about reknitting the neckband and kitchenering it onto the sweater, but I was afraid I would mess it up.

Renninger was at Wool and Folk!!!❤

Love watching from New Zealand

Billings is like 3 1/2 or 4 hours from Great Falls, MT

I love the Frank & Bean(ie) hat so much, I interrupted the podcast to buy it!!!

Love your hat Jodie. The name is great. My daughter names her 3 pets; Frank, Maple, Beans.

Both of your sweaters are gorgeous!

Do it, do it, do it, Tracie! Some necklines are huge, recently I started casting on the next size smaller neckline & go down a needle size.

Watching the replay in Maine( Acadia National Park)

Fixing sweater: also use way smaller needle when unpicking/ picking up stitches so u don't loose stitch (big needle can stretch and pull / unravel stitches

Jody I would love your hat pattern as a head band too.

I love the flowers

I could feel the fear during your sweater surgery, bc it happened to me that I did not pull the needle into the “straight” row below, ended up frustrated and through out the sweater. Embroidery can be a fix for your garment but it does not always work with the design of the sweater. I think in your case the embroider flowers are additional design elements to the stripes you already have. I really wanna like it, I feel your struggle, but honestly I am not sure if it looks cohesive enough now. I have saved three sweaters with too large necklines by threading a very thin elastic into the rib, and it worked. For the classic raglan I would suggest trying “No Frills”. I am working on it right now, and it has a perfect crew neckline. The only modification I will be doing is that, pattern suggests decreasing stitches before starting the bottom ribbing, to create a “cinching effect” and it is not my thing, so I will be doing mine straight or even adding a 2-4 stitches to the ribbing to get a “straight body” look. I also think that you could design your „perfect neckline classic raglan”. Classic patterns are my favourite and it looks like they are the favourites for many other knitters. Love your podcast and the chatter.

Hi. I’m from Greensboro Georgia. Love y’all

I got to try some of the samples from "Neons & Neutrals" at Yarnia in Montclair NJ, when Aimee was there. OMG, the design by BrandiCheyenneHarper, called the Harmony Jacket will be my Fall Rhinebeck sweater.

Jodi. You look great. Love the blouse under the sweater.

Tracie, that was soooo much work. Your embroidery was great, but I would have just done a crochet stitch two together on the inside of the collar. Or even put in elastic thread through the whole edge of the collar. I could never have done that.

It would be interesting to see who has the most entries in the sock knit along. I suggest having the people self report. Set up a thread and let the people post their past entries. They should be eligible for a great prize.

Congratulations for your 5th smokeless anniversary.

Sending love from a nutty kiwi knitter in New Zealand, drinking decaf, haha. xxx

Love from Melbourne ♥ Tracie, I'd embroider more daisies all around the top of your sweater, front and back...go wild!

Great knitting 🧶. Jodie has crazy eyes 👀 this podcast 😅

I don’t knit a lot of top down but from bottom up i just cut off the bottom. Cast on and knit to where i want and then graft it on. Wouldn’t that work so you can even do the short rows and everything if needed before joining? Maybe?

Beautiful ladies, I love your sweaters. Jodi- 3 questions, did you make it? What yarn was used? Is there a pattern? I haven't finished listening yet but will do to see if it's mentioned. 😊❤

Traci, AMAZING SWEATER!!!!!!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤

Caffeine over-all worsens anxiety. Self-convincing of the anxiety worsening type- tricks yourself into being convinced caffeine is fine. Caffeine is really not fine. I sympathize with you being back on the cycle of caffeine again. I pray this cycle and future cycles of caffeine are as short or non-existent as possible. Sincerely, Theresa Zhong

I love the thought of that book but how can you make them with not so bulky yarn. I get to hot.

Okay - maybe this is a stupid question - BUT - would it be possible to undo the cast on - frog down to where you want and then re-knit?

Omg! What is the menopause hot flash tip sleeping through the night, I am struggling.. please share ❤

I own 2 add on toilet seat bidets that have warm water, no electricity needed, mine Amazon by Luxe. Love it. You will never be without one. They get your undercarriage so clean everyday plus warm water is soothing. You use less tp too. Don’t make fun of this one!

You could embroider a few flowers at the bottom of the sleeves?