It All Started Out So Innocently...
I got some delightful mail this week! Spin-Off Magazine had a Buy-3-get-the-4th-one-free sale so I treated myself to some back issues. Since I'm on a yarn & fiber shopping hiatus I didn't feel one bit badly. It will make for some nice summer reading.... I suppose you noticed the copy of Vogue Knitting's Spring 2009?
I guess I really can't help myself! I SO love that Botanica Medallion cardigan! There's just something so elegant and feminine about it.... I suppose it's a fair comment that I am inclined towards textured knits. All you have to do is look at my last two sweaters, all full of cables to figure that out. Even my spinning tends toward smooth, multi-ply worsted, the ideal yarn for good stitch definition..... but I digress!
I have, on one hand, an enthusiastic and grateful son, waiting patiently for another 3 pairs of work socks. On the other hand, I have a partially finished luxury yarn sweater awaiting sleeves, an 85% finished linen hat supposedly for summer wear, a beloved Swallowtail lace shawl about 1/4 into the pattern and a languishing pair of entrelac socks. HOW can I possibly justify even entertaining the thought of starting something else? Oh my fickle heart! I repeat - I guess I really can't help myself! *sigh!
I tried to stop myself by actually going through my stash to find the perfect yarn. Since the pattern calls for cotton and I am not overly fond of it, so have very little of it in my stash, I thought for sure I'd come up empty handed. In addition I needed to find yarn at about 20 stitches to 4", narrowing the field to zero. A very peculiar situation indeed, to be at cross-purposes with one's self! Ha! I mean, it should have been the end of it, right? Especially since I'm not purchasing any new yarn. But oh no! I'm afraid my very creative brain got into motion when I found a cotton yarn I had bought several years ago because I really liked it! It's Cotton Connection DK by Naturally of New Zealand 87% Cotton, 13% Linen. I have it in 2 shades, #3, a sort of ecru and #5 which is the same ecru with a strand of unbleached linen for a really natural look. They work very well together! I know for sure that the design will look great knit with it and all the details will be crisp and fresh... only one problem - GAUGE! This yarn is 22 st over 4" and although the label recommends 4mm needles and the pattern calls for 4mm needles, the way I knit I am using 3.75mm to get the fabric I want (and thought about actually using 3.5mm) so I KNOW even if I knit the size Large this will not produce a garment the right size...
SO - if I am going to be stubborn and inflexible about the yarn and needle size, I have to re-think this pattern. Fortunately this pattern is a "construction knit"; made in pieces and sewn together! Only the center medallion is knit in the round. The outer design is knit something like a scarf and then sew on. This means that when I finish the center medallion, if it's too small, I can either knit a few rounds of some patterned stitch to enlarge it (the easy "fix") or make the outer rim wider by adding an extra lace repeat (the hard "fix").
I suspect I will go with the easy fix, especially since the arm openings are simply an unsewn area when joining the outer rim to the medallion. They really need to be in the right place because I think I'm going to add 3/4 length sleeves - mostly because I'm middle aged and my arms get cold! LOL! That's another reason why I'm prepared to use both shades of this yarn. I'll use the all-ecru for the medallion and sleeves and the more colored for the rim and maybe cuffs on the sleeves. After having said that, there is still the possibility I may have to do BOTH fixes to get this thing to come out the right size....
And so I started.... the first 4 rounds were not fun! Cast on 2 stitches per DPN and try to figure out which is the "right side" and not twist it! Hahahahaha! Just for a little added excitement, Round 2 reads "[K, yo, K] 6 times - 18 st." Since they only told you to cast on 6 stitches, it should follow that these instructions will NOT in any way give you 18 stitches - unless - you do the [K, yo, K] in EACH stitch all the way around. THAT will give you 18 stitches. And no, the brackets don't refer to "do this all in one stitch" because the next round reads "[K3, put marker] 6 times - 3 sts between markers." Tsk! Tsk! How many brave new knitters are going to rip 'n cry over a start like that??? As for me, once I got over that hurdle I was away! In all, I finished 20 rounds and ran out of "Me" time. (yes, I was doing all this instead of spinning!) At least it was a relief to dip my toes in the Medallion Pool and the waters were inviting and filled with pleasure.... unfortunately, it is a pleasure that WILL have to wait! *Sigh! It's incentive - I keep telling myself - incentive to finish those socks!
I guess I really can't help myself! I SO love that Botanica Medallion cardigan! There's just something so elegant and feminine about it.... I suppose it's a fair comment that I am inclined towards textured knits. All you have to do is look at my last two sweaters, all full of cables to figure that out. Even my spinning tends toward smooth, multi-ply worsted, the ideal yarn for good stitch definition..... but I digress!
I have, on one hand, an enthusiastic and grateful son, waiting patiently for another 3 pairs of work socks. On the other hand, I have a partially finished luxury yarn sweater awaiting sleeves, an 85% finished linen hat supposedly for summer wear, a beloved Swallowtail lace shawl about 1/4 into the pattern and a languishing pair of entrelac socks. HOW can I possibly justify even entertaining the thought of starting something else? Oh my fickle heart! I repeat - I guess I really can't help myself! *sigh!
I tried to stop myself by actually going through my stash to find the perfect yarn. Since the pattern calls for cotton and I am not overly fond of it, so have very little of it in my stash, I thought for sure I'd come up empty handed. In addition I needed to find yarn at about 20 stitches to 4", narrowing the field to zero. A very peculiar situation indeed, to be at cross-purposes with one's self! Ha! I mean, it should have been the end of it, right? Especially since I'm not purchasing any new yarn. But oh no! I'm afraid my very creative brain got into motion when I found a cotton yarn I had bought several years ago because I really liked it! It's Cotton Connection DK by Naturally of New Zealand 87% Cotton, 13% Linen. I have it in 2 shades, #3, a sort of ecru and #5 which is the same ecru with a strand of unbleached linen for a really natural look. They work very well together! I know for sure that the design will look great knit with it and all the details will be crisp and fresh... only one problem - GAUGE! This yarn is 22 st over 4" and although the label recommends 4mm needles and the pattern calls for 4mm needles, the way I knit I am using 3.75mm to get the fabric I want (and thought about actually using 3.5mm) so I KNOW even if I knit the size Large this will not produce a garment the right size...
SO - if I am going to be stubborn and inflexible about the yarn and needle size, I have to re-think this pattern. Fortunately this pattern is a "construction knit"; made in pieces and sewn together! Only the center medallion is knit in the round. The outer design is knit something like a scarf and then sew on. This means that when I finish the center medallion, if it's too small, I can either knit a few rounds of some patterned stitch to enlarge it (the easy "fix") or make the outer rim wider by adding an extra lace repeat (the hard "fix").
I suspect I will go with the easy fix, especially since the arm openings are simply an unsewn area when joining the outer rim to the medallion. They really need to be in the right place because I think I'm going to add 3/4 length sleeves - mostly because I'm middle aged and my arms get cold! LOL! That's another reason why I'm prepared to use both shades of this yarn. I'll use the all-ecru for the medallion and sleeves and the more colored for the rim and maybe cuffs on the sleeves. After having said that, there is still the possibility I may have to do BOTH fixes to get this thing to come out the right size....
And so I started.... the first 4 rounds were not fun! Cast on 2 stitches per DPN and try to figure out which is the "right side" and not twist it! Hahahahaha! Just for a little added excitement, Round 2 reads "[K, yo, K] 6 times - 18 st." Since they only told you to cast on 6 stitches, it should follow that these instructions will NOT in any way give you 18 stitches - unless - you do the [K, yo, K] in EACH stitch all the way around. THAT will give you 18 stitches. And no, the brackets don't refer to "do this all in one stitch" because the next round reads "[K3, put marker] 6 times - 3 sts between markers." Tsk! Tsk! How many brave new knitters are going to rip 'n cry over a start like that??? As for me, once I got over that hurdle I was away! In all, I finished 20 rounds and ran out of "Me" time. (yes, I was doing all this instead of spinning!) At least it was a relief to dip my toes in the Medallion Pool and the waters were inviting and filled with pleasure.... unfortunately, it is a pleasure that WILL have to wait! *Sigh! It's incentive - I keep telling myself - incentive to finish those socks!
Posted by Gloria Patre at 6/6/2009 3:48 PM 
Categories: Sweaters
Tags: circular sweater Botanica Medallion Cardigan cotton
Categories: Sweaters
Tags: circular sweater Botanica Medallion Cardigan cotton
In my opinion you had to get started on that thing. HOW should you be able to knit another 3 pairs of those socks, if you didn't???
I'll be following the progress with interest.
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The 6 stitches on DP's dilemma happened to me just this week in a circular baby sweater. I did manage to do it, but screwed up the increases when I forgot one.
I am going to start over, but will crochet the first few rows and then switch over to the DPs.
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