Dear Jan,
Is two months before the wedding really the right time to start designing a sweater?
Honestly, I didn’t intend to do this.? I started with the good intentions to knit a simple shrug, lacy and lovely, of course, but simple.? The lacy bit is what did it.? It led me to lace cardigans, which led me to Simona Merchant-Dest’s #20 Lace Cardigan, Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2008.? Very dressy, nice add to my relatively simple MOB dress.? I’m sure I can knit that much sweater in a couple of months.
But…VK only published the pattern in size S/M.? (What gives, VK, do only tiny people get married?)? OK, I can do arithmetic, no problem.? Oh, look at how that pattern is designed – the front bands are cast on at the same time as the peplum, then you decrease in the lace patterns on the peplum to create the curve, the pattern doesn’t spell out clearly where the side seams are…crud, this is a bit more complicated than I thought.? You can get an idea of what I’m facing from Red Knit’s post here.
Deep breathe, ok, I can still do this.? Gauge swatches needed, careful tracking of changes, um, you know, I think that lace inset on the peplum is a bit more geometric than I like.? Wouldn’t some nice birch leaves look prettier, especially for a garden wedding?? And they’d go with the roses in my dress.? Yeah, that’s the ticket.? Hmmm, the birch leaf lace pattern has a shorter repeat than the lace inset, I guess I’ll have to adjust for that.? (The swatch shown is backed by the dress – I love the way the yarn pulls out the brighter blue.)
Oh, the decreases that shape the curves of the peplum happen between the lace insets. ? I’ll have to go back to the beginning and adjust cast on so it all works out arithmetically.? I hope it works out in shaping, too.? I’m not sure I’m brave enough to look at the next shaping section- wouldn’t it be simpler to just get to that point and then work out something entirely new to fit if I have to?
Gee, am I designing my own pattern at this point?? It sure is starting to feel like it.? ‘Cause other than the shaping for the peplum and adjusting the width of the front and back, I am going to have to reshape the scyes and the sleeve caps.? Oh, and did I mention that I am toying with the idea of a canterbury bell lace instead of the waterfall pattern used in the body?
Yeah, I think I am designing my own pattern, heavily inspired by #20 Lace Cardigan, but quite my own.? Remind me that I said this was my own pattern if it doesn’t work out and I try to blame Simona!
I hope your London trip has been wonderful, on so many levels.
Love,
Ellen