Yarn Crawl

Knitting FO: Basic Chic V-Neck Cardi

As promised, I recently completed a knitting project and wore it to work yesterday. I got pictures after it became light outside, but before I had to dash out the door and here they are.

I used Malabrigo Rios yarn, and this is a wonderfully soft superwash yarn (it doesn't feel anything like superwash.) However, it also does not behave anything like superwash yarn - that is, it changes substantially when washed to become much more drapey and grows a bit too. I am A-OK with it for this project, as I saw the direction it was going and decided to instead block it to have longer fronts and more of a drapey, diaphanous shape in keeping with many layering cardigans I've seen of late. I really like it. I love the way that the variegation worked out - no skein alternating required.

Because of the shape, I decided to skip the snap at the bust that's called for by the pattern. So (with apologies to Bonne Marie for taking my own interpretation of her pattern) here are pictures - I will say that I'd like to make this again the way it was intended, with a non-drapey, tighter woven yarn.

And here's what it might look like closed at the bust - I can still sew on the snap, but it seems like maybe the fronts being longer doesn't look right.

All the Stats:

Pattern: Chic Knits Basic Chic V-Neck Cardi

Yarn: Malabrigo Rios in "Aguas"
Size: 34

Mods: none except sleeve length

Knitting FO: Somewhat Cowl and a Sneak Preview

I've had the Somewhat Cowl done for awhile now, but hadn't modeled it as it was too warm outside. Now we have a day in the mid 60s, perfect for a short sleeve sweater to transition into fall.

Here it is - and can I just say - I *heart* anything designed by Wendy Bernard. I have never ever gone wrong with any of her patterns. (Excuse the uncropped photos - I cannot get into Picnik to edit them this morning.)

closer up, badly uncentered photo

Pattern: Somewhat Cowl by Wendy Bernard
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca and Silk in "Spring"

Size: 33ish (followed 32 instructions at a slightly larger gauge)

Mods: joined earlier on to shorten cowl neck so it would be proportionate on my frame; did a few extra hip increases at the bottom. Didn't modify the length so it is tunic-ish length on me, which I was going for.

Verdict: I really really really need to knit with DK weight yarn more often, as I think this is one of my most flattering sweaters that I'll really be wearing a lot, and specifically I would definitely use this yarn again. I'm not a big fan of 100% alpaca as I find it to be a bit scratchy (and hot) to wear but this alpaca/silk blend is very soft and drapes perfectly. It was like butter to knit with, and it got even softer after washing.

And a sneak preview of something I started over the weekend and am almost done with...

Back in the Saddle!

I needed to make a TNT wrap dress as a confidence-builder and to get me back into sewing as I hadn't done anything for a few weeks and was feeling intimidated. Well, I am BACK!

After telling Andrea and Sheila that I posted my other KS3489 dress with rolled hems, I looked back on my blog and realized that I lied - I never posted it! I think I was in a blah mood that day or something and not feeling like blogging. I will show that one the next time I wear it (probably next week) but in the meantime here's my latest version of the dress.

front

back

close up of the sleeve rolled hem

close up of the neckline rolled hem

The fabric is the very first one I ever purchased from Gorgeous Fabrics and I finally felt inspired to cut into it, now that I have so much more knit fabric stash after Saturday's expedition! Like the last one I haven't shown yet, I eliminated the facings and did rolled hems for all the edges on my serger. A new twist on this version was adding 3/8" to the bodice front and the front skirt to avoid any need for a cami under it, which worked out really really well and I don't have to keep checking to make sure I'm not flashing people when I do stuff. The front skirt didn't necessarily need more room but I figured I should be consistent so the pieces would line up, and it's even better as the skirt crossover section now goes all the way to my left hip. No gaposis, no free shows!

Otherwise I made it the same as the previous versions - 5/8" seam allowance at the shoulders instead of 1/4" for a lazy girl's petite shoulder to bust shortening adjustment, and shortened 1" from armhole to waist.

Onward and upward! (B5147 photos to come - version 2.0 - to be posted for honest critique before I cut into my new fabric that Carolyn helped me pick out.)

August Finished Sweater 2 of ?

2nd finished sweater for August - Alexandria!

Front

Close-Up

Side

Back - I think it needs pressing or something!

Pattern: Alexandria Cardigan by Connie Chang Chinchio
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft Baby DK
Size: 34.75" (about 1/2" positive ease)
Mods: none except sleeve length

Verdict: great layering piece to transition between seasons - could work with jeans as well as over a dress or top/skirt combo! If I could do it over again, although the Cashsoft Baby DK was ohsosoft to work with, I'd have picked a crisper, probably cotton blend yarn for it to better show the great stitch pattern and have it lay flatter. Maybe I need to block it more aggressively, though.

August Finished Sweater (1 of ?)

I finally wove in the ends on Jordan and blocked it after at least a month and a half of languishing (it, not me!)

Front

Side (probably not so smart to wear it with a skort as it makes it pooch out a little in the front. I swear, no buns in the oven.)

Back

Close-Up from the Side (in a bit of a surly pose)

Pattern: Jordan by Wendy Bernard
Yarn: Louet MerLin Sport (merino/linen) in "Goldilocks"
Size: 2nd smallest
Verdict: Really liked knitting this! The construction was really different - you knit each of the neck/sleeve pieces separately, then knit the bottom in the round, and seam the two together in the front and back. Usually I wouldn't care for that "fast-and-loose" type of seaming where you sort of ease one thing into another and hope it fits together, but it was fine - everything came together well! I picked the right size too - the linen blend yarn has zero stretch but lots of drape and opens up well when blocked. If I went with the smallest size it would be too tight, and any bigger and it would be too baggy.

I said this was 1 of ? as I am done with Alexandria (it's drying off now from its bath) and I may soon be done with Goose Rocks (got my yarn and it was perfectperfectperfect so I've been working on it like crazy.)

I also am working on another B5147 with a real woven (no stretch wovens anymore for this project) and should have that done soon. Vacay is going well, Jim is golfing today so I'm on my own for the day! Up next...sushi!

Finished July Sweater #3!

I finished this sweater a few months ago but never showed it completed or modeled, so I'm counting it as a July finished project. Here it is:

Pattern: #14 Leaf Yoke Top from Knit.1 Spring/Summer 2009 (Ravelry link); blogged here by the designer, Angela Hahn
Size: 33"
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in "Wild Orange"
Mods: I added more waist/hip shaping and also did ribbing for the hem instead of a fold-over hem. In this yarn, the double-layer hem was going to look too bulky.

Front, with outfit (we have our work spa/golf outing today so I am casual!)

I hadn't realized I looked quite this curvy from the back in this top (oh well, I guess I'll just own it - I am curvy after all - no getting around that.)

And the close-ups:

Verdict - usually I don't like higher neck or yoke shaping that much on myself, but this one has grown on me after waiting a few months. I like the color and the fact that it is not as "cutaway" in front on me, probably because I only had about 1" of negative ease.

July Finished Knitting Project #2

Remember this Simplicity 2580 dress?

I finally put a rolled hem on the bottom as you can see if you zoom in on the picture above, and I also finished Miss Dashwood to go over it. I wore it last week but got pictures of it then before we went out.

Here it is overall with the outfit

And closer up:

This was a pretty quick knit (despite me leaving it on hold forever in between steps) and a nice cover-up to throw on over sleeveless dresses in cold restaurants!

I bought the pattern a long time ago when it first came out and it is now discontinued from Bonne Marie's website. However, when I googled just now for a link, I found it for sale at WEBS here.

First Sewing FO of July - Kwik Sew 3489

I did manage to finish one dress while I was on vacation - Kwik Sew 3489.

Here's the whole look as I put it together for work today:

Closer-up of the front

Side

and back

I had previously used the cap sleeves from this pattern with another TNT ("tried-n-true") pattern, Kwik Sew 3408, but hadn't sewn this one as I wasn't sure how to shorten the curved front skirt piece. Well, I figured it out, though I'm not sure if it's the official "correct" way to go about this. Basically I measured the pattern for the other dress that fits me well and cut off about half of that amount from the bottom curved edge, just eyeballing it. Then I used the cut-off actual curve from the pattern as a template to accurately cut off the rest of the amount.

Overall I shortened it about 4" (though there is a 1" hem allowed and I used a 5/8" coverstitched hem.) I also experimented with eliminating interfacing on this version and I think it lays flatter in the front, so I'll do that again. I made a mistake on one of the sleeves when I was setting in the sleeve and when I tried to rip it out I made a hole, so I sewed both with 5/8" seam allowances instead of the 1/4" included in the pattern to avoid the hole.

I also shortened the waist about 5/8" with the serger and sewed 5/8" seam allowances at the shoulders and neckline facing seams. I didn't totally pay attention to the front finishing instructions as I was using the coverstitch machine to finish all the hems, but I like how it turned out despite the sort of "winging it" attitude I took to this project.

I think I will make more of these - I think the curved hem is kind of cool and I like tying it in the center with a shorter tie belt (as compared to KS 3489.) I also think the neckline is better for me (a bit higher) than KS 3408.

July Knitting FO 1 of 4 (possibly 1 of 5)

I was off last week (just hanging out by the pool and knitting this time - very little sewing to speak of) and so I have some new knitting FOs to show! Knitting mojo is back in a major way. I think I just can't have mojo for both knitting and sewing at the same time, or something.

front

closer-up (with my head somewhat cut off)

side

back

Pattern: Anney by Emily Johnson (published by Twist Collective)
Size: 32
Yarn: Classic Elite Premiere
Mods: None except I omitted the crochet around the neck and armholes. It could maybe use it on the neckline, but the armholes fit well so I didn't want to tighten them up. I probably should have knit more rounds after the eyelets for the ribbon as it is a little high on me (super unusual as things are always too low from shoulder to bust on me - maybe my row gauge was a little off.) It also is pretty long on me but I like the tunic length.

Overall, I really like this one and can see myself wearing it! I couldn't find a ribbon that was the same color as the top but I think the brown is nice with it and it ties together (ha ha) the outfit with the brown skirt and shoes.

One knitting FO down, a bunch more to go!

Coachella - Finished!

A few weeks ago I decided on a whim to knit Coachella with some Tess microfiber ribbon that I got at Stitches. I finished binding off this morning and had to show it off even though I haven't yet woven in the ends!

Pattern: Coachella by Fathom Harvil
Size: 29 with mods (this was the Small size as this pattern fits up to 6 inches larger due to its construction)
Yarn: Tess Microfiber Ribbon, almost all of 2 (about 650 yards)

(Very Detailed) Mods: I followed the instructions as given until the part where you join the front and back/cast on under the arms - I ignored the casting on part as typically knitted garments don't fit me well when I cast on extra stitches under the arms. I honestly could have just followed the XS instructions instead, as I still have quite a bit of roominess under the arms and this might have helped to hide the bra band a little. It might have been more drapey on me though if it would have been bigger - not sure how I could have gotten more drapiness without gapey armholes or too-deep of cleavage. Right now this can be worn without flashing much cleavage and without the risk of serious wardrobe malfunctions, so I think I got the balance right.

Anyway, by not casting on the additional stitches, that brought the sizing to midway between the XS and S - I had 122 stitches and the XS was 112, S was 130. Next, I only did the one decrease round as directed in the XS instructions which actually brought me to 118 stitches. I then knit 13 rounds (instead of 15/16 for the XS/S) and started doing increases. I did more than called for - every four rounds as directed until I got to 146 stitches (S was 134, M was 152). I then did my own thing on the hem - I did not switch to the smaller needles as directed. I did a version of a garter stitch hem instead - purled the first round, knit the next, purled the next, then knit the next through the back loop. Then I bound off while knitting through the back loop. My goal was to avoid having the fabric curl up and if anything, I wanted it to curl inward. I think it worked!

Conclusion: I love this! I would obviously only wear it for a night out on the town, and it needs a special bra arrangement (my VS Biofit multiway works well, though it does show a bit on the sides.) I would totally make this again with another two skeins of Tess microfiber ribbon if I could bribe someone to wind it for me as it is a bitch and a half to wind. I might start with the XS this time for the upper body, but would follow the same mods.