Knit Swirl, the Last

Remember Wordless Monday, in May 2013? After I blocked and seamed the sweater, I found the sleeves way too long. If they were too short, I would have added cuffs.  But, since they were too long, and I couldn't check the fit until after I had knitted and seamed the entire sweater, I had to frog the entire bodice.

Blast, you, knitted on sleeves!  The sweater marinated in stash for years.  Finally, I picked it apart, frogged and reknit it, with about 20 fewer stitches on each side.

It looks fine spread out like a butterfly.

It even looks ok on the dummy.

Because dummies don't move.

 If a human moves, the sweater bottom sticks out and stays that way.

Not the most flattering sweater.

Lift my arms, and it flares.

Wow, I do love the colors.

Omit the pin, and it juts out in front, too.

This project is a saga-length tragicomedy.

First, I thought I would use up my scrap teal yarns to make an oval knit swirl--the pattern featured on the cover.  However, the sweater looked awfully long (36"), so I shortened it 5 ridges or ~5-6".  I thought I was really clever because that saved so much knitting.

I couldn't get the exact yarns (see scraps), but I shopped for some teal worsted wool to alternate with my scraps.  The best color match was Malabrigo Rios.  It's 100% wool, just like the yarn in the pattern.  What can go wrong?

1. Superwash wool stretches upon blocking.  Regular wool usually doesn't.  
2. The pattern specifies a wool/mohair blend.  Mohair gives the yarn grip, so it doesn't stretch out as much when knit sideways. 
3. The 5x5 stockinette and reverse stockinette stripes used in Knit Swirl sweaters has mechanical downward stretch.  Knit fabrics have more stretch sideways; that's why sideways knit sleeves are risky.

You have to take the measurements of knit Swirl sweaters on faith as you knit those concentric circles and batwing bodices.  Block to the measurements on the charts (if you can).

Apply gravity and then watch the sweater morph in ways you didn't anticipate.

The sleeve length (version 2) is ok.  But, the sweater is a lot more than 5" shorter the pattern.  I swatched!  What happened?

Gravity.  Remember how I gloated about how a shorter sweater represents less yarn and knitting?  The mass of the extra yarn would have pulled the sweater downward.

Notice how the 'waistline' of the sweater sits high, nearly empire?  The sweater pattern was designed for the bodice to be pulled down by the long peplum.  Shorten the peplum and the whole sweater goes "sprong" upwards.

I pride myself of problem-solving skills.  I went to McGuckins (Boulder's favorite hardware store and a tourist attraction in its own right) and bought three feet of brass chain.  I tacked every other link of the chain to the bottom of the sweater, above the first ridge.  It helped some, but not enough.

I tried the sweater one with different tops and pants, with a pin and without.  Nothing looked good enough to go out in public.

A friend invited me over for dinner.  I brought the sweater so we can have a good cry and laugh over it.  It looked great on her.

Damn.  She has a new sweater.

To add insult to injury, one of my pin experiments with the sweater snagged and broke a yarn, causing a small hole.

I gave her the leftover yarn so she can darn it up herself.  I am so .done. with that sweater.

I think I might give her the book, too.

I have another WIP that needs partial frogging.

I'm losing my knitting mojo.

I may have to cast on something else entirely.

Send yarn.

Wordless Wednesday

2014 Wrap-up

I would like to post a wrap-up of my 2014 sewing and knitting activity. Unfortunately, this post doesn't contain any pictures of my makes. Most of them remain unblogged.

However, my spreadsheet says that I completed 37 items in 2014, including a sweater I started in 2010. Sadly, that sweater looks awful on me. Happily, it looks great on a beloved friend. Perhaps she will allow me to post a picture of her modeling it some day.

• 37 items
• 13 for me
• 10 for Iris
• 10 Home Dec
• 4 for others
• oops, forgot the 5 tie-dyed onesies 

January and August 2014 saw bursts of sewing activity.  Iris needed clothes, stat, and her mommy delivered.  It looks like January 2015 will also be about filling holes in Iris' wardrobe.

The big news (and cause of low sewing productivity) in 2014 is that I moved away from my family for a full-time job.  I haven't worked full-time since motherhood so this would have been a big transition even without the move.

In December 2013, I interviewed three times for a research position in Palo Alto.  Palo Alto to LA is a doable weekly commute and I was prepared to do it.

Surprisingly, I did not hear from that research lab for months.  Instead, I spotted a job posting in Boulder in a department and institution that I respect greatly.

It happened very quickly.  I applied.  I interviewed.  I got the job.  I moved to Boulder.  Palo Alto called just days after I moved to Boulder.  No, I wasn't available; I lost interest in them.

Bad Dad and I were married in Boulder.  I received my PhD and he postdoc'd here.  We have many friends in Boulder.  We had always dreamed of having condos in both Colorado and one of the California major cities (SF/LA/SD) and dividing our time between them once Iris moved away for college.

This job just accelerated the schedule somewhat.

I telecommute about 1 out of every 3 weeks so that Iris can remain with Bad Dad in California to finish high school.  They also visit me in Boulder.

Boulder is the epicenter for atmospheric science in the US.  Redondo Beach is the epicenter for the development of certain types of satellites.  It's not surprising that a two-PhD family would make their life among these two places.  There are more tragedies in life than having to split your time between the communities of Redondo Beach and Boulder.  The ocean and the mountains.  Rocket scientists are thick on the ground in both communities.

You've heard of selfish sewing?  What do you think of claiming this spot for my sewing space?  Creative play deserves an inspirational view, right?

This view is a short walk to Elfriede's Fine Fabrics (and JA's) and the Boulder Creek path. Velosewer, it is time to plan your sewing/biking/hiking retreat.