Bobble Blue

Posted on | February 18, 2007 | 10 Comments

Welcome to my powder room – Pardon the toilet paper!

This was my very first sweater with set-in sleeves. It took me quite a while to get through it because of this, but now I feel much more confident. My stitch gauge was right on, but my row gauge was off and I had a mental block when I got the armholes. The fix was really easy (subtracting rows evenly between the decreases), but for whatever reason I thought it must be more complicated and so it took awhile to wrap my brain around it. I have to laugh at myself, sometimes it takes me forever to get a fairly basic knitting concept! In the meantime, I worked the back and both fronts up to the armholes, and then it sat for a month or two. Once I finally did get it, I flew through the rest (and another sweater which had also been knit up to the armholes with the same problem – the Sandra Sweater). There are some themes here, both this sweater and Sandra were knit using Knitpicks Shine Worsted. Based on my experience with these two projects, this yarn grows, potentially a lot, from the gauge swatch, I had this problem with both sweaters, and had to take drastic measures with Sandra to make it fit. This one didn’t grow quite for whatever reason but it was still a little big and I did take it in an inch or two in the body. I also modified the fit by adding a few short rows in the bust in an attempt to accommodate the girls without any gapping or riding up (ideally I would have added a few more, but I was afraid that they would interfere with the cable pattern).

Once the knitting was complete and the seams sewn, I had a problem finding buttons that I really liked. Jo-Ann Fabrics seems to be the best button source around this area, but they didn’t have enough in stock of any of the ones that I really liked and I fell victim to instant gratification – these buttons are beautiful, but not necessarily suited for this project. They are a bit too big and too heavy. Once I start moving around, they droop. I have yet to wear this sweater aside from the day I finished it and taking these pictures. I don’t think it’s “done” yet. It makes me look thick in the middle (a constant battle with my big girls and short waist) I think it could be a little more fitted, however with it being so low cut I’m afraid to take it in any more; I want to look classy, not tart-ish. I am contemplating losing the buttons and the ribbing and adding hooks and eyes (like another recent project, Coop Cables) or maybe a picot edge and little buttons? I really do love the pattern. I know some folks have an aversion to bobbles, but for whatever reason I am drawn to projects with them, even though they may not look good on me – this sweater in the new Vogue Knitting?

Love it. It’s got to be a texture thing. I loved knitting this sweater, I like the way it turned out, I just don’t love the way it looks on me. I hesitate to frog it – I have concerns about how this yarn will hold up. And I would like to think that the project can be saved. Any thoughts/comments/suggestions on how to make this little sweater wearable?

Category: WIPs, knitting

Comments

10 Responses to “Bobble Blue”

hege
February 18th, 2007 @ 11:45 am

Oh, it’s so beautiful! Great work! I was admiring this in your gallery. You picked a great color, too. I think it looks wonderful on you, but if you are unhappy, how about just making the button bands a little narrower? You could also move the buttons in a little bit at the waist, maybe. It looks great with a shirt underneath, so if you made narrower bands you could open one more button. Hooks and eyes might look good, too, although the ribbed bands balance the bottom ribbing… BTW, I like bobbles, too
nona
February 18th, 2007 @ 2:17 pm

What a beautiful sweater — you did an excellent job with your set in sleeves and making your row gauge adjustments! Also, your two color cabled sock just blew me away.
Kate in NY
February 18th, 2007 @ 7:59 pm

I LOVE that sweater. It is absolutely adorable. I don’t know anything about knitting technique, but it looks great to me, and you could never look “thick” even if you tried. I think this and the honeymoon cami are my favorites so far.

PS Sorry I haven’t been in touch in a while! I’ll try to send a “real” email soon!
KnittingFisher
February 19th, 2007 @ 12:28 pm

You are scared of dyeing and you knit sweaters like that? Girl, get thyself some Bare and kool-aid…NOW. Mel, that is a beautiful job on the sweater. I agree that its a texture thing. Also, I looked at your cabled socks and I love them. Those scare me and I love cables AND socks. I think that might be a pattern that I buy soon!
Shannon
February 19th, 2007 @ 5:17 pm

The sweater is beautiful! You did a wonderful job. The color and those buttons are perfect!
Emily Szettella
February 19th, 2007 @ 9:38 pm

OK! I love this sweater and I LOVE those cable socks! They rock. I love cables so both patterns are right up my ally! I think the sweater looks great on you but if you really don’t like it, you can just send it to me! Hee hee! Thanks for the inspiration!
DeltaDawn
February 21st, 2007 @ 10:11 am

Mel – It’s FABULOUS. Looks GREAT on you – you should wear it all the time. Glad to see you’re up and running – I had checked out your cable tutorial without realizing it was you yesterday.
Genki
February 25th, 2007 @ 2:03 pm

I think it looks great on you, I really like your colour choice. I am also knitting this sweater, I’ve stalled cos I made an error in the cable sections, which has thrown off my count. I’m now knitting Rosedale, so when I finish that, I’ll go back to Bobble Blue. I hope mine looks as good as yours.
Roxanne
March 4th, 2007 @ 9:59 pm

Wow, awesome sweater! I didn’t notice the TP either…no worries…the sweater took the spotlight for sure! Nice job, great fit and wonderful colour.
Pipe Dreams and Purling Plans… » Blog Archive » Exhibitionist 5 - WIP Roundup! (and a touch of Spring!)
April 8th, 2007 @ 8:50 pm

[...] there is this one that I still intend to modify, so we’ll continue to call it a WIP in the [...]

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HandEye magazine
A very happy find. I have only had time to read a couple of pieces from the current issue, but this, it is a very good thing. Take the time to read their mission and an article or two, and I'll bet you will be hooked as well. The intersection of craft, design, and social/environmental responsibility, I don't think it gets much better than that.

And I can't mention HandEye without the source of this find, Craftivism by local author Betsy Greer, and The Creative Life a discussion between Betsy and Kim Werker about making their own way in a nontraditional/creative field. Both of which have spawned long bouts of thinking & dreaming.

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