Like The Queen
Whatever happens to strike my fancy, but surely some sort of fiber content.

2 Comments:

Bess what beautiful flowers! Glad to hear you are feeling better. Thanks for giving me the thought of something to look foward to; our Irises are weeks away up North here!

By Blogger Margaret, at 5:36 PM  

I agree that the 6 stitches per inch looks better.

And cap sleeves are cute on folks with out "arm chub" as Laurie calls it. But I'm with her -- hide the bat wings whenever possible!

By Blogger Mary, at 1:37 PM  

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Friday, May 11, 2007  

Feeling much better today - it’s a wonder what 14 hours of sleep can do for a body.

Here’s the swatch I knit in the Tilly Tomas yarn.

The lace is that same "mountain" lace that’s in Barbara Walker’s first book of knitting patterns, and also in the soon to be ripped Brooks Farm mohair cardigan. I like it because it’s a 10 stitch pattern - easy to calculate it into a sweater design. I also like the scalloped edge it creates. Unlike Crazy Aunt Purl, I love cap sleeves and intend to knit this yarn into a cap-sleeve top. Of course, she is looking for a short sleeve t-shirt and I am looking for a modest wear-to-work tank top so we see different things when we look at cap sleeves. Also. If the widest part of your body is the straight line between one short sleeve and the next - well - a diagonally pointing sleeve line coming from the shoulder is a good deal more flattering than the straight slash that is your ordinary t-shirt.

But the big thing I discovered last night is that - in spine of the ball band - I think the 5 stitches to the inch recommended for this yarn is too loose. Combining the weight of silk, its slippery drape and loose stitches is pretty much a guarantee it will stretch out of shape when worn.

I knit the last inch of stockinette on #5 needles and got 6 stitches to the inch. I like it much better than the first few rows. I also cast on the lace part way too tightly so that as I knit with this slippery yarn, the fabric grew wider and now it won’t lie flat. That is why I swatch; to get to know what the yarn wants to do as well as to find my gauge.

Of course the only #5 needles in my vast store of knitting paraphernalia are 16" circulars. What a perfect opportunity to purchase some Addi Lace #5’s.

So. Off to work on my Last Day Before Vacation. I’ll be posting next week - just sans photos. So here are a few beauties from my garden to keep things colorful around here.

posted by Bess | 7:12 AM
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