Pattern: Hourglass Sweater, from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, Joelle Hoverson. Stripes inspired by Specs's Dirty Sailor.Yarn: Cascade 220 in green and jet (poorly named... it's a charcoal-y grey), 2 skeins each.
Needles: US 7
Modifications: I made the sleeves 3/4 length (or a bit shorter, even), and without the bells. No fancy mods here, just started with the same number of stitches that the pattern recommends for the narrowest part of the sleeve, knit for about 4 inches, and did the increases as written.
I also wanted to make sure the waist wasn't too loose, as my figure is in fact hourglass-shaped, and excess fabric around the waist makes me look like a big thick box. So I chose the second smallest size, which is actually a just a hair on the small side for my 38" bust, and did one extra set each of bust increases (this involved doing fewer even rounds between increase rounds) and yoke decreases.
It fits exactly the way I'd hoped it would. I didn't block it very aggressively, and it didn't grow a whole lot. In my eagerness I neglected to measure, but here's the pre-blocking pic for comparison: note the mostly-visible belt, pretty much entirely hidden in the above shot.
All in all this was an easy-peasy, stress free knit. Errata aside, the pattern is lovely, simple, and easy to follow. There was only one icky moment: right after grafting the armpits.
(Taking pictures of your own underarms is no easy task, folks.) My solution to this was not particularly elegant. I basically threaded matching yarn through the stitches surrounding the hole, tightened it up, and knotted it. I have an aversion to true knots in knitting, but I can't argue with success:
I've already worn it twice and will probably wear it again tomorrow, if it's not too hot. I am deeply, deeply in lorve. (You heard me. Lorve.)
11 comments:
That is one beautiful sweater. And you look lovely in it!
It looks awesome! Not unlike mint chocolate chip ice cream.
I really love it. I'm making my next on striped.
It looks so great! (and I find myself stitching up holes all the time. ssshhhh.)
Beautiful!!! You did a great job matching up the stripes on the body/sleeves. It looks like a perfect fit.
I have this book, and am now inspired to knit this sweater. Yours came out wonderfully and the fit is great. Thanks for the inspiration!
the fit is indeed perfect!. you know, you could had left the underarm holes in as ventilation ;)
that sweater is still on my queue (sp?)
Wow... just... wow. Awesome job... you modified it to fit you perfectly! You must have some sort of magic sweatervision.
Lovely sweater! You know, it won't actually get warm in PDX until July...I bet you can wear your sweater and your wasabi/berry/fudgey-chocolate mitts at least once more before then!! :)
I love it love it love it!
That is one beautiful fitting sweater. I'm very impressed, I want tone. And the hole fix, thanks for letting us know you are not perfect - although your most result most definatley is.
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