FO: Custom Fit Blouse

  

Oh, this one. I started this Custom Fit blouse a long time ago, probably back in November or so? Knit in Ultra Pima on small needles, this was a physically difficult fabric to create, so it took me quite a while to finish this sweater.

Overall, I'm glad that I went through the process, but the final product isn't quite what I'd hoped. As I've mentioned to many of our Custom Fit customers at the shop, it can take a sweater or two to tweak the pattern to your exact specifications, and my own experience was no different.

As far as my own fit issues go, here's a couple of things I would change, if the thought of tearing out this sweater didn't make me immediately curl up into a ball, pill-bug style:

- The width of the shoulders is very good, but the depth of the armhole is a little bit too much - I can feel the shoulder seams raising up every time I lift my arms. (I also like the armholes on my blouses high and tight, so that's a personal preference thing too.) Easy fix there.

- I did the Close Fitting silhouette, and it's just not fitted enough for my taste. The cotton yarn I used also stretched past my schematic measurements by about an inch total, so that can account for some of it. But even so, the schematic called for 2.5 inches of positive ease in the waist, which is way more than I'd usually prefer. I would have liked to see a very fitted option. As a busty person who can easily look 10-20 pounds heavier with less fitted silhouettes, I prefer to have a skosh of negative ease in the waist in knit blouses, which doesn't seem to be possible with Custom Fit given the sweater templates available. (Other Custom Fit folks, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about that!)

- Holy cats, the sweep of the hip is huge on this thing! There is so much extra fabric at the hip that it is unwearable with anything but a very full skirt. This is probably a gauge problem, and probably would have been fine if I hadn't gone up a needle size on the Daisy Stitch edging.

Overall, I think Custom Fit is a powerful product for knitters interested in garment construction, particularly prolific sweater knitters. The measuring process is a bit more in-depth, but well worth it for the detailed fit information it provides. I think it's worth it for any knitter to give it a whirl.

For me personally, I'm such a control freak, and I have such specific tastes in silhouettes and fit, that I don't think Custom Fit is the right program for me, and that's okay! I love understanding the nitty gritty details of design and construction, and now I know that I really do want to get my hands dirty with some math to get the fit I want.

And in the meantime, my Custom Fit sweater is gonna go chill at The Fiber Gallery with its Custom Fit sweater buddies.

More details on Ravelry here.

Happy Friday!

<3

Cory

WIP: Alpenglühen - A Body

 

It always blows my mind a little, how terrifically hilarious a well-fitting garment looks on the hanger. Absent a 3-dimensional figure, shape-skimming darts fold awkwardly; ribbing throws great poofs of fabric into the body at the point where they meet; armholes & necklines gape and roll unattractively.

You would never know that this misshapen blob of yarn is actually a lovely, hourglass-shaped cardigan until you throw it on a person - and there the magic happens. All of these confounding shapes and crevices stretch and snuggle into place, gently hugging concave and convex curves alike. Something that was ugly comes alive, and in doing so becomes beautiful.

Although I've been shy of knitting sweaters for the last few years, watching this cardigan come together has reignited my love for the knitted garment. It's easy to get intimidated by the prospect of a badly-fitting sweater, and I think that's where I've been for a long time - but unlike so many other things in life, yarn has such give. You can knit it up all wrong, and still it has potential; all you have to do is unravel and begin again.

And that is pretty damn cool.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

<3

Cory

FO: Scully Tee

  

This little vintage-inspired blouse was a lot speedier to knit than my last excursion into the genre, but no less adorable! I started knitting this Krista Tee by Joan McGowan-Michael - also called the Shaped Lace Tee from Knitting Lingerie Style - in October of last year, then I lost a bunch of weight and decided to rip it out and start over. I restarted around April and finished knitting it a few weeks ago. Once my blocking boards were freed up, I blocked the sleeves, set them in, and voila! A cute little cotton blouse just in time for summer. (Funny how quickly things go when you, uh, do them within a reasonable period of time.)

It's a relatively short top, and I would have had enough yarn to lengthen it a bit, but I'm happy enough with it that it's staying. I knit the 33.5" size for about 2.5 inches of negative ease, and it fits just about perfectly. I converted the pattern from knitted flat to knitted in the round, with columns of purl stitches to mark the side seams.

I love the dramatic scooped neck and the pretty lace details. This blouse was knit from some deep, deep stash KFI King Tut cotton from my LYS back in Ohio, so I'm really happy that it's finally reached its full potential!

Details are on Ravelry here.

Finished Object: Oh, Zelda!

  

Hallelujah and pass the corndogs - at long last, Zelda is finished!

After all the ripping and trying on and pinning and reknitting and nose-wrinkling and reknitting again, I can say that I am super, super happy with this little blouse. She's cute! She's flirty! She's the best damn pink! I'm so glad she's out of my WIP basket!

I've learned a lot about my knitting style from this project. As I was knitting the sleeves, I realized that knitting sweaters is on par with sewing clothing in my crafty hierarchy of enjoyment; I like it, but unlike with other knitting projects, I really do it for the end product. Fit is so important to me - and making garments to fit so often involves reworking them multiple times - that the actual process isn't fun so much as a labor of desire and obsession. On the other hand, I like to knit shawls, socks, and other non-fitted garments for the sheer enjoyment of knitting, and the end product isn't so important.

So given this newly discovered information, it's kind of ironic that I'm currently hooked on knitting sweaters. I like the control of making my own fabric so much that I already have another little blouse on the needles!

Blouse Details

Pattern: Zelda, by Joan McGowan-Michael. Such a cute result, but be sure to check for errata on this one - the magazine it was published in changed hands, so Ravelry notes are your best bet for errata notes and mods.

Ravelry Project Page: Oh, Zelda!

Yarn: Mirasol Yarn Tupa, a 50/50 merino/silk blend.

Needles: Size 5 (3.75 mm) & 7 (4.5 mm) US

Yardage: With 2 extra sleeves fully knitted, this took 8 skeins (1096 yards) but could definitely be done in 7 (960 yards).

Modifications: All my notes and modifications are on my Ravelry project page. I sewed the little tulle shoulder pads for support as written, and they give a lovely little boost to the sleeve caps!

Brooch: Thrifted

Skirt: Cory Ellen Spring 2013

Shoes: Fluevog Miracle Cana

WIP, In The Home Stretch: Zelda

Egads.  After way too long sitting shoved in a basket, I finally pulled out my Zelda to finish it up about two weeks ago.  I steadily plugged along on the body, fixed some dumb mistakes I made the first time around, and cast off on Sunday night.  Then I cast on for the sleeve about a zillion times (my willpower to finish the thing was running on fumes at this point) and was finally successful the third try.  After that, the sleeve zipped right along - I cast off the first one Tuesday night, started the next one yesterday, and already have about an inch and a half.  Then is the fun part - the sewing, and the picking up of stitches, and the swearing and gnashing of teeth.

I'm really glad this sweater is turning out so pretty, because it has been a total pain in my ass.