Here it was, hanging in a tree, last Friday afternoon. It was a VERY windy day and I hoped it would dry quickly. Yeah, it's mostly cotton. It was still WET when the rain started. 
Here's a picture of it laying flat as I tried to 'dry' it with the iron. That didn't work too well either. I am glad I gave it a dunk with some baby shampoo though. The water was surprisingly yellow. I bought the yarn two years ago when I got my first knitting machine. I had made a tank, but never quite finished it for some reason. I ripped it back this past May, and started it either just before or after my surgery, I don't remember. So, really, I shouldn't be too surprised that it had accumlated some dust.
Here's a closeup of the yarn and lace. I did notice a possible error in the pattern where the lace ends and you do the two garter ridges before stockinette. I hung the tank overnight to dry out some more, and although it still wasn't quite dry in the morning, hanging it did what else I was hoping it would--open the lace and get as much length as possible.And here's me! I hate asking Rob to take a picture. He wants me to pose like the http://www.elann.com/ model!
I wore the top, still damp, to the Kitchener-Waterloo Knitter's Fair on Saturday. I so rarely make anything for myself, and even more rare--something from a published pattern. And to top it off, it was a COVER pattern for Interweave Knits, Summer 2006. I was quite pleased with it, but I was a little bashful when people complimented me/it. I'm not exactly the most outgoing gal, LOL.
I did do some modifying of the pattern though. I added some short rows after the last garter stitch ridge. Even with the reduction, I'm still on the fuller side, and I didn't want the tank to be too short, especially in the front (gotta hide that belly). I was worried at first that I had done too many short rows, but it came out perfect.
I was worried about the armholes being too big, but it's fine. The armhole edging does roll a little; a combination of not enough rows of garter st, and it extending into the armpit a little too far (but this happened on the model one too). I was looking for tops I could wear braless finally, but chickened out and wore a bra. The straps showed at the front, LOL.
The biggest modification....a yarn switch, of course. As I mentioned, I bought this yarn two years ago, from Grand River Yarns--a great site where you can buy yarns by the gram, and odd balls, and other great deals. I was standing in the GRY booth, Cindy was talking to Rochelle about poodles, and Rochelle looked at me and says, excitedly, "That's Yo-Yo!". I think Cindy was a little confused for a moment, LOL. It's a strand of unspun cotton (terrible for sewing up), wrapped with two shiny strands (rayon?), one in white, one in different shades of blues. I bought more of the yarn back then but haven't made it up either. I would suggest though that a slinkier yarn might be nice for the pattern, the original was bamboo, which I didn't realize is very slinky. The cotton is a bit more structured, and the lace is a little blurred by the textures.
So there you have it. A finished object, AND a picture of me!
2 comments:
It's a lovely tank! Cotton really drys very slowly. I'm with you, I never find the right yarn for the project I'd like to do (except for socks), in my stash, or I have to compromise. That's probably because I used to buy yarn because I liked it, with no project in mind, and to get as many different yarns as possible, one buys not enough. Anyway, back to my sock(s). I'm done with dyeing by the way, at least for a while. The turmeric worked very well, but the rosehip/hibiscus tea bags, although producing a wonderful deep red, did nothing for my yarn. It looked dirty, and after I washed it, everything washed out again. I have no patience right now to experiment some more. ;o)
Once again I have to ask...Do you ever make anything that sucks? Well done!
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