Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Yet another one

I knit another top.  Yes indeed.  Knitting something takes approximately 1,000 times longer than sewing something, but I'm finding it strangely soothing as an activity.  It's so portable.

This is a pattern on Ravelry known as the "Grown-Up Tee", because it was originally published as a kid's pattern.  There are only two other projects for the adult version of this pattern posted on Ravelry, which strikes me as strange since this is kind of cute, and not hard to knit.


One modification I made was to add shaping to the lace section by using smaller needles above the hip, and reducing one stitch per lace repeat at the waist level.  It is *extremely* subtle since the 100% silk yarn (ColourMart again) is very drapey and the ribbed lace pattern does not really draw in, but in my imagination the blockiness of the pattern as designed (no shaping whatsoever) is avoided.  (To be fair to the designer, if this was knitted in wool as intended, the ribbing would naturally pull in to create the illusion of shaping.)

It is an interesting exercise to apply my sewing and fitting knowledge to knitting patterns. The pattern as designed is the same front and back, which would make for a very wide open and low-feeling back neck.  I added some short rows which start along the top of the sleeve to add approximately 2.5cm (1") to the back neck.  At left is a photo of the sleeve, taken from above, showing where the short rows start.  The line is approximately where the neckline as designed would have fallen.

I am going to my sewing room now to contemplate Claire Shaeffer's latest Chanel jacket pattern...

Saturday, July 7, 2012

From the sublime to the ... utilitarian

I like to hang laundry on the line.  Love that fresh air smell!

The clothes pegs needed a new receptacle.









I made one.  

The first one, built around a wire hanger, lasted 17 years I figure.  

It took about 30 minutes to make a new one.

It has some design improvements which may make for additional longevity, like an extra couple of layers of canvas around the bottom of the hanger.  Maybe it will last 20 years.