Saturday, April 07, 2007

a bit of knitting critique

Just when I finished the Pullover Flair a few weeks ago, it suddenly turned rather balmy here. With the premature onset of eighty-degree weather, I began to worry that I wouldn't get to wear the thing until next winter. But then this strawberry-freezing cold snap set in, and major bummer on the strawberries, but hey! I'm wearing the sweater!

Pullover Flair FO

It has a few problems. Quite a few, actually. I won't go into them all here. This won't be my most stylish sweater, but it's warm and comfortable and will be a good companion on many winter evenings to come (you know... in the future). If I were going to knit this pattern all over again, I'd definitely still knit it in the round, bottom-up, but I'd be extra-careful about the decreases that make the raglan sleeve line. In struggling to maintain the ribbing, I got ugly raglan lines. They aren't quite ugly enough that I'm willing to rip out the whole yoke and re-knit it, but they're not pretty.

The other thing is the fiber. If I had it to do over, I think I'd use a lighter-weight fiber as recommended in the pattern, perhaps a cotton/silk blend. The drape of this design would work a lot better in a less-springy fiber. This merino/cashmere/silk blend is too bouncy and makes the flairs stick out in a rather too-perky way. I have a feeling that would be true for any wool or wool blend.

But all told, I'm keeping it. This is the first grown-up long-sleeved sweater I've ever made, and I'm going to use it as a cautionary reminder to myself in the future. Speaking of which...

The Green Gable is coming along... slowly. Very slowly. Other than its pretty little lacy neckline, this thing is just a marathon of stockinette stitch. The K's never end! I'm a bit bored with it. Okay, a lot bored.

miles of stockinette

How many more rows???

Actually, not that many more. I am ever-so-slowly approaching the bottom edge, and the knowledge of what a very comfortable, cute and work-appropriate garment this will be is the only thing keeping me from dropping this thing in favor of the umpty-three other projects I've got doodled in my notebook right now. Sneak preview: octopus. I can't say any more.

I've also got some half-finished cat beds clogging up my knitting basket, and a pair of socks that's been 2/3 done for quite some time. Plus all this great yarn in my stash squeaking at me: knit me! knit me! But I'll resist and get this Gable finished up. The eighty-degree weather will be back before you know it.

6 comments:

  1. It looks very nice and comfy. Now if I could only get my act together and restart mine!

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  2. you brave knitter you! I am still a hat, bag, mitten and the occasional sock knitter. I have a bunch of sweaters and ponchos I'd love to knit, but fear and lack of that $80 and up chunk of change keep me from going there... I will read on!

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  3. Yeah for the adult sweaters. I can't wait to see what else you have up your sleeve.

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  4. congratulations on your first sweater!! hurrah!! there are always things you might like to improve (and it's all knitterly growth so it's all good :) ), but from here it looks great and i am very excited for you!
    and it got weirdly cold here too... what is up with that? sweaters and scarves dug out from the back of the closet. hope you are staying warm and cozy in your *new sweater*! :)

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  5. I am super critical of my FOs, so I understand what you are saying. However, i think it looks fantabulous on you ms pea!

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  6. i agree with stacie-you are brave! congrats on finishing it. i just may be inspired...

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