Fitted Knit? (Adriana)

Back in March my mom bought Fitted Knits for me as a thank you present for helping get the house ready to sell. When I first flipped through it I loved most of the patterns but I didn’t end up casting any on. One of the patterns I had really liked initially was the Drop Stitch Lace Tank however I started to think that it wouldn’t look good on me (despite Heather’s protests to the contrary). Fast forward several months later, I’m pattern browsing on Ravelry and I come across people who have knit this pattern and it looks great on them! I’m back in love with this tank and I want to cast on right away. I decide to be smart about it and I read the comments on Ravelry, posts on the KAL and I check the errata (I can’t link to it because for some reason it’s a forbidden site at work. Go figure). I decide to knit in the round and to knit into the back loops on either side of the drop stitches for stability. Choosing a size was a little tricky. The pattern said that it was stretchy so to choose a size that was at least 6 inches smaller than your normal size. After reading all the people who found it too big I chose to go 10 inches smaller. I cast on using the Classic Elite Classic Silk I’d gotten from WEBS (on the advice of Grumperina) and merrily knit around and around for several evenings, happily dropping stitches every 6 rows (the best part of any drop stitch pattern).

I got to the point where I was going to switch to ribbing and I thought it would be a good time to try it on.


Houston, we have a problem!
This is one HELL of a stretchy pattern! I consulted with my mom and my very fashionable 15 year-old cousin and it was agreed to take out 4 pattern repeats or 16 stitches. Hopefully this new version will fit better. The tank has been frogged and the yarn rewound but I haven’t been able to bring myself to cast on. I guess I still need a bit of distance from this pattern (plus I’ve been working on the fishy socks and a secret Christmas project). I’m hoping to get back to the tank this weekend. One thing does concern me; last time around I did a cable cast-on and I found it a little tight. Recommendations for loose cast-ons would be greatly appreciated.

Happy Friday everyone!

Miscellanea (Heather)

Nope, no green sweater successes to show today. Just a dirty lyin' swatch.



I swatched for the first one. I really truly honestly did. There were witnesses. The swatch for this one is just inexplicably an entire stitch smaller per inch. I wasn't even particularly tense when knitting.. it is just inexplicable. I used up the first gauge in my race against yarn last time, so I can't go back and prove it, but I know what I know. Gauge lies.

So, while I continue on the quest for gauge, I have been philandering. In an effort to mitigate my sweater-guilt, all items currently on needles are also for Mike:



Subway sock! (Regia Canadian Colors 4748 Orion) I finally got my hands on a pair of Knitpicks classic circulars... nice flexible cord and a pleasant heft to the needles, nice price, but I got what I paid for. Within the first two inches of ribbing, I pulled the needle through to start a new row, and the cord separated from the needle, leaving 36 orphaned rib stitches dangling. Much cursing ensued. I stuck the cord back in, and I am now pushing the needle through rather than pulling, but I don't really feel that I should have to. To be clear, I am not a vicious knitter! I have only ever broken one needle, and it was a 2.25 birch dpn. Back to Addis I go!



Winter came this week, and with it came the realization that my husband is hatless. As the partner of a knitter/yarn hoarder, this is pretty rephrensible. Cue the skein of Debbie Bliss Donegal Chunky Tweed. I am using Knitting Fiend's spiral top-down pattern because I wanted to get as much hat as I could out of the one skein. I needn't have worried, there is tons left, and it already covers Mike's ears. I could have saved myself a lot of time if I had checked my gauge; I probably would have been done the first day. This seems to be a recurring theme. (I did a swatch for the socks!).

Adriana is here visiting today. I have a feeling it's going to be a knitty day!