The Bird in Hand mittens, as I mentioned in my last post, have been hurting my hands. I bent one or two of my steel DPNs into gentle arcs trying to force the decreases. Still, soldiering on with them in search of the perfect mittens–the Selbuvotter mittens, as it turns out, are about an inch too long for my hands, and rather loose, so they’re not as warm or comfortable as they should be. I’m considering making liners, but the thumbs are already pretty stiff and snug, so that might not work well.
Here’s the palm of the mitten in progress, no flash…
And here’s the back of the hand in progress, with flash.
Because my fingers were hurting from wrestling with the DPNs, I just had to take a break when my package from WEBS arrived.
On the left, one of the size 0 DPNs I’m using for the mittens; on the right, one of the size 19 Denise needles I used for this latest FO.
The sweater in question? The Shopping Tunic, from Twinkle’s Big City Knits
Unfortunately, you kind of get out of it what you put into it. All my photos came out hideous and I have a sinking feeling this is because the sweater itself is hideous.
Here’s the least hideous of the snapshots. Gah! I mean, I love it in theory, but the gauge looks so loose and sloppy. I blocked it and everything. And it’s certainly not very flattering. Perhaps if I wore sleeker clothes underneath, in similar and darker colors, it would work better. I don’t like that big lump where you can see the waistband of my jeans.
Rahul was not a big fan of this. I tried it on to show him, and he looked dubious.
“Um. Are you giving this to someone else?”
“No.”
“Is it meant for wearing around the house?”
“No, you’re supposed to wear it out.”
He considered this for a moment and said, diplomatically, “I think the stitch size is too big.”
“But that’s the designer’s signature style!”
“Sorry. I guess I’m just a plebeian.”
“Well… it’s stylish! It was in Anthropologie!”
“No WAY!!” he exclaimed, unable to restrain his disbelief–then added, “Actually, I don’t know what Anthropologie is, but whoever they are, they did not have this sweater.”
I had to try and find the Butter Hill funnelneck online to show him. Then, because it was striped and this is not, he wouldn’t believe it was the same sweater.
“It looks like chain mail!”
“Nooo!”
“It looks like you’re about to ride into battle! You look like Barbarossa!”
Anyway–I’ll have to see if I can do anything with the styling to make it more wearable. Till then, the jury is still out on this one.
Thankfully, I do like this Flared Lace Smoke Ring I finished last week. (Isn’t that a great sweater I’m wearing? Sadly, I didn’t make it–I bought it at an Old Navy after-Christmas sale)
And this is how we wear the cowl in the old country:
Pattern: Heartstrings Flared Lace Smoke Ring
Size: As specified by the pattern: 28″ around at the base, 22″ around at the top, 18″ long.
Yarn used: Elann Silken Kydd in Baked Apple, 1 skein
Needles used: US size 6/4.0 mm Denises
Started: 12/26/07
Finished: 1/3/08
Mods: Used less than the specified yardage of yarn. Bound off with a *k1, k2tog, slip st back to left needle* BO to create a stretchy, ruffled BO edge. Other than that, nothing.
Notes: Fluffy, soft, easy, and pretty–a nice use for one skein of laceweight. Notes on the yarn are here. The stitch pattern looks complicated, but is repetitive enough that this became my TV knitting once I got through the decrease charts. (You knit from the bottom up, decreasing for a few lace repeats, and then work the last chart, keeping the stitch count constant, until the cowl is the length you want it.)
I might send this to my grandma. I’m not sure if she would wear it or if she would prefer the traditionally shaped scarves/shawls she already has.
I’m buying Barbara Abbey’s Knitting Lace
9 comments
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January 7, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Chelsea the Yarngeek
The Lace Smoke Ring is fabulous! The gauge on your Shopping Tunic does look a little iffy. Perhaps wearing it over a smooth dress? Or with a top and leggings? The mittens are looking great! Take good care of your hands, the gauge looks killer!
January 7, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Emilee
The smoke ring is stunning! I hope you figure out how to make the Shopping Tunic work for you. If you can’t, at least it only took a couple of days…
January 7, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Janet
Love your smoke ring! You’re so tiny and can wear any gauge. I like the tunic. I’m going to knit the same mittens but after hating the worsted weight yarn on #2 needles I’m going to try sport weight instead.
January 8, 2008 at 9:12 am
chemgrrl
Oh, I love the smoke ring! It looks great on you, I think you should keep it.
The sweater? Ummm….maybe with leggings?
January 8, 2008 at 11:34 am
Macoco
The smoke ring looks beautiful.
Hmm I’m not to sure about the sweater. But your dialog with Rahul cracked me up. He sounds like he has a great sense of humor.
January 8, 2008 at 12:51 pm
nettie
I love the delicate stitches on the smoke ring.
Your Rahul sounds like my DH, trying in the nicest way to tell you that they don’t like what you have on =) And of course the absolute certainty that they are right about something even if they have never heard of it. Lol
January 8, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Sara
honestly? i think the tunic is too big for you and the gauge does look too loose. also, when i knit mine, i made the cowl less dramatic. ok, i did that b/c i was running out of yarn, but i still think it looks better when it isn’t so deep.
i love the flared smoke ring. thanks for the review of silken kydd. i was wondering how it compares to douceur et soie and kidsilk haze.
January 8, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Julie
That lace smoke ring is gorgeous. I think that the shopping tunic could work with leggings. Although it does seem like a minidress, to be honest! Not that that’s a bad thing…..
January 11, 2008 at 10:22 am
gleek
the tunic is such a cute pattern but i just can’t do bulky knits. i’m just too big for them! i can’t tell from this picture how it really looks on you. if you think it should be ripped go with your gut instinct.
that red lace smoke ring is just gorgeous!