Dear Ann,
Oh jeez. What can I say. I have been away from here for far too long. I am well, I am knitting, the kids are back in school tomorrow, I am buying ever-lengthening pairs of men’s (men’s!) trousers and jeans at the Gap without managing to keep up, Day Job continues to keep me limber, and the Jewish Holidays are coming at us fast and furious.
OK, so: knitting.
Whitby’s front and back were finished by the end of June. The first sleeve took all of July and August, mostly because I wasn’t knitting on it very much. Then yesterday I got the idea that it would be fun to wear a gorgeous denim sweater to a handmade-everything get-together THIS WEEK, so I am spending every waking hour (by which I mean when I am not Instagramming or tweeting) trying to knit the second sleeve. This kind of ridiculous deadline (which won’t be met; I see that, Ann) is the only way I’ve ever found to actually knit a second sleeve. It’s a delusion, but it’s helpful.
Confession: despite my self-proclaimed status as Denim Maven, I have no idea what length the sleeves will be. It’s not just the denim and the shrinking. It’s the Very Eighties drop shoulder on this sweater. The sweater is 3/4 as wide as it is long. That puts the shoulder seam somewhere in the vicinity of my elbow. We will see. I love this sweater. I don’t care how long the sleeves are. Or how short. I can fix it, come what may.
That grellow stripe piece you see is my Official Subway Knitting, the cover wrap from Wear With All.
I got 5 of the 9 prescribed skeins of Isager’s Tvinny this past summer in Ulm, and now have laid in some more greys and blues and I’m off to the races on the third long stripe. It’s for a friend. The friend may be me.
This is a top I saw on Columbus Avenue this afternoon. I would like a drapey and/or floaty knitted fall/winter 2013 top with a split back like this. Just a little bit longer closed part at the top to obscure the Foundation Garment. Knitwear designers, please get on it.
Happy week, everybody!
Love,
Kay
The bun, the belt, the lack of muffin-top…it’s a DO! Glad to have you back.
String (NYC) has a house pattern for a split front turtleneck that I made and have also worn with the split side in the back: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cardi-pull. Super comfy and a fun knit – especially with their cashmere! Very customizable too – I shortened it several inches.
String (NYC) has a house pattern for a split front turtleneck that I made and have also worn with the split side in the back: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cardi-pull. Super comfy and a fun knit – especially with their cashmere! Very customizable too – I shortened it several inches.
Shibui has an awesome pattern booklet with a sideways knit, slit like the shirt- in the back. A friend made it and it is lovely. The slit falls below the foundation garment. Great having you back! I love your tweets and instagrams.
You two going to Rhinebeck this year?
You two going to Rhinebeck this year?
You two going to Rhinebeck this year?
You two going to Rhinebeck this year?
You two going to Rhinebeck this year?
Perhaps a hack of this purl bee pattern might help?
‘Purl bee short row sweater’
http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2011/10/25/lauras-loop-short-row-sweater.html
In Feb 2005 Ann did a Day in the Life of a Noro Scarf post
-It has a great photo that’s a timeline of her day’s knitting progression
It is this post that greets me when I click onto your blog to see what’s happening with you two great gals
I have to click onto the main page each time to become current
I know I could easily fix this but I don’t want to
Glad to hear from you, Kay.
That top looks deceptively simple. Could it be just 3 rectangles? A buttonhole? Maybe a slightly shaped neck? So cute!
Ulm: University of Louisiana @Monroe, city in Federal German state of Baden-Wurttenberg, and New Ulm, Minnesota are all places that come up on a Google search of “Ulm”. All sound close enough to civilization to have at least one yarn shop in the area. In which Ulm did you purchase your yarn this summer?
Love the denim blues. Speaking of “the blues”, sort of sad to hear you’re purchasing trousers in men’s sizes these days, but sad in a good way. They do grow up fast, don’t they? Can’t keep them kiddies forever; many blessings, now.
Working on Fussy Cuts squares, so you and Ann are there with me in my knitting more than ever.
Knit on!
LoveDiane
Ulm: University of Louisiana @Monroe, city in Federal German state of Baden-Wurttenberg, and New Ulm, Minnesota are all places that come up on a Google search of “Ulm”. All sound close enough to civilization to have at least one yarn shop in the area. In which Ulm did you purchase your yarn this summer?
Love the denim blues. Speaking of “the blues”, sort of sad to hear you’re purchasing trousers in men’s sizes these days, but sad in a good way. They do grow up fast, don’t they? Can’t keep them kiddies forever; many blessings, now.
Working on Fussy Cuts squares, so you and Ann are there with me in my knitting more than ever.
Knit on!
LoveDiane
You are making me want to knit another denim sweater. I have lots and lots of denim in the stash room . . .
There’s something dignified and old-school and modest about the term Foundation Garment, especially with the capitals. There’s also something dignified and old-school and modest about planning to conceal it.
Also, the denim sweater is awesome.
What is it about sleeves? I feel like all I’m doing is sleeves these days. Mayest thou hie thyself cuffward anon.
VERY EXCITED ABOUT PROJECT X. Any day now!!!!!
You know who would rock the hell out of designing a split back sweater? Stephen West. Do you think we could apply some sort of online pressure to him?
Or, the friend could be me. Just saying! I love that stole. I got to wear the sample again this past weekend and wow does that yarn hold up well, 2 years in.It’s a stealable stole. Can’t wait to meet yours.
Love your post, Kay – long time no see.
To estimate desirable sleeve length on those drop-shoulder garments, have someone measure your “wingspan” across your back as you stand with both arms held out straight. Start the tape measure at your wrist and run it to the opposite wrist – or elbow to elbow if you want elbow-length sleeves, etc.
Now let’s run some sample numbers: if your wingspan is 51″, and that oversized sweater back is 27″, then you have 24″ left over, so each sleeve should be 12″ long.
Or of course you could always pick up stitches for each sleeve at the shoulders and knit to desired length. Choose the method you prefer!
What about this pattern? http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/francis
I’ve got this marked for late spring knitting!
What about this pattern? http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/francis
I’ve got this marked for late spring knitting!
Your knitting WIPs look fab!!! Happy week!
Modest and dignified in reference to Foundation Garments – I *like* it. You’ve put words to what seems to so often be missing nowadays. Oh dear, I sound like my mother.
Gretchen: Thanks for the drop sleeve tip, that was great!
Last week, I was thinking about a sweater just like the Columbus Ave top. It cannot be more than three panels and over lap the back pieces, unless you want sleeves. Cardigan without a neck band in a nice silk mohair combo?
I can’t even finish the first sleeve on the husband’s Darcy, not happy with the yarn for the pattern but feel the need to muscle through. Wishing both of you and your families a sweet and healthy new year.
That’s the kind of look that calls to you in a throaty whisper, “hey. I’m 20 years old. check out my ass.”
Happy New Year!
And I feel ya on the men’s-size jeans and dress pants. Scary how they eat and grow and grow and eat.
Whoever designs this, I hope they call it “Columbus Avenue.” And I hope they do two variations – with and without Foundation Garment Reveal. Because I have a saucy little lime green number from France that I’d put with my Columbus Avenue.
2 things, Ann, I made that cover wrap in some laceweight Isager I got on knitswap…4 colors which I then repeated. My daughter snatched it up before I could say Howdy and she usually is not that interested in my knitting. Also I have found one of the cutest and most appreciated uses of denim yarn is for baby showers in the size 2 of the Wonderful Wallaby. Mary McMahon
2 things, Ann, I made that cover wrap in some laceweight Isager I got on knitswap…4 colors which I then repeated. My daughter snatched it up before I could say Howdy and she usually is not that interested in my knitting. Also I have found one of the cutest and most appreciated uses of denim yarn is for baby showers in the size 2 of the Wonderful Wallaby. Mary McMahon
Kay, I have been thinking about this Foundation Garment issue. There are probably two generations at this point who do not seem to have a concern about visible Foundation Garments. I am not a member of either of them. Take a stroll along any street in the US of A and you will see evidence of garments of a supportive nature that are not industrial, that do not lift and separate, that are not to be worn 18 hours without cease, that do not have Jane Russell endorsing them. But maybe we need to just freakin’ get with the 21st century and find some Foundation Garments that break through the plane into . . . just . . . garments . . . This seems scary to me but I’m willing to give it a try . . .
Your denim sweater is just beautiful! I also love your “Official Subway Knitting” – I want that gorgeous wrap NOW! Thanks for sharing and for feeding my addiction!
woo HOO! I love this whole relaxed fit floaty item. I admit: I occasionally have visible foundation garments, but only because I am lax and have limited foundation garments, and tend overspend on the clothing item, and reuse the foundations (and coats/sweaters) from 7 years ago, when I weighed 12 pounds less. Gasp.
My soccer knitting (like subway knitting but grassier) is a Colour Affection (w/ Purl Soho madeleinetosh). Love it.
Project X; Ann has referred to this a couple of times now, and I for one am waiting!
“It’s for a friend.The friend may be me”
This will be my new comeback when I am asked what I am knitting
missed your great sense of humor
How about Maude?
http://store.cocoknits.com/products/maude.html
LOVE Wear With All
want to go to Minneapolis to see that shop
Project X. C’mon, dish the dirt! People are waiting, you know. X x
Rowan Studio 20 has a couple of split front designs that you could adapt. It looks like it’s still summer over there — autumn has definitely settled on Edinburgh.
Kay, it’s good to hear from you again. I still love that blue sweater (color and texture) and can’t wait for the Final Reveal.
Ann, I bet you’re already partway there on the Visible Foundation Garment front. (Ha. Ha.) You’ve had a camisole–by definition an undergarment—peek out from under a shirt or sweater, right? If that garment has had a shelf bra, you are a proud-but-modest member of the VFG generation! : )
I so agree with Kathy, Ann, and Gretchen. Walking down any street, as Ann says, or any aisle in W-M or the supermarket, have you noticed that the visible undergarment is generally poorly fitting, ratty, and old? There’s nothing sexy about it. An inadvertent peek at beautiful lingerie is another thing (like the lime green number above from France).
I think Francis by Olga Buraya-Kefelian may fit the bill for the sweater. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/francis
1. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m a high school teacher, but I am NOT a fan of the foundation garment peek, so thanks for setting that standard, Kay, and
2. my back to school audiobook treat is Bowling Avenue. . . even though I read it as a “real book” already! It’s a pleasure. Thanks, Ann!
If/when you need more of the Twinny, let me know. My LYS stocks it all.
After all, you do have The Danish Connection. 😉
TÅŸkler – Film Ä°zler
I made that wrap, that marvelous wrap. It’s deadly boring, but the result is the most useful, beautiful thing. I’m going to wear it out. The Isager yarn is so divine you’d think Rowan made it.
a2kA9K http://www.MHyzKpN7h4ERauvS72jUbdI0HeKxuZom.com
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