My Cochineal Lace Cardigan
July
Just have to show you this leaf pattern. It reminds me of heads of grain waving in the breeze. I don't know what it is called in the Japanese Stitch Guide from which I got it, but probably something like "Wheat in the Breeze."
The body is finished. It's been very interesting to decide on patterns as I go. It involves a lot more ripping out than I had in mind. Patterns that look good in the book, don't necessarily look good in a swatch, and patterns that swatch nicely don't necessarily work in the sweater itself.
I longed for an attached lace edging.
Problem: edging is too tight.
Solution: rip it off and knit it more loosely.
Next attempt
Problem: edging is too long.
Solution: rip it off again. This time for good.
Next attempt: Knit a picot edging.
Problem: Picot edging curls. (The rows of stockinette right before the edging SHOULD have been a clue.)
Solution: Rip it off again.
Solution: Add a few more rows of seed stitch to straighten out the curl.
Then knit the picot AGAIN, this time tightening up the ration of binding off stitches.
Ta-da!!
Next the sleeves come back onto the needles. And what to do with them? Pattern or no pattern? Three-quarters-length or full-length?
June
The yoke is finished, so it's time to take the sleeves off on waste yarn, then join the fronts to the back and knit the body. I have another pattern picked out of the Japanese 300: it's a leaf-type pattern that reminds me of waving grain. It's a 15-stitch repeat, so I'll need to do a little figuring and adjusting.
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| Attached Edging |
Problem: edging is too tight.
Solution: rip it off and knit it more loosely.
Problem: edging is too long.
Solution: rip it off again. This time for good.
Problem: Picot edging curls. (The rows of stockinette right before the edging SHOULD have been a clue.)
Solution: Rip it off again.
Then knit the picot AGAIN, this time tightening up the ration of binding off stitches.
Ta-da!!
Next the sleeves come back onto the needles. And what to do with them? Pattern or no pattern? Three-quarters-length or full-length?
June
The yoke is finished, so it's time to take the sleeves off on waste yarn, then join the fronts to the back and knit the body. I have another pattern picked out of the Japanese 300: it's a leaf-type pattern that reminds me of waving grain. It's a 15-stitch repeat, so I'll need to do a little figuring and adjusting.
I agonized over the length of the collar to underarm, trying it on numerous times, measuring obsessively. Then I did two more rows. I just don't want it tight under the arm, since I have to wear it over other things. Keeping my fingers crossed!
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| Yoke is finished |
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| Yoke patterns close-up |
So here is the start of the top-down, "Crazy Lace" raglan sweater. Yes, it's very marker-rich. I have markers for the structural parts (front, sleeve etc), and then a yarn marker for every pattern repeat since it's a 10-stitch pattern on a changing row count. AND I didn't start the first row with a complete pattern repeat, since to increase or decrease so many stitches for it to come out even didn't seem wise.
THEN, I had to rip out the first few inches of pattern, since I couldn't convince myself that I was happy with the garter ridge at the color change. It made color bumps on the right-side, even though I had changed the pattern to avoid them. Just couldn't talk myself into liking it, (that entire internal conversation SHOULD have been a warning bell) so out it came, and I'm liking it now!
