I briefly posted about a cami I was knitting for my daughter, but I hit a road block, and the piece needed its requisite time in the penalty box. The neckline was way too low, even for a top meant to be worn as a layer. And I needed to decide on some kind of treatment to neaten the edges up, and nothing was coming.


The denim yarn was tripping me up. There is an inherent challenge when designing with denim -- the shrinkage, of course. See, with shrinkage, you get all sorts of surprises. For example, when I swatched, I discovered that the diagonal lace caused my top to shrink in both length and width, rather than just lengthwise. The significant changes in gauge make it a true guessing game to add unwashed yarn to an already-shrunk piece -- what needle size should I use? What will it do when I wash it again?

I also really wanted to protect the main design element of the camisole, the transitions of the lace pattern up the bodice, and the contouring of the straps around the final lace repeat. They worked exactly the way I intended, and I didn't want my solution to interfere with it. I also wanted to keep the tied straps, so I could have the option of adjusting them on my growing kid.


So I consulted with a brilliant designer over a cup of coffee last week, and we together hatched a solution. I would frog back to the armholes and using my unraveled swatch, reknit a significantly higher neckline , and keep all the stitches live on holders for the application of an i-cord edging that would extend into the tied shoulder straps.



The bad news is that now the neckline is a little too high, but the good news is that it will work fine for the back, and I will start the neckline a couple of rows lower for the front piece. The other issue is that the strap transition has lost its pointiness, and now has a rounder look around the arm because the placement of the i-cord pulls the first few stitches in towards the neckline. I think it might straighten out once worn but I would love a suggestion to help me on the front piece to keep that pointy look I so loved.

The wonderful surprise is the eyelets along the neckline created by applying an i-cord to decreased stitches. I love how it echoes the laciness of the pattern. I decided to leave the armholes unfinished for now, with the idea that I may single crochet around the edges once it has all been washed and seamed. I wish I had enough room to apply an i-cord around the armholes as well, but I think it might be too much bulk under the armholes.


As always, I am open to suggestions and ideas. Participating in the CAL has really kept me motivated on this project, rather than trashing an idea as I have done in the past!

Sort of x-posted to my blog.

Rrrriiiiiiiiiiippp!

Eeek! But it's true. After knitting away, all the while reminding myself to trust my swatch, a horrible thought occurred to me. I looked at my shrinky-dink swatch and then at the amount of yarn I was using up in the knitting. Again, I looked at the swatch and then the knitting. Holy Toledo! There's no way, under any circumstances, in any parallel universe, that I will have enough yarn. *sniffle*

Wait... can I get more? No. I bought up the store's entire stock in a sale. I'm feeling a pretty bag design coming on. Can I get some more in a different dye lot and alternate balls? Probably. But I'm horrible at joining. This will be my last resort. Hmm... Maybe something with stripes. Ugh! I could kick myself, if only I were still that flexible.

I will be thinking and sketching this week. But mostly thinking. In all seriousness, I'm thinking about winding all the Denim onto my swift and throwing the lot in the wash to shrink it up. But I'm resisting as much as possible as I want this to be a learning experience. Mommy said I always had to learn the hard way...

A belated introduction

My name is Sachi and I'm here to learn.

I'm a knitter and a spinner. I've played with dyeing and I've created simple knits. I have yet to design a garment of any significant size, mainly because I personally am of fairly significant size. As a larger woman, who has yet to learn much in the way of patience, creating a sweater that fits me and having it end in less-than-perfection is far too much to bear at the moment. Not only that, but the thought of having to rip something of that huge size is just so daunting that it makes me want to take a nap.

But I'm learning patience and the concept of math/gauge/ease/fit are starting to take a proper hold in my mind. My first sweater of my own design is getting closer every day. I look forward to absorbing information and inspiration from all you lovely folks here at the Create Along. While I may not have much to contribute to this group in the way of new and exciting design for quite some time, I thank you in advance for sharing your creativity with the world.

I've received my shipment of Denim and sat down with my stitch pattern books for hours... and hours... I've been sketching madly for several days and, after narrowing my project down to three sketches, I've decided on a tank with some dragon-scaley-type design. Oh boy. I'm in for a ride, I think.

My mind has only recently been able to absorb fully the concept of gauge swatch shrinking or blooming making my work-in-progress larger than my finished object will be. In fact, my mind has not fully wrapped around that concept, now that I think of it. I swatched, I washed, I dried. I did not, however, measure the unwashed swatch which will be yet another thing to add to my list of "lessons learned" as I work my way through this project. You see, had I measured my unwashed swatch, I would have an awful lot more confidence in my project, now only one pattern-repeat deep in progress.

While my finished project must fit a 44" in bust, my waist certainly does not require such a size. However, as I was scribbling down notes and calculating stitch counts, I understood that, unless I'm inserting a button band, I'll need to be able to pull the tank OVER a 44" bust. As I plan to knit this tank in two pieces, I figured I'd need at least a 20" - 22" piece; half the finished size. I calculated. I cast on. I knitted. I freaked out.

This WIP is at least 35" wide, relaxed. I need a new mantra to chant as I knit to help me fight the urge to rip; something to remind me to trust my swatch.

"Om... Understand the swatch... Om... become the swatch... Om... be the swatch... "

It's not working.

Liz K's Introduction

It has taken me some time to clear out some projects in the queue, but I have begun my design project for the Create-Along. I have been so inspired by this idea and by the incredible ideas bouncing around here!

I am definitely growing into designing. I tend to be more of a radical modifier of patterns than creating something completely from scratch, switching out a neckline, totally changing an edging treatment, or combining two patterns into one garment. In previous attempts at design, I have gotten bogged down in math calculations and picky details, so I have learned to get projects on the needles and design from there.

Using the CAL's limitations, and my own desire to knit from stash, I am making a lacy camisole/tank for my 6 year old daughter, to wear as a layering piece over other cotton tanks, knit with Denim. I have lots of smallish quantities of leftover cottons in my stash, and love the idea of coming up with a sort of tank-template for her, with the idea of switching out lace patterns, bodice shapes or strap treatments as the inspiration hits. You know, design something to radically modify!

I began with my Stitch Pattern-A-Day Calendar, and quickly settled on using Fishtail Lace as the main design element. The big question was choosing a needle size, since I wanted the tank to be lacy enough for her under-tank to peek out of the holes without having that macrame plant holder look. This is always an added challenge in Denim, since the fabric can change quite drastically once washed. In anticipation of copious swatching, I purchased an extra ball of Rowan Denim and started with a US8 needle, knitted a swatch, then washed and dried it.





The plan is to knit several repeats of the lace for the bottom of the tank, and then transition into a mostly stockinette bodice, with two lace panels that will then transition into i-cord straps.



Miraculously, I was pleased with the fabric it created, and am ready to begin knitting on the actual piece. It may be a week or so before I make any further progress on the piece, as I am furiously trying to finish my wool Central Park Hoodie before the weather gets too warm to wear it!

Not exactly x-posted at Crossroad Knits.

Why the #$%!@?! Yarn Restrictions?

I probably should have written about this in my initial CAL post, but the fact is that I am so annoyingly verbose when it comes to things like this that if I had, no one would have ever gotten around to reading the explanation. Instead, I'm giving the topic it's own post, so I can be as wordy as I please. Feel free to skip this if you are not creating-along!

The madness does have purpose, and it was a choice on my part, which I stand by even though I have about seven designs that I'm playing around with now and only one of them is in one of the create-along yarns.

Purpose the First:* One of my favorite recent knitting books is Norah Gaughan's Knitting Nature. Gaughan talks extensively in the book about how she is more creative when she has a limitation, and in each of the six parts she introduces the pieces, both individually and as a group, by writing about each limitation - a shape found commonly in nature. This device wasn't invented by Gaughan. If you ever took a high school art or writing class you were probably asked to do the same thing: "Here is a theme that everyone has to work with, see what you can do with it."

I think most of us creative types chafe at these restrictions initially, but it is absolutely fascinating to see what different people do with the same limitation. It really forces you to start to think outside of the box and it gives an insight as to the perspectives and visions of others. I actually find that the first time I work with a theme it is difficult, but that during the process I come up with all kinds of ideas for working with the theme in the future. Sometimes we have to create that first idea in order to be able to move past it. A yarn limitation gives everyone a starting point (and in this case a choice of five starting points), but it's much less restrictive than suggesting that we all attempt to design around the concept of phyllotaxis. Agreed?

Purpose the Second: Yarn is a big part of design, and the way that a particular yarn behaves can make or break a piece. One of the hardest things to figure out as a new knitter or a new designer is how a particular yarn is going to affect the final garment. The second scarf that I ever made was an eyelet pattern in thick, chunky wool. Now if you are intending to break the rules and use big needles to make an over-sized modern scarf that is one thing, but I was fully expecting a lacy, drapey piece that conveyed elegance. My tweedy wool scarf with occasional holes did not achieve that goal. With many people using the same yarn, there can be significant discussion about its characteristics, and we can all learn more about the limits of certain fabrics. The particular yarns we chose are all yarns that Marnie and I have worked with before and have on hand. I chose the Premiere and Cotton Classic, she picked the Calmer and Denim, and we threw in the Kidsilk Haze because it's something we both have that can work in spring weather. Although I know it's ass cold in most parts this time of year, most of us will finish our projects in spring or summer, so it made sense to work with a warm-weather array of fibers.

I feel that our knowledge of these fibers is important for several reasons. First, we have yarn available to design something in each of the yarn selections during the course of the create-along. This will keep us active in the blogging process and in the process of helping other -alongers. We're also sure to have an example of at least one project made in each yarn. As we design there will inevitably be tips we remember that are yarn-specific. Working with each one keeps us present in the process. Second, we already know what these yarns are capable of, and can help guide create-alongers in their process if they are struggling with the materials. Third, and this is important to me, we know these yarns will wear well over all and that the quality of the create-along projects will not be compromised if you use them. It would devastate me if someone designed something for the first time and it looked terrible after only a few wearings. Although some of these yarns are more resilient than others, they are all reliable and you should be able to get significant use out of them.

Purpose the Third: Whenever you design a piece, you will come up against some type of limitation, and usually you will have several. It may be what yarn you have in your stash, the amount of yarn in a certain dyelot, or a specific color or set of colors. If you go on to design for publication, or if you have already designed for publication, you will find/have found that even more limitations are placed on you. In fact, unless you design for a specific yarn company or yarn in particular it will be pretty common for the publishers to look at your design concept and pick yarn and colors for you. Boy, oh boy, is that fun! (I'm not a fan of this convention, as you can see.)

Given this nearly universal propensity for limitations on design, I thought we could use it as a unifying principle. I think knitalongs work best when there is a common theme. I didn't want to go with choosing a specific type of project to design, because I wanted to attract knitters from a variety of skill levels in both design and knitting. I'm hoping that through this process we can take some of the mystery out of design and make it more accessible to everyone. Not all knitters will be interested, but I'd love it if those who are interested would be less intimidated. I feel that if you can start out with more simplistic shaping more people will join. I also think that the common theme of a few yarns can be cohesively repeated. If this is a success, we can do it again with fall yarns, and attract a different set of knitters.

*I've been reading too much Thomas Hardy. This is how he labels the parts of Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Anyone remember that book from school?

Photos, from top to bottom: River in Kidsilk Haze; Citrus Moon in Pima Tencel (same fiber content as Premiere); Thelma in Rowan Denim; Birch in Kidsilk Haze; Tea Set in Cotton Classic; and Marnie's Deciduous in Calmer.