Unraveling, As it Were

I'm one of those people who uses Ravelry to good effect. When you click on my profile, you see just about everything I've ever knit with details, a fairly complete list of favourites, a well-stocked library and now, since yesterday, a catalog of yarns, with photos, indicating my stash and which things are queued up to be used with specific stash yarn. The lengths I'll go to to avoid finishing the Bettie Pullover...

If you love being organized like, to the nth degree, this site is for you.

At any rate, I've opted to take a brief break on the Gauge the Situation series (until Xmas, likely) as I will be occupied by knitting the following:

1. The Sisika, knit for me:

Photos from Designer Yarns

In the Amitola colourway 106 (far left):

Yeah, I know, I succumbed to the craziest (for me) choice ever - a totally variegated nubby wool/silk blend that looks fingering weight but actually knits up like a DK (or worsted, if you double it). I went for the most subdued of the shades - I think it's the one used in the promotion photo but there are a few others, on other swatches, that look kind of similar. It's soft, but with a vaguely hairy halo that undercuts the softness. We've got to hope it blocks nicely, which is to say much less natural-seeming than it appears to be right now.

You know, I make a lot of sweaters, but the things I wear most are the cowls, scarves and shawls (because they work on top of outerwear or with inside clothing). If this scarf works, I think it could become well-traveled in my wardrobe.

2. The Madeleine Cowl also for me - It's important to aim to make simple things that really work and are worn often (try to ignore the overkill of the beret):

I do find the yarn this pattern calls for to be fairly horrible. It's got "wool-blend chainette yarn" "accented by diamond-like silver medallions". Um, no.

So, I'll make the cowl (more like a shawl, really) in Zara Plus, colourway 448 (Taupe):

Photo from Royal Yarns Intl.

The taupe is actually much more green (like khaki) than this photo shows.

3. For M, for Xmas, another Rondeur Pullover, in the 1628 colourway of Zara DK, again, the photo makes it look more blue than the green, highly saturated shade that it actually is:

Photo from here

Please be advised that I intend to knit them one at a time, like a "sensible person". At least as of right now.

So, today's questions:

• Whatcha think of these patterns and yarns?? Have you used any of them?
• Now you can see all of my crazy yarn stash. Do you think this is excessive? Be honest.

Updated (Picture-Heavy): Round and Round

Since you may have been wondering if you'd ever see a photo of me again (and the jury was out, let me tell you), let's get on with that:

Oooh, pretty lace and cables!

Admit it, these darts are the cat's ass.

Don't look too closely at my face and it's all ok.

Obligatory close up of the Ferragamos

The back is a mirror image of the front so, you might want to sew in a label. Fortunately, I made a tiny error on one side so I'm using that (clever me) as the delineator.

OMG - I am IN LOVE with the Rondeur knitted t shirt. It took a week to knit and it fits perfectly. Yes, my friends, before you put it on it's like a tiny-child garment. But when warn, the grow-y yarn perfectly accomodates.

Y'all know my bust measurement is 37" and my waist is 30" (well, these days it's 28.5, but there's more than enough give in this sweater regardless). I got exact gauge when knitting the Rondeur on size US6 and US4 needles - seriously, exact. Flat measurements of my top indicate the top fits a 30 bust and 26 waist, with the presumption of zero negative ease. However, when worn, the top is curvy, skimming and slim. Just the way I like to wear things.

Now, I did make adjustments, which is why my top took every one of my 685 yards.

• I added an inch of horizontal circumference at the underarm (to give more room in the bust) which I didn't decrease again after the bust shaping section. 

• Also, I added an extra 3 inches of length at the bust before I started the rather observable waist shaping. It looked very weird and I was concerned I was making a mistake but my own measurements show the need for that much more length to accommodate the profile of my chest. I actually stopped half an inch sooner than my math advised, because I was so concerned, but I should have listened to my numbers. Nonetheless, the top fits better than any other top I've ever knit and this is easily remedied the next time.

• I maintained that extra bust length, which is to say that I didn't shorten the bottom of the sweater to meet the stipulated length of 20.5 inches. Mine is about 21.5 inches. My preferred length to high hip is 22 inches but I ran out of yarn. Still, this length is fine because there's vertical ease in the sweater as well as horizontal ease.

• I changed the distance (from the centre line of front and back sides) between the two darts. I increased the span by an inch to account for the positioning of my own breasts and the specifics of my own dimensions. I observed, on Ravelry, that the darts seem very close set on a lot of the knitters modeling their Rondeurs.

• The instructions tell you to knit 4 rows of twisted rib at the bottom of the sweater. I extended that to 8 rows and would even recommend 12. It contributes to the shaping. Sometimes, too few rows of rib look like an afterthought rather than a design feature and I did read that some people had issues with the bottom of the sweater flipping up. That could be due to overall sweater sizing and fitting vis a vis one's own shape, but I thought it would be wise to give the bottom of the sweater a bit more ballast.

This garment showed me that I really have learned a lot when it comes to a) knitting and b) fitting in general. I had a strong sense of how to modify this pattern to suit my particular body and I was right on!

I can't recommend this thing enough. Well, wait, if you are really straight in shape or proportionately wide in the waist, it might not be your best option. But what do I know? I've only got my own body to work with. Point is, it's easily modified to suit a large bust on a narrow frame.

I am about to take a shower and then, I know you will not believe this, I intend to take a pic and post it. I swear. So come back later if you want to see what it looks like.

PS: It's a really good gift knit because it comes together very quickly, easily and the shaping is pretty knowable. If you can take your friend's/daugther's/mum's measurements, so much the better, but I sense - if you use the right yarn - you'll have a lot of give to play with. Not to mention that it's not too pricey, for a knitted garment, given that it's little (in the scheme of things).

PPS: Re: the Filatura di Crosa Zara yarn. I do think it's got awesome stitch definition and it feels beautiful. However, it will grow. And it's possibly the splittiest yarn I've ever worked with. So keep that in mind. I will definitely use it again, however. It may be my new Debbie Bliss.

My Cheating Ways

You know Taran's blog tag: Sewing is what I do when I'm cheating on all my other hobbies. When first I read that I snort-choked my coffee. Genius, IMO. And these days, for me, somewhat apropos. 

Generally, I'm firmly in the one-project-at a-time-kind camp. Partly that's because I'm intense about whatever I'm doing and I generally can't split my effort. Partly it's because I hate clutter and having unfinished crap all over the place. To me, that's chaos. Furthermore, it stands to reason that I can finish whatever I'm working on that much sooner if I'm not doing 8 other things at the same time. Which means I can brag/complain/talk about it that much more efficiently.

I do love serial crafters, though. They all seem creatively hyped on uppers in the most charming way. They're gonna knit that sweater while sewing those slip covers and make reindeer cookies for the bake sale. Oh, and a costume for the school play. While refurbishing a vintage machine. I need a drink just reading about it. I mean, seriously, I'm not Martha Stewart. I do not have a team of sous-crafters to realize my vision. (Would that I could be an artistic entrepreneur and make as much money as I do in my current career...)

Which is why I'm so surprised to be cheating on my knitting with other knitting. You know you've got to reconsider things when you need 3 pairs of needles in the same size at the same time. Don't fear: this isn't a trend. It all happened so organically - we were just out for coffee and then we got to talking and... What I mean is, I'm working two projects at the same time (and swatching a third, truth be told) not because I can't resist but because I'm avoiding things.

That is SO not my way. I would rather smack my head against a wall than have something hanging over me. And, if it's a problem that has to be solved, why wait? It's not going to fix itself. What's weirder still is that I've actually solved the problem (I think). I have 5 pages of typed notes to detail EVERY FUCKING STEP of the yoke of the Bettie (the top 6 inches of this knit-in-the-round project that affixes the sleeves to the body, shapes the shoulders and creates the neckline/neck tie. But, secretly, I'm worried I won't have enough yarn. I've got 2 skeins left (I started with 8) and that got me 2 shortened-to-3/4-length sleeves (up to the armscye) and the bulk of the body. Will 240 yards get me the rest of the way there?

Not only that, but the body looks exceptionally straight, never mind the fact that I used a slimmer needle on the waist section. It also seems like it might be too big, but in truth, it's kind of impossible to tell. The measurements I was going for are the measurements I've achieved according to the tape measure. I suspect it's much easier to tell if a sweater is going to fit once you've got shoulders because well-fitting shoulders really are the arbiter of a sweater in the right size.

Anyway, I know I've got notes and I've considered the final stage of this sweater up the freakin' yin yang but just those 2 sections of short rows (those that separate the rib from the feather and fan stitch at the base of the sweater and those that separate the yoke from the feather and fan stitch at the (current) top each took upwards of 3 hours and, due to some key disconnect I'm still wrangling re: picking up the wraps using the Japanese technique (I think on the purl side, but truthfully, who knows?), I am unhappy and nervous about the next uncharted frontier. 

As stupid luck generally has it, the next section of the sweater will probably be the easiest. Still, I need a rest till the weekend when my brain will have more space to deal with any unexpected potential challenges.

Alas, I must craft. The thing that's keeping me sane is the meditative action of needles clicking. Sure, I'd love to be sewing but that's not something I generally do mid-week. Also, it's something that takes a lot of energy. There's cutting and pressing and tracing - lots of moving around in addition to thinking. It's not a slow-art. It's very dynamic. Knitting, well it is also dynamic but, relatively-speaking, at the pace of salted caramel dripping from a spoon. Or international package-delivery via Canada Post. You can stop and put it down (and nothing will lose its critical mass). You can watch a movie. You can sit on your ass. In fact, you have to sit on your ass. 

I mustn't overdo it right now. Every time I do, I suffer. And I can knit to my heart's content and not do myself any damage.

Add scenario A (the fact that I'm not ready to finish the Bettie) to scenario B (the fact that I have to keep my hands occupied) and it leads to scenario C - the "other project": le Rondeur.

Intriguingly, this is perhaps the first project ever wherein I've had to size up in the needles. I think that's because I'm working with a DK yarn that's on the slim side. It could also be that this yarn just knits very compactly. I will say that, one needle up, I got exact gauge both vertically and horizontally. I don't think that's ever happened before either. I usually have to sacrifice on the vertical side of the equation (which generally doesn't cause any problems and actually saves me yarn).

The Rondeur is an interesting garment. How many cherry-pink wool t-shirts do you own? Admittedly, the yarn I'm using is washable and is also very sleek but still it's a strange idea. And while I undertook this to escape the mental focus required to finish the Bettie, the initial rounds of the Rondeur (the yoke) are those with the lace work and cables and the pattern is actually very fussy to establish. I'm probably going to have to do a bit of wrong-side-fixing in a couple of spots that seem to be sporting yarn over holes where perhaps they should not be. I'm fairly confident these will not be noticeable in the end (though I'm always going to know) but that's the kind of thing that really irritates me, especially since I am so careful as I go. Sure, it's only 26 rows of lace/cables at the shoulders, but they are painstaking. (I worked for 2.5 hrs last night and only got through 18 of them.) The Bettie would unlikely be harder for longer, but somehow it matters not. I want a new texture and colour. And fortunately that's what I've got.

So, today's questions are: Do you have hobby ADD? Or are you a one-garment (at a time) crafter? Whichever camp you fall into, why is it your preferred way? Do you flip-flop between those two styles (ooh, that would be schizo)? Let's talk.

Oh, and if you have already made Bettie's Pullover and you're reading this - can you confirm that the top 6 inches (where it all comes together) isn't too traumatizing? And that it doesn't take much yarn? Thanks!

Today's Yarn

For someone who's doing a craft series that requires her to make a bunch of sweaters, I sure do give into the strangest impulse purchases.

Yesterday I made a brief excursion to Ewe Knit - to show my friend! It was a public service expedition! - and, in the process of facilitating her next project, discovered this very sample:

Rondeur by RoxanneZYG

BTW, I finally figured out that Ravelry doesn't seem to want to interface with Blogger, which is why I can't link to specific Ravelry projects in this post. I have, however, favourited this on my Ravelry page.

The top-down, knit-in-the-round pattern is available on Knitty.com, for free but now that my link feature is messed up in this post, I can't give you a quick button to get there.

This photo doesn't show the sweater off to its best advantage. It's actually got fantastic shaping. Just the kind that highlights one's hourglass proportions. Check out the waist decreases. As it happens, I was able to measure this baby AND try it on. This photo shows the size 30 (aka small) and it fit well. Maybe even a bit loosely (though the silk-blend purple yarn used had more drape than the brand I bought to make it):

This is DK-weight Zara by Filatura di Crosa yarn, a superwash pure merino (am I incapable of leaving the treated yarns alone???) that feels lusciously soft but that knits up without too much drape. (I know, I touched a sample project made from it.) It's in cherry (colourway 1940), a kind of soft fuchsia that a) cheers me up and b) will look very sassy in a knitted t-shirt.

The plus of this free pattern is that it really doesn't take much yarn. The small calls for about 500 yards which amounted to 50 bucks-worth at my LYS. Very affordable, y'all who knit sweaters will concur. It doesn't get much cheaper than that. The reviews are very positive.

Note: the instructions advise that the sweater is designed for 0-3 inches of negative ease. That's high on drugs. I tried on the 30 (7ish inches of negative ease) and I wouldn't go any larger. Depending on how this knits up, I may add a couple of extra bust stitches under the armhole, just to give a bit more space for my chest, but I would swim in the 34. I'm starting to realize that knitters don't really work from the same premise of negative ease that sewists do.

So, I'm curious to know what you think of this sweater. Have you made it? Would you make it?

PS: I'm not forgetting the fingering-weight garment (last project of the GTS series). I've actually got the most exciting yarn ever to work with on this one. Mind you, that slim, slim wool is probably going to knit up on US2 needles and, even if it's a little sweater, it's gonna take some time. The Rondeur will probably knit on a size 4 needle - this seems to be the needle size I use for everything, regardless of what instructions recommend (it's the size at which I get gauge), and the yarn is easily 2x as bulky as the fingering. Point is, any potential challenges aside, the Rondeur will come together much more quickly than the fingering-weight sweater (to be chosen soon with all of your feedback). Can't say which I'll make first, whether responsible crafting will win out over the impulse project.

PPS: The next sewing project I intend to make - along with S, my fitting friend - will be another tailored suit jacket (different pattern, needless to say). I haven't written about this because it takes a kind of energy to plan and begin that I do not have right now. Just want you to be aware that there is substantial winter sewing in the cards, and lots to talk about as soon as I'm up to it. I don't want to run any risks of abandoning a project I'm too frazzled to take on. Also, I'm notoriously bad at managing my energy. I have to find some way to DO LESS right now and be ok with it. However, that doesn't mean we can't start to think about it in the abstract coming soon.