Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Creating Along Update

I briefly posted about a cami I was knitting for my Rosebud, my contribution to the Create-A-Long blog. There has been a long silence about that little cami for a tiny 6 year-old, no?

I hit a road block, and the piece needed its requisite time in the penalty box. The neckline was too low, even for a top meant to be worn as a layer. And I needed to decide on some kind of treatment to neaten the edges up, and nothing was coming.


The denim yarn was tripping me up. There is an inherent challenge when designing with denim -- the shrinkage, of course. See, with shrinkage, you get all sorts of surprises. For example, when I swatched, I discovered that the diagonal lace caused my top to shrink in both length and width, rather than just lengthwise. The significant changes in gauge make it a true guessing game to add unwashed yarn to an already-shrunk piece -- what needle size should I use? What will it do when I wash it again?

I also really wanted to protect the main design element of the camisole, the transitions of the lace pattern up the bodice, and the contouring of the straps around the final lace repeat. They worked exactly the way I intended, and I didn't want my solution to interfere with it. I also wanted to keep the tied straps, so I could have the option of adjusting them on my growing kid.


So I consulted with a brilliant designer over a cup of coffee last week, and we together hatched a solution. I would frog back to the armholes and using my unraveled swatch, reknit a significantly higher neckline , and keep all the stitches live on holders for the application of an i-cord edging that would extend into the tied shoulder straps.



The bad news is that now the neckline is a little too high and, but the good news is that it will work fine for the back, and I will start the neckline a couple of rows lower for the front piece. The other issue is that the strap transition has lost its pointiness, and now has a rounder look around the arm. I think it might straighten out once worn. Either way, I think I am going to live with it.

The wonderful surprise is the eyelets along the neckline created by applying an i-cord to decreased stitches. I love how it echoes the laciness of the pattern. I decided to leave the armholes unfinished for now, with the idea that I may single crochet around the edges once it has all been washed and seamed.

9 comments:

Sally said...

Squee! So cute. I know that it is giving you troubles, but I also know you will persevere and make it come out the way you want it to look.

Anonymous said...

Wow! That is fantastic - kinks and all. I know you'll make it work!

Anonymous said...

This will look so sweet on a little girl. I like how you turned a "problem" into a design feature. Of course this is the back of the camisole!

Annie said...

Now that's making lemonade out of tricky lemons! Can't wait to see the finished product.

Mo said...

I love it! Can't wait to see it on Rosebud. And to see the pattern.

Madge said...

Whoa, I'm so not a designer; this post makes my head kinda hurt.

I AM a really good cheerleader, though, and I gotta hand it to you - your pattern is lovely, and kudos for persevering! Fingers crossed the front turns out like you want it. Go, Liz, go! :)

Anonymous said...

Excellent design modifications! It is a very cute top.

knittingphilistine said...

Oh, it's so pretty! Looks like you'll be whipping out the knitty patterns in no time!

Sharon said...

The Princess definitely lives to layer her clothes now so Rosebud will love it when it is finished! It is well on its way to being one of your fabulous masterpieces