12/2-12-5 2021
Two-Color Jumper
The sweater is coming along nicely. I keep worrying that it will be too big, but then I test fit it, and it’s fine. The pattern only mentions that the sweater’s original dimensions should fit up to a 35″ bust and is 20″ in length with 4/5″ sleeves. I did a little sleuthing first to ensure that the 35″ meant the full bust (and not the high bust), then drew a scale according to the front image. I think 20″ will be a little too long for me, but my gauge works out: I have 9r to the inch, and the original pattern has 10r, so my jumper should be approximately 18: long, which is better for my torso.
Currently, the body is at about 10.5″ and I need to get to 13.5 or 14 to the leaf pattern. So I may have to double the increases pretty soon to keep the stitch count in order. For example, if my math is right, I need to reach 268st at appx 14″. I’m just under 11″ and at 242st, which means I need to gain 26st over 3.5″. At the rate I’m knitting, (2st inc every 8 rows), I would need 13 inc rows over 104st. If my gauge is consistent, I should have 9r per inch, and at 104r, that would make 11 more inches.
I re-read the pattern and realized that I have not been increasing enough. The pattern called to increase 1st on each end every 8th row, but essentially, I’ve been doing only half that because I put both front and back on the round, and thought the pattern wanted only one stitch increase for each 8th row. So this makes good sense now. After I work the armhole decreases, I’m left with a number that is written to work with the fair isle patterning, so all I need to do now is maybe double up some of those increases through the bust and then subtract the difference out of the armholes.
Triple Collared Dress
The dress is almost finished. All I need to do now is hem the arms and skirt. I’m thinking about making a belt, but using fabric-covered (the pink) buttons to secure instead of a buckle. Otherwise, all I have left to do is the arm and skirt hem. It has a lot of ease in the chest, so I may pinch a little out for the official fabric version. I piped the pockets, but did it at the wrong stage, so they’re not as perfect as I would like. I felt like the fabric is so busy enough to warrant the effort. Next time I’ll put the pockets on before I attach the skirt, but I guess I got too excited about adding the skirt (which I had to unpick the seam at the dart to insert the pocket anyway.
Sock Garters
I made a set of sock garters with elastic and suspender clips because I’m absolutely tired of my socks falling down. Up to now, I’ve been using vintage girdles with garter attachments, but because I opt for socks over stockings, I keep breaking those stupid little button clips. I sought to replace them, but they are actually kind of expensive and not really the right thing anyway.
I made front ones (shorter, orange) and back ones (longer, pink), and they can either clamp through the original loops or to the garment itself depending on the length of the sock or the undergarment to which they connect.
These are a test set, and if I like them I will cover the elastic with something prettier. For right now, All I care about is keeping my socks up and my legs warm.
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