Cable Sweater Back

I finished the back of the Cable/Bobble Sweater on Friday, and am now on the 3rd repeat of the bobble pattern on the front. I'm rather pleased with the way it looks, and I think it's going to be a nice sweater when it's done. I'm not tired of the pattern yet, and I don't mind doing all those bobbles, which I was warned about. I did have to make my own chart for the body stitches, simply because it was so excruciatingly tiny in the magazine. Mine covers a little more than two legal-size sheets taped together lengthwise, so it's much easier to see.

Here's a close up of the second stitch pattern from the outside, and it shows the color a little more truly.



I also finally finished the Deep Caramel rib-knit skirt tonight that I cut out in December to go with a Jalie Tee, which I finished in December. I decided to take a discussion about deconstruction to heart a little bit, and instead of hemming, I just used a large rotary cutter with a scalloping wheel to trim the hem edge. I think it's kind of cute, really. And, if I get tired of it, I can always hem it more conventionally. It's a cute skirt and I like it, but it's really a little lightweight for a skirt. I always wear a slip with these skirts anyway, so it's no problem, but I really think a useful resolution for me would be to watch the weight of knit fabrics a little more closely. It would save a lot of trouble.

Coral Skirt & Tee

I finished the Coral Lace-Knit Skirt last night that I planned as a companion piece to the Coral Floral Tee. You can see another photo of it here. I used my tried and true FFF skirt pattern. It's a plain, straight skirt pattern for knits with your choice or 1 through 4 seams. I usually make it with 4 seams, but I decided to cut the CF on a fold because of the lace pattern. I also added a little width to the CF as I wanted a little more width in the skirt rather than the extra-slim shape I usually make. I like it quite a lot, and I think it works wonderfully with the Tee. I also like the hip sash, which ties it all together nicely, but it's also okay without it. The only thing I am disappointed in, is that I wish I had bought enough of the lace for a pair of pants. I think it would be really cute, and very summery. I'm sure Textile Studios is out of it though, as it was last fall when I bought this fabric.

I originally had thought I'd like a godet at the side seam, and I put one in. Of course it went in perfectly, because it looked just awful! Very much like a small rag had attached itself to my skirt. Needless to say, away it went! I often think I should do things that are a little more daring, but the classics seem to be what looks best on me. At least, that's what I think. Maybe I'm just stuck in a small rut.

Sewing for a Change

I said I was feeling like I needed to do a little sewing, and I decided to finally whip up two Jalie Tees that have been on the list for a while, and that I want for spring. I bought some neat knit prints from Textile Studios, and just hadn't gotten to them. As you can see, one is a french exterior print, and the other is a coral floral. At the same time, I bought a floral lace knit in a dull coral, which is a two-layer knit, so it's not really sheer, although I will wear a slip with it, which I think will make a nice spring combination with the floral tee.

After I said I felt the urge to do a little sewing, I immediately felt like knitting, but after an hour or so, Mr. Peep, the assistant cat, laid firmly on my chart. I took this as a sign that I had better get to the sewing. I'm glad I did, but I did get some knitting done afterward too. I'm about halfway up the armscye on the back of the Silky Wool Cable/Bobble Sweater.


This sweater was the third thing, and second sweater I ever knitted. I still really like it, but it's much too big now. It's a Vogue Knitting pattern, #10 from the Spring/Summer 1993 issue. I knitted it in 1994 with Paton's Cotton DK. The color was Light Khaki, and it has since been dyed mauve. If you go to a clearer sweater photo, you can see short-row darting on the front at the beginning of the armscye. This was my first try on darts, too, and I think it was quite intrepid of me to do this on a patterned sweater for the first time. Perhaps I didn't know enough to realize it should be hard. As I look at the pattern again, I see that it also is rated "Experienced" which I most certainly was not. The yarn I used was Paton's Cotton DK, and after all this time, much wear, quite a few washings, and being packed away for a couple years, I think the cotton yarn has held up remarkably well. It was recommended by a LYS owner, and I'm very pleased that she guided me toward it. The more I look at the pattern, and remember how much fun it was to knit, the more I am thinking that I should make one again. I'll have to see if the feeling persists.

Silky Wool Progress

Click to view larger.


Here's my progress on the back of the VK Winter 01/02-#25 Cabled/Bobbled sweater in Silky Wool. I'm rather pleased with it. It's a very complex thing to knit just because all the different patterns have different row repeats, and so although the chart goes up to Row 40, as that's the longest repeat, the shortest repeat is 16 rows, I think. When I go past Row 40, I have to see where to equate with Row 1 of the 40 row pattern, and then add the prescribed amount to get the row number of that pattern. I definitely have to sit and have the chart where I can see it while I knit.

This afternoon I took a break and cut out a couple of Jalie Tees. I got some cute knit prints from Textile Studios and have been wanting to get them made up. One is a coral on white floral and the other is a pink with black line drawings of French sidewalk cafés and exteriors. I hope to sew them tomorrow.

Like Aged Stonework

Click on photos to enlarge.

Here's most of the bobble panel for my Silky Wool Cabled Sweater. I really like the way it's looking. It reminds me very strongly of ancient, weathered stonework whose carvings have been worn to softness. It's going rather quickly, and the bobbles have been fun, although originally I worried that I would get sick to death of doing them. They go very well, especially now that I've pretty much memorized the pattern. That helps amazingly, and although it didn't seem like it at the beginning, it is a pattern that makes sense, thus making it that much easier to memorize. I have about 5 more rows before I begin the body patterns. I want to make a new chart before I do that, as the one they have given is so very tiny, and there are some corrections that need to be made. I think a new, larger chart is just the ticket. Here's a close up of the bobble pattern.

Another Yarn Dilemma - Solved

The top sample is my gauge and sample swatch of the Bobble pattern in Silky Wool. The lower sample is from a sample skein sent by elann.com (Click on the photo for a larger, more detailed view.) It's about half wool/half microfiber, which was a combination that I had originally thought might be good for this sweater. Everything about it looked good, except the color, but they have others. I really thought I might switch after I did the sample last night, but looking at it both in person and in the photos, I really believe I'll stay with the silky wool. It just has a little more interesting look to it.

You probably notice the difference between the lower bobble pattern in the top swatch and the second repeat above it. I was not happy with the way my bobbles looked, even with several suggestions to slip the first stitch on each row, etc. I finally remembered to look in my June Hemmons Hiatt Principles of Knitting book, and of course, she has the answer to this, as well as almost anything else you'd ever want to know about knitting, and a lot of things I didn't know existed. She has a Better Bobble method.* As you can see, the good bobbles all stand up like soldiers, and look very uniform. The other methods lead to bobbles which are shy and retiring. Bold bobbles; that's what we want!

I started on the back again last night, and it's slow going so far. I have a stitch marker between each repeat, and I'm using some commercially-made ones which are okay, but I really wanted some made from straws. So, I snagged a couple straws from a restaurant yesterday, and I'll cut them into slices. That's my favorite type of marker. They're very flexible, lightweight and don't get in the way. Also, easily replaceable.


*Better Bobble Method
R1: YOinc3, turn
R2: P1, YOinc3, P1, turn
R3: K5, turn
R4: SSP*, P1, P2tog, turn
R5: Slip2kwtog, K1, PSSsO

(SSP involves slipping 2 knitwise separately, moving them back to the left needle, and purling them together through the back loop from left to right.)

And the winner is...Silky Wool

This is a tiny image of the color of Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Wool that I ordered for the Bobbled Sweater. It's called White Sands, and has just a hint of pink to it. I hope it's going to be everything I hope it will. Quite a few people on the Knitty Board seem to think it's very nice, and especially good for cables and stitch work, so that's encouraging. Elsebeth Lavold is known for her Viking Knitting patterns, which rely heavily on intricate cables, etc. so that also gives me hope. I'm kind of pleased with the color too, I think. Especially having just read an article in the Wall Street Journal about the fact that nude neutrals are making a big comeback, and pale, pale pink is one of the hot ones. So, even a fashionable color, besides one that appeals to me. What more can I ask? I got the yarn at Yarn Country and also ordered some Silky Tweed and a pattern book by Lavold.

I've been doing some spring cleaning, seemingly. January is a little early, but it is really nice weather, and when I'm in the mood to clean, I have to seize the day, because you never know when it may come again! The sewing area is getting a little overhaul too, and none too soon. I love it when it has a little more spacious look, and I was beginning to feel pretty boxed in.

The Spring Couture shows are over, and I really enjoyed all of them, except one. I have rarely seen a show which had absolutely nothing that appealed to me, but she managed to pull it off. Oh well, maybe next time. Now it's on to Fall Fashion Week in New York for the RTW shows.

Swatches and Swatches!

I've fallen in love with this Vogue Knitting pattern from the Winter 01/02 issue. It's supposed to be done in an extra-fine merino wool yarn. I had planned to use a lovely Harris tweed for it, and I did a swatch, and then started the back when the gauge appeared correct. The more I knitted, the more I was sure that the very subtly variegated yarn hides the stitch patterns. And, if you can't see the stitch patterns on this sweater, what's the point? Here's how it looks. Now that I look at it again, it doesn't look so bad, but I'm just not crazy about it. I love the yarn, but I guess not for this pattern.
And here's a close up.



I tried several wool yarns in various weights, as I thought maybe part of my problem was that the Harris yarn was too thin. No wool yarn that I tried seemed to have a similar look to the Vogue photo, and I began to think of other types of yarn. The latest thing I tried is some Cotton Gauze yarn. It's a tape yarn, and I don't think it's bad, although I would want a lighter color, which would make it more defined, I think. Here's a photo of the Cotton Gauze. I'm at the point now where I'm not sure if I really like it, or I'm just wishing I liked it because I'm tired of the whole controversy. Actually I do like it, I just worry that I'll wish I'd known about some other really great yarn choice that I should have used. So, any suggestions will be gratefully accepted.

Red Shrug

I was looking through a box of sweaters the other day, and came across a little shrug that I knitted in 2000 for my Grandmother. When she was gone, my aunt gave me back the things I'd made for her over the years. When I found this, I almost couldn't figure out what it was at first, and then I remembered it. Red was her very favorite color, and I made this from a yarn called Safari in a blend of red and black. It was perfect for her as she was always a little chilly, and it was easy to put on and have a little extra warmth over her shoulders. The pattern is by Fiber Trends, and is called Evening Shrug. There was a lot of short-row shaping, and it was knitted all in one piece so that when you were done, there were 3 stitches at each underarm to graft together. I decided I might as well wear it around the house anyway, as it really is nice and warm. It's not really my colors, but it's kind of fun. The shawl collar is a feature I like, compared to other shrug patterns I've seen. Here's a photo with the caramel wool pants and Koala shell.

Lace Wrap & Inside Zipper Pant Photo

I finished the Vogue Knitting Lace Wrap #24 from the 2005 Holiday edition. I think it turned out pretty well, and it's lovely and warm to wear. The colors are not nearly so clashing as you might suspect from the photos. It's longer than I think it really needs to be, and it isn't even as long as they say to make it. There are a few corrections to the pattern which are outlined on the Vogue Knitting website. I think it will be nice to wear over jackets. I used a cable needle for a shawl pin, and with a few stitches on the curve, it doesn't show or shine at all when it's holding the Wrap. You can see Catso here guarding it while I took the photo. It was a challenge to get the photo taken before he made another swipe at the shawl pin. Those feet are just very handy. It was fun to knit, and I'm almost sorry to be done with it, although I'm anxious to get started on a new project. There will be gauge swatches tonight if I have time!


I also took a photo of the inside of the latest side-zip Hollywood-waist pants showing the hook & eye, as requested. The inside is not as gorgeous as I could wish. I wasn't really planning it to be seen, and the lining has a "unique" application, which actually works well. Anyway, here is the inside photo. You can see a larger version at myPants Gallery at Pbase. I have the hems re-pinned and all ready to sew, but won't get to it tonight.

Melton Pants

Here are the matching Melton pants both with the Vogue 8123 jacket, and alone. I think they turned out quite nicely, although I'm thinking about lengthening them slightly so I can wear higher heels with them. They're lined, and have the Hollywood waistband I've become so enamored of. Pam Issacs-Erny calls it a Comfy Waistband, and it certainly is that. As you can see, it looks just fine with a top tucked in; not in the least like your average elastic waist pants, at least in my opinion.

I got really excited last night when I suddenly realized that I can make skirts with this same waistband treatment! Perhaps I am easily thrilled, but I have a RTW skirt that has a similar fit, and I've always liked it.

I had another revelation when I was working on the lining for these pants. I cut it first, as the lining fabric was still on the cutting table from the jacket. I then cut the Melton, but I sewed the lining first, and I realized that one could sew pant linings "on spec" as it were. I almost always use the same pants pattern, but even if I didn't, the lining would probably fit any pant that fit me. So, sometimes when I'm just dying to sew something, but really don't have a project in hand, this might be something to think of. How nice to have a lining all ready to go into a pair of pants at a moment's notice, too.

I have been doing my zippers a little differently with this waistband. This is an invisible zipper that goes to the top of the waist, and there is a small hook & eye set on the inside across the top of the band. This is very secure, and the zipper is truly invisible.

More Stuff

That Vogue jacket has really spawned its own cottage industry! Thanks to several people on Sewing World, and especially Carolyn, I'm making a pair of my standard Double Burda pants out of some of the remaining Melton (which I now know is a color called Lovat) and I have enough left that I could make a skirt too. I also realized last night that the dark caramel rayon ribknit top will go beautifully, and there is a skirt cut out of that too if I would just stitch it up. It matches some of the embellishment on the jacket collar, and would be a very nice contrast I think. So, that skirt may be next, but right now I'm on the pants. I finished them last night, except for the hem. I like to do a Cynthia Guffey triple hem, as when you're done with them, they're in to stay, and absolutely invisible.

I received an order from elann on Wednesday, and I'm quite excited about it. I got enough Filatura di Crosa Valentino in Chestnut to make the free pattern they're offering for a shawl which can also be worn as a pseudo-cardigan. It's quite a neat design.

I also got some Silk City Cotton Gauze, which I want to use to make this very trendy Berroco Laced Cardigan, Joy.

Finally, I got enough Harris Shetland 4-ply to make a bobbled pullover from a fairly recent Vogue Knitting.

So, I think I will be somewhat busy for the forseeable future. The weather has been so lovely since Christmas (55 right now!) that I suppose soon I'll have to cut into the Fiber Time for gardening. I'm not complaining though. It's gorgeous outside, and I am on the lookout for pansies.

"JackieO" Jacket - Vogue 8123 Finished

I finished the Vogue 8123 Jacket last night. I noticed the other day that in a list of patterns I was interested in doing, I had called it the JackieO Jacket, as an aide-memoire, and it does remind me of her style, and that era we associate so strongly with her style.

I added some more embellishment to the collar before attaching it, as I thought it was a little blah. I had forgotten all about roving, which makes a very nice base to add other things to, so I put it on top, and added a little more yarn on top of that.

The keyhole buttonhole was made with the template buttonholer on my Kenmore, and it worked beautifully through all the layers. Here's a close up of the collar, and of the antique carved mother-of-pearl button. You can see more photos at my Vogue 8123 Gallery at Pbase.

Vogue #8123 Progress

This is the embellished collar for the jacket I've been making from Vogue #8123, and it's going awfully well. I underlined the entire thing in pink flannel with cute undies printed on it. Since it's also going to be lined, no one will ever see the flannel, but it was a very nice weight and quality, and at a great price. I washed and dried it on hot to preshrink it before I cut it out, and it seems very stable. I basted it together and tried it on before I cut out the Melton, and it was fine. I finally got the jacket together this evening except for the lining and the collar, and I really like it. The flannel added just the perfect touch, as the Melton was just a little flimsy feeling for this jacket all by itself. The instructions given by Vogue certainly would not enable you to get the results that you should be able to achieve. I added quite a lot of interfacing. Besides the front facings and collar, I also interfaced the hem and sleeve hems, and used strips at the neck seam.

I embellished the collar tonight, and may add some beads or a little embroidery, but it's basically done. The lining should go quickly, and that will be that. I have a lot of the Melton left, and am thinking that a skirt would be nice. It's such a nice color. I was told that it's called Covert.

The kicker in the middle of all this productivity is that my Elna began sounding like it needed a little rest and attention last night, so I packed it up and took it to the repair shop this morning. They promise results in a few days. Meanwhile, I'm using my old Kenmore, which you can see here, and it's sewing through all these layers like a dream.

New Year Plans & Progress

I've been enjoying a somewhat heated discussion on Sewing World about the "test garment" of the Decades of Style Patou Suitdress pattern published by Threads Magazine. We all agree that the Threads version is quite awful, and has such elementary sewing errors that it's hardly worthwhile to go on and detail the more advanced missteps, one of which is the use of a plaid fabric. It has gotten me thinking about the type of fabric I want for my version though. I was quite sure that I wanted a plain fabric, and was beginning to think about weights, and where I might find just the right thing. I'd looked around some, and nothing really grabbed me. Then, I suddenly thought of the Oscar de la Renta foiled wool suiting which I got from EmmaOneSock. I hope there will be enough, as when I bought it, I never contemplated this style, or anything like it. I wouldn't have to worry about a mismatched pattern, as it's quite random, but it has the weight I was thinking of for this. I don't want a terribly thin fabric, and this may be just right.

I've also been beginning on a Vogue Jacket #8123, the center view. I'm going to use a wool/cashmere Melton from Wazoodle which is a little thinner than I think this should be, so I got some flannel today and it is now preshrunk and ready to cut. I'm hoping to do some embellishment on the collar, and I'm also thinking of pockets. Maybe angled patch pockets which cover an opening like a welt pocket, so the patch pockets do not bag out or get stressed.

I've also been knitting on my Vogue Knitting wrap, and I'm almost done with the wrap itself, and then it will be on to the decorative knitted roses at the closure. It's been a fun thing to knit.

Lace Wrap

Here's what I've been knitting the last couple of days. I finally started on the Lace Wrap from Vogue Knitting, Holiday 2005. What a fun pattern, but I was going crazy doing it until I made myself a nice chart. They had it written out line by line, but each line of printing just started wherever the last one ended, and it was maddening to try to make sure you were in the right place. The pattern makes much more sense this way too, as you can see how the designs stack up. The top of the wrap in the photo is actually the right side of the chart. The pointed edge will be the ruffle at the bottom. That's why it's purposefully wider than the rest of the wrap, and you can see that the left side of the chart varies in length of rows. This is what makes the points. I like this yarn a lot too. It's from Elann, and is their Peruvian Collection Highland Wool. It's very nice to knit with. Here's a close up of the yarn that's a little more true to color.



It seems to go pretty fast, which is nice, and it's certainly an interesting pattern to knit.

I finished my caramel wool pants and knit top before Christmas, and they're very nice. I just don't have a photo yet, and may not until after the end of the year, as I'm trying desperately to finish up all the bookwork, etc. before the 1st. It's always a mad rush around here in the week after Christmas.

Wool Pants & Decades of Style

I bought some fabric at Sew Creative the other day; a lovely caramel colored wool, and a rayon/lycra fine ribknit in a slightly darker shade of the same color. The knit seemed to have slight color variations across the grain, so I bought a small amount, and prewashed it, and it came out beautifully even. It will be a Jalie Tee, and I have since bought a little more, which will be a matching skirt.

I cut out a pair of my Double Burda pants tonight from the wool, applied the pocket and zipper, and sewed the in- and out-seams. It is so lovely to work with, and just does everything I would like it to, instead of fighting me every step of the way, or at least sabotaging me a little. I will finish them tomorrow, I hope.

I also got a pattern today that I ordered only 3 days ago. It's the 1951 French Couturier (Patou) Suitdress from Decades of Style. In their very nice email telling me that it had shipped, they also mentioned that this was their most advanced pattern, and that if I had any questions of problems, not to hesitate to call or email them. That gave me pause, and when I looked at the directions this morning, I could see why it's difficult. It just has lots of tricky things, and lots of shaping, including the curved back peplum, which is so lovely, but is going to be exciting to make, in a lot of ways. I plan to do the view with the drape that comes from under the peplum. I'm not sure when I will be able to start on this, but probably not until sometime in late January or later.

More Pants

Well, I've been making some pants. I love my Double Burda pattern, but wanted to add a pocket, preferably an inseam pocket.
I've always liked the one used on the Great Copy Classic Pants, and so I used it, correcting the side seam shape to match this pattern. I think it turned out pretty well. I only put one on the right, as the zipper is on the left, and it would add quite a lot of bulk there to add a pocket too. I've been buying fabric for pants for quite a while in the certain knowledge that I would be needing and making pants again in the near future. Well, maybe not quite as near as I'd thought, but still, one always needs pants.

I'm fairly pleased with these, and I like the new waistband treatment I tried. It's detailed on this page of Pam's Off the Cuffwebsite. She calls it The Comfy Waistband, and it is very comfortable. I did it with a zipper and darts, so not nearly as much gathering as she is getting with a regular cut-on elastic pants treatment, but still a little bit, and it gives a really nice, smooth look. Almost what I've seen described as a Hollywood waist pant, and it does give that long look.



The dark green pair I made first actually have a lowered waist, and I like them very much too. They're dark enough that photos don't really work too well , except the pocket close up.

I plan to make these again in more wintry fabrications. I have a very nice light-cognac wool, with a matching rayon/lycra knit for a Tee, which will probably be next.

Bouclé Haiku Two

I decided that I wanted to wear this jacket for a music club luncheon on Thursday that I will sing at. So, thought I'd better get with it, and was very pleased to find that it was almost as quick as the fleece version. This is the Chocolate/Multi Bouclé from EmmaOneSock.

I'm very glad I waited to make this until after I made a "muslin" in fleece. If nothing else, it gave me a chance to look at my layout once again before cutting, and I decided that the other selvedge was prettier, so I moved it all to the other side. This is cut with a crosswise fold in the fabric, so it's an unusual layout. I have a strip about 15" wide left along the smaller selvedge, the whole length of the fabric. Now, to think if I should do something with it. Maybe just a scarf or narrowish shawl?

The seams had to be finished, naturally, as the bouclé is very ravelly. The pattern calls for topstitching through the folded seam allowances on all seams, but I didn't think that would really do it on this. So, I used rayon seam binding to cover the SAs, and edgestitched it on both sides. This made for double topstitching on all seams, but it seems to work fine. I also did more staystitching than they call for; along the horizontal seam between the upper and lower back pieces, which in the fleece seemed to want to stretch out a little. Between the staystitching and the double topstitching on the seam binding, I think on the bouclé, this seam is very solid.


I added a collar to this version, which I think closes up the neckline nicely. I had thought a stand-up type collar would be very cute, but I wanted to use the selvedge fringe, which is so outstanding on this fabric, and it would have looked very strange in a stand-up collar.

I used a medium-to-heavyweight lining fabric for the back facing and the sleeve facings, and I think it makes it very nice to wear, as it slides on easily, and feels rather luxurious. It also saved a lot of bulk right at the shoulder seam.

I was surprised at how quickly this pattern goes together, but since there is no lining, and I didn't fuse anything except the facings, it really only took me a little over a day.

Fleece Haiku Two

I decided that the Sewing Workshop Haiku Two pattern is what I want to use with the EmmaOneSock chocolate/multi bouclé. I will use the gorgeous selvedges for the lapel edges. I spent Wednesday evening checking the pattern for size, etc. and finally did a tissue fitting, and was amazed when the XS size appeared to be what I wanted. These patterns are usually very oversized, but really...an XS?!! So, I was loathe to cut my beautiful bouclé without a test.

I got out some burgundy fleece that didn't get made up last year, and used it for a "muslin." I think it came out quite well. I will add shoulder pads to the bouclé version, and also a hem, as the wrong side of the hem allowance shows right at the center front on the turnback lapels, and it really looked icky on the fleece, but I think it will be unnoticeable in the bouclé. This is really warm and cuddly in the fleece, and I've been wearing it pretty much since I finished it, as winter has really come with a vengeance around here!