Red!

After fine tuning Bill King's "Gold Star" pattern to suit my liking (click on the label over on the right sidebar to see them), I found out about another one of his designs, called "One Piece Waterfall", in Machine Knitting Monthly, Nov 2012.  I picked up the issue, and a while ago, gave it a test run, using a slubby red cotton.  I don't think I blogged anything about it, although I remember it giving me some headaches and I think I re-started a couple times.  Even looking at the end result, I could see quite a few missed stitches around the eyelets.  Once I had it done, I was not so enthused.  I had planned to extend the arms, so when I got to the cast off/on for the sleeves, I used waste yarn.  But I hadn't cast off/cast on again, so once the sweater was off the machine, the armholes were actually closed up and I couldn't try it on.  Putting it over my shoulders...

It came down to my knees.  It was heavy!  There was red fuzz EVERYWHERE on my machine.  Other projects became more important and I put this jacket on the shelf--where I could still see it, hoping to re-examine it later.

Later finally came this month, when my mom decided she wanted a family photo shoot and red would be one of the colours.  Knowing it could be quite cool, I figured now was as good of time as any!  I cut through the armhole waste yarn to make armholes...

 Yikes!  Look how long it is!!  It hadn't been washed, but I doubted it would shrink enough to make it reasonable on me.

 I liked the back though!

 Subtle angles, compared to the Gold Star!

 The front "waterfall" pieces were just so long!!

Here you can see the dropped stitches at the holes made when doing the short rows.

Of course, I didn't remember if I had taken any notes.  Like, tension?  Pbssst!  Just cast on and see if you can knit the first row!  Eventually I went from T7 at the cast on to T9.  I checked around on Ravelry, and found that making the waterfall panels with only two rows for each set of short rows, would shorten the front.  That sort of works, as the number of stitches is what gives the actual length, but the number of rows is what gave it the width, which when worn, droops to become part of the length factor.  If I do this again, I think I might stick with the two rows for the top 2/3, but then switch to the 4 row for the bottom third.  But I couldn't yet figure out which end of the piece was the neck and which was the bottom LOL.  I think the neck edge was the left side of the bed.

It started out really smoothly this time.  Until I didn't read the instructions for the back wedge properly.  I got to the mid-point and when reading the next bit realized I had done the last bit wrong!  That was a LOT of short rowing to rip out (I had put only one group of needles into work for each two rows!).  And then the gremlins started to appear.  My yarn was now really tangled, even though I had tried to be gentle.  Had to cut the yarn.  Had a thin spot in the yarn.  Dropped stitches.  I really started to fear I wouldn't get it done!

 This has been washed, but you can see there is much less volume now at the front!

I got the body off, and went to do the sleeves.  I couldn't get the piece to stretch to put the entire sleeve onto the mainbed, so I did each sleeve in two halves.   Of course, re-hanging the second side of the sleeve meant you're dealing with upside down stitches and they don't line up exactly.  The texture of the yarn hide it though.  I don't know how it would look in a smooth yarn.  And then I realized I could probably have done it in the round (or U shaped) if I had used the ribber bed too (although that wouldn't change the one side of the sleeve being picked up from the half-stitches instead of full stitches...hard to explain, but if you've ever picked up knitting from the bottom/cast on to knit downwards, you'd know).

 I like how there is a sort of panel that runs across the bottom.

 The sleeve eyelets formed by doing six rows (as per the instructions).  The eyelets end where the armhole is supposed to be cast off/on; where I picked up to knit a longer sleeve.  I was worried about that, but it looks fine.

 I decreased every tenth row on the bottom seam of the sleeves, but not the top seam, and did 60 rows.
I would have liked it to go more over my chest, so maybe the four rows for each group should be the top section.  I would have to look closer.  This is such a better length!

It actually looks a bit longer in the back than the original.  Partially because the original was still really rolled up as it hadn't been washed or blocked.

The unwashed piece left over from the original has a gauge of 29sts and 37 rows, measured in the 3x1 mock rib.  The empty needle spaces are more distinct, and this gauge does mean that my jacket was larger than Bill King intended.  The pattern gauge was 31st x 40 rows, so not a huge difference, but it could be enough to really change it.  The washed, finished garment has a gauge of 26st x 37 rows.  That would indicate that the finished garment should be bigger than the original unwashed garment, but what it seems is that the stitches bloomed and filled into the spaces left by the needles out of work.  This also explains why the back length is a bit longer than before, as that section has it's length determined by the stitch gauge.

Although this was not a "one day knit" as the pattern claims (maybe it could be, if you drink enough coffee and don't have to work and raise a family), I will certainly knit it again.  I like that it has much more shape and interest than the Gold Star jacket, and there is no seaming up of the two halves.  I really need a black cardigan.  Black.  Ugh.  Well, at least there's no transferring stitches and no seaming :)

Yarn In: 3825gr
Yarn Out:  448gr + 5015gr  = 5463gr
Balance:  1638gr more used UP than brought in
Costs:  $187.95 /279 days = $0.67/day

Bill King Bolero #4

...and it probably won't be my last!

After the brown one for me, I wanted to experiment with improving the fit, particularly under the arms.  I wanted a bit more width across the chest (but not the back), and a bit more length in the center front.  The challenge is that the width and length are closely linked with this type of knitting (short rows).  Some sections make your rows be the garment width, and some sections make your rows be the garment length.  Confused yet?  LOL.  You can't just add/subtract stitches for the width, as that would affect the length...and once you're done the sleeve, there's no where to add/subtract stitches (although I was thinking one night.....)

 This is a 4 wedge jacket, however, it helps to think of it as 8 sections. 
The straight bit at the top with the red is the cast on.  I cast on 16 groups of stitches, and knit 8 rows without increasing, then I start increasing, one stitch, every other row. 

1)  Going clockwise from the sleeve, the portion between the sleeve and the first line of holes is the bit on your shoulder (draw, right now, a diagonal line on yourself from your armpit to your collarbone.  This wedge is the part above that line).  Stitches control underarm to shoulder seam length; rows control underarm to center front width.
2)  The next section, from those holes to 1/2 way along that straight edge on the lower right slant, is the part over your chest from that diagonal line you drew, to straight across from your armpit.  Stitches control underarm to center front width; rows control length from clavicle to halfway down front.
3)  The next section is the upper part of the lower front.  The diagonal line of holes pointing to about 5:00 go from your armpit to the front center corner.  Stitches control width, rows control length.
4)  The next section, from that second row of holes to almost straight down in the picture, is the side "seam" running straight down from your arm pit.  Stitches control length (from waist to hem); rows control width from centre front to side "seam".
5)  The rest of that lower straight edge, up to the holes, is the lower back, across to the center back seam  Stitches control length over the lower back; rows control the lower width.
6 and 7)  from those holes at about 7:00, to the next set of holes is the center back seam (you'll actually end it before getting right to the corner.  Stitches control width; rows control length
8) the last set of holes goes from the armpit, diagonally up the back to the base of the neck.  The section between the holes and the sleeve are the upper back shoulder.  Stitches control length from underarm to shoulder, rows control width from center back to upper arm.

Thankfully, what all this means, is that it actually IS easy to add width and length to the center front!  More on that later.

I know I've recommended steaming before seaming for this jacket, but of course, I couldn't wait.  Strangely though, this time I seamed one half of the sleeve to itself (not pictured).  It was an itty bitty little sleeve!  If you're having trouble imagining how this all goes together, take your cast on edge, and your cast off edge, and sew the sides that are next to each other, resulting in a deformed hexagon.  The cast on and off edges are the sleeve cuffs.  You could start/end with ribbing.  I'd be tempted though to start/end with waste yarn, then sew the seam, then do ribbing, then join it to the edge.  This way you'd get a matching ribbed cast on all across your sleeve.

 I got both sleeves seamed, and laid my two pieces out to visualize the rest.  Fold them so that the other edge of the cast on/off meet up.  Lay it out so you can see the shoulder seam at the top.
Mmmm.  Notice anything odd in my picture?  I had a naggling little thought as I was sewing up the sleeve of the second piece.  Look at the top diagonal lines.  I altered the one on the left, during wedge 1 and 2.  I altered the one on the right during wedge 1 and 2.  But where is the change?  Ohhhhh....although the pattern says you don't have to reverse any shaping to make the second side...that's only because there is NO shaping.  If you do any shaping, you need to change when you do it!  (Except for the sleeve increases/decreases....you do the increases during the first 70 rows, and the decreases during the last 66 rows.  Or, turn your row counter back to 000 before starting the four rows after putting the last group into work).

I took apart the seam, and re-knit the second half, straight from the work--I didn't re-wind the yarn.  This time I did the adjustment (more on that later) during the 7th and 8th wedges.

Here it, all seamed, and the front edge has a blocking wire through it (I already did the lower edge).  Because I made it wider, it extends past the center back seam.

 Same thing for the other front half.

 Ain't she pretty, all 102gr of her!

 Although the bottom edge will steam flat, the center front (in which rows are the length), will still roll inwards.  I'm seriously thinking of seaming the next one inside out, so the roll will show on the public side.   Rolling inwards makes the sweater look a little smaller than it is.  A short ribbed band could be picked up, I suppose, giving you the option of buttons.  But keep it as a single band, not a foldover band, to match the lightness of the sweater.

And now, for how I adjusted it!  At first, I played around with a swatch, getting the feel for it.  I knew I wanted less depth from the under arm to the shoulder---fewer rows making those first 5 or so holes going up from the underarm--but also more width---more rows making the holes near the collarbone/clavicle.  At first I thought I still needed the number of rows to add up to what it originally would be so the shoulder seam would sew right and the center front would still have the same length).  This affected how I did the math.  I did the first 4 groups with knitting only 2 rows for each group.  Then I did 10 groups with the regular 4 rows for each group, then I did 10 groups with 6 rows each (this makes the larger holes near my clavicle).  It's what you do (number of rows) in that first wedge that affects the width.  I ended up with more rows in this wedge then for the back, but I just eased them in as I seamed.  I think I could have done even more groups with only 2 rows (making it shorter from the underarm to the shoulder).  If you do more groups of 2 rows than groups of the 6 rows section, you can end up with the center front being even shorter than the original pattern.  You can compensate for this by making more groups of 6 rows at the lower front corner.  Do not also do the groups of 2 rows, or else the side will be too short.  You can do this over both sides of the row of holes, or just on the upper side, depending on how much extra length you want.

I hope this helps you play with the design some more.  All these mods were made to fit a large bust on a short person, but you could also do the same thing on the back pieces to allow for a rounded back.  Or on the bottom wedges on the front to allow for a belly.  My next idea is to not increase up to 24 groups on the sleeve, but once done the sleeve, cast the remainder on before starting the first wedge.  On the return side, I'd cast those off.  Then I'd have a little seam to sew under the arm, but a closer fitting sleeve.  You can also do some plain rows in between wedge 2 and 3 (and the corresponding back sections) to add length without width.  You'd also have a short seam at the sides.

Get going, and try your own custom fit Bill King Bolero!

Yarn In:  14 828gr
Yarn Out:  12 859 + 102gr = 12 961gr
Balance:  1867gr more In than Out
Costs:  $317.59/262 days = $1.21/day

Bill King Bolero #2

Finally, I'm giving up on getting a good picture of my Bill King Bolero that I made for myself.  I'm not sure what the issue is!  The first pictures I took were over a light beige dress.  I thought it looked good, until I looked at the pictures.  Too much contrast (though it showed the design details).  Then I tried over a brown top.  Hid the stains on the t-shirt well, but not very good for getting photos of.

I used two strands...one of the Forsell 2ply that I got at the Peterborough seminar I went to in early May, and one strand of probably the oldest cone I have in my stash (well, the one that I've had the longest), of a 1ply boucle.  The boucle is a cool dark brown, and the Forsell is a warm brown which really fuzzed up when washed.  I think I got gauge with this combo.

 I started the sleeves with 20 groups of 3, I think, but the sleeves are still quite floppy and loose.  That's why when I did the next one--the white one I gave to my niece--I started with even fewer.

 Yes, that's my man hiding behind the cardi.

I knew I had taken a close up of the original swatch, to show how the colours blended and the texture, but I can't find it.  The sun washed this photo out too much.  The cardi is quite warm, despite weighing nothing, due to the 2ply wool.

I'm not getting any more machine knitting done, since the machines are in the basement and the kids haven't been down there in the past couple weeks.  I have been doing some sewing--refashioning some dresses I bought last summer.  And another crochet square baby blanket, and a pair of handknit socks are on the needles.  I really need to plow through both my fabric and my yarn stash!

Yarn In:  13 966gr
Yarn Out:  11 821+ 187gr = 12 008gr
Balance:  1958 gr more In than Out
Costs:  $306.30/209 days = $1.46/day

Bill King Bolero #3

I'm going to show you the third Bill King Bolero that I made, before showing the second.  I haven't been able to get good photos of the second one yet :(  A while ago, I found two matching pillowcases at Value Village.  I knew one would make a nice pillowcase dress for Meg, and I knew Lucy would not want one to match, LOL.  But they have a cousin in the US who is about 7 months younger than Meg, and nearly as big as her.  Perfect!  They could be matchy, but they don't have to worry about showing up at the same time in the same outfit!  To go with it, a little girl needs a lightweight little white cardi!
This is the same (annoying) yarn that I made the "Kill Me Shawl" in.  I know every time I use it, I say I'm never using it again, but it is a HUGE cone.  I did do a swatch, not so much to accurately match gauge, but just to get an idea, LOL, and to see how it behaved.  Well, it biased.  I decided to throw caution to the wind anyway.  All I knew was that it would turn out smaller.  Not sure how much smaller....

 I had Lucy try on the Bolero to see how big it was, and she really liked it, and wants one for herself.  The cone is huge, so no problem (except for how much I hate the yarn).  Then, a few hours later, she asks if she can have it in any colour...

 Sewing this together was horrible.  The slubs in the yarn made using it impossible.  I had a white sock yarn, but it looked horrible next to the sweater.  I ended up using serger thread, doubled.  A tip for using thread to sew---double the thread, and tie a knot about 6" from the end.  Go into the first stitch, and take the needle back between the strands and pull tight so it pulls up to the knot...sorry, no picture...but then there's a 6" tail from the knot to the end to get woven in.  For the first seam, I had done the knot near the end, and I started the seam, and of course the knot pulled through...and then I had a little tiny tail that couldn't be woven in.
One thing I did to alter it was to start with 16 groups of stitches, knit 10 rows, then increase on the left side (the seam side) every other row until up to the 24 groups of sts, then knit 10 rows to get to the 70 rows.  On the last section, remember to knit 10 rows, then decrease on every other row, and end with 10 rows.

 I added some rick rack I found in my sewing desk, along the bottom and along the hem stitching line.  I had hoped to do more with the trim, but the satin ribbon I used for the straps....took up nearly the entire roll (for the two dresses).  I had some really narrow satin ribbon in the same colour, but I couldn't figure how I would sew it on.  For the rick rack, I did it the slow way...following the path of the zigs and zags, stopping at every point and raising the presser food and pivoting...took awhile, but I hope it stays looking nice!

 I didn't want to make the pillowcase dress that uses bias binding on the armholes and elastic on the neckline.  Something about them didn't sit right with me.  Plus, I would have had to go back to get bias binding.  However, I am having trouble when trying the shoulder straps.  I stitched the ribbon down at the center points of the front and back casings, so it won't pull out, but it makes it tricky to get both sides the same.

 I hope the bottom hem hangs straight in the back.  On the one I made for me, it dips upwards at the seam.

 Meg wore her dress to Grandma's today, and it got rave reviews.  I hope her cousin loves hers too!

Yarn In:  13 966gr
Yarn Out:  11 684gr+ 137gr =  11 821gr
Balance:  2145 gr more In than Out
Costs:  $306.30/196 days = $1.56/day

Some Ideas

I've been musing about the Bill King Bolero; about the issue with large armholes, but width and length are closely connected.  Most women don't like to wear square shaped tops, it's rarely flattering.  This isn't quite square, but close.  It could use a little length.  But adding length meant adding width.  And sometimes, we want more width but not more length.  How to do these adjustments?

I mentioned yesterday about doing a straight section to get more body length.  What I'm finding when looking at pictures of this being worn, is that the armhole is really long, especially on larger busted women.  But how to get extra width without extra length?  And how to get the width where we need it?  In another version of the bolero that I haven't posted yet, I did start the arm with fewer stitches and increased during the 70 rows, and that helps the arms.  But the armhole....

Then I couldn't sleep last night and started thinking.  The pattern calls for 4 rows for each group of needles.  The first version (which didn't live, since I had half the amount of yarn needed), I tried the suggestion of 6 rows, since Cheryl is a bit taller than me.  I felt the holes were a little large.  But what if you start out that first turn, doing two rows for each group, and when you get about 2/3 way across, switch to 4 rows.  THen, maybe for the last few groups, do 6 rows, but wrap the first two, so the hole is the same as the 4 row one.  This will mean there's fewer rows over near the armhole, and more rows going over the fuller part of the bust.  For the 2nd and 3rd turns, you can keep it at 4 rows.  Then, for the upper back, decide if you need more for the upper back too--some women have some padding on the upper back (often related to thyroid issues).  If you stick with the 4 rows, you might have to ease that shoulder seam...I'd have to take another look at mine.

I haven't swatched this yet; the kids are having a "spa day" and I'm quickly typing this while Meg has a mask on her face, LOL. I just wanted to get my idea out there and documented :)

Bill King Bolero

Ever had one of those weeks where you save money on something, and you're so happy, but then turn around and pay more than you should on something else?  It's been that sort of week.  Oh well.  I was at Michaels, and they had a new lot of that Starbella yarn so I picked up one ball in the turquoise colours so I could make that shawl I showed awhile ago.  How that affects my totals is at the bottom.

I've mentioned before that I'm not much of a "trend" knitter.  I've never knit a Clapotis, a Wingspan, a Koolhaus, or even a garter stitch dishcloth.  Early this spring, some knitters in a yahoo group were talking about a machine knit pattern and a picture was posted.  The pattern is "Bolero" by Bill King, and was in MKM Dec 2011 (MKM stands for Machine Knitting Monthly).  I decided to order the issue. 

NOTE--That issue sold out!  It was reprinted in April 2014 because there was such a demand!

There was lots of talk about the pattern, how to do it, how to adjust it, etc.  I was a little miffed that some of the basic info wasn't in the pattern.  There wasn't a good shot of the actual item.  The sizing?  "One size fits more, but can adjust with tension" etc.  There wasn't even a schematic.  The pattern called for 3ply yarn, but the other knitters had used 4ply.  Well, I'm not too familiar with 3 vs 4 ply yarns, although I do have some cones to compare.  I kept hesitating on starting--there was always something else more urgent.

Back on June 10 I held a big birthday party for my older brother.  It was so great to have nearly everyone together.  My just-turned-14 year old niece made herself right at home, leaving her clothes laying around after being in the hot tub.  My younger brother's girlfriend started chiding her and taking the clothes and putting them on.  She really liked a grey shrug that our niece had been wearing.  Bigger than a shrug, but not a cardi.  She asked me; jokingly but in a serious tone, if I could make her one, but "oh, I wouldn't need to since she had found this nice one just laying on the chair"...

 Of course, it took me about two days to realize that I HAD to knit her something.  In grey.  A little cardi for in her air conditioned office.  I thought instantly of this pattern, and dug in my yarn.  I found a darling charcoal grey alpaca that looked like it would fit the gauge.  I didn't swatch.  Yes, Diana, this was also before that striped top in the Panama :)  I thought I might do 6 rows between each group of short rows, as per a suggestion in the pattern, and got to work.  My first ball ran out before I had completed the first wedge.  I had 4 balls.  I thought, okay, I'll go back to the 4 rows, that should mean one ball per wedge (more on "wedge" later) would be enough.  It took me until laying in bed that night to realize that 4 wedges is only HALF the sweater.  You make it in two halves and seam it up the back (and under arms).
So, back to the basement.  I dug around, I searched the 'net.  I looked at other patterns and had nearly convinced myself to make one on the LK150 that was rated intermediate/advanced, but I'd have to order yarn, and had almost picked out some from knitpicks.....then I shook my head, reminded myself that this was an unsolicited, non-occasion, gift from me because I happen to be able to do things like this :)  I had this cone of the grey yarn, used it for the Eileen Montgomery shawl in my scarf project.  I wondered how many ends of it (2/24) would I need to equal 3 ply. 

 Well, wouldn't you know, I found the answer on Diana Sullivan's site (through Google), and then I found a chart in the back of MKM that also gave me the answer. LOL.  It would take two ends.  I wound off two cones, and rigged up a system with a coffee can so one cone was fed through the lid and up through the middle of the other cone, then the two yarns were thread through the mast together.  This spun the yarns together really nicely.  I made a swatch.  Washed it, steamed it, etc.  But um....I didn't write the info down....and I want to knit one for myself....I think it was T6....

I made it just as the pattern says, but with 4 "turns".  Doing a 5th turn creates points on the sides.   Some people like it, some people don't.  I sewed it all up, gave it a wash and steam to tame the curl.  I'm not sure how well that worked; the front edges roll in, but not like fresh stockinette.  The sleeves are very loose and do roll some.
But the jacket is so light and airy!  180 grams!  I actually got out of bed and went downstairs since Rob was dropping it off in the morning and I had forgotten to weigh it.  I also forgot to re-measure the gauge.  I have since made one in brown, and half of one in white....with modifications :)

So, my SIL loved it, and wore it to work, where her co-workers loved it.  It's a very simple piece, perhaps not too figure flattering to thin gals, but as long as you don't make it too big, it's actually not bad (and don't wear it over schlumpy clothes!). 
Something to keep in mind, there are no seaming sts accounted for.  In a pale, or smooth yarn, you might notice this.
I'm also wondering if it can be done with wrapping the last st, so you don't get the holes.  I like them on the front, but not as much on the back.
I also have plans to bead it along the sleeve edges, front edges, and lower edge.
I also realize that this is a nearly square gauge, so the same needle set up might work well for making a mitered square blanket that actually turns out more square.  So many thoughts going through my head after this one...

Yarn Out:  11 181+ 180gr = 11 361gr
Yarn In:  13866gr + 100gr = 13 966gr
Balance:  2605gr more In than Out
Costs:  $6.09 + $300.21 = $306.30/189 days =  $1.62/day