Soft Yarn Mood

Another effect of the frogging incidents recently...they involved yarn that had a bit more harshness to them. One was organic wool/cotton and the other was linen.  I've been seeking softer yarns!  Is it still soothing me from the frogging, or just a mood?  Who knows, who cares.

A Bit More Substantial Calla tank top was worked in a yummy Classic Elite Yarns Premiere, that blends cotton and tencel.  This one started from a pattern that was more camisole style, with spaghetti straps (ancient old-gal term, probably called lingerie straps now?) and eyelet holes.  Well, needed to get rid othe eyelets and widen the shoulders for more modest me.  The softness of the yarn, it is lightly dreamy to wear for warm weather.

Right after the frogging, I previously wrote about the Gilded Lilys Buttercup that was worked in a "new favorite" Misti Alpaca Pima Silk (mostly cotton, with some silk).  So after Calla, I launched into another tee using this yarn, but in a tonal solid.  Henley Tulip Jam is equally soft.  This pattern was basically fine, but I added a surprise of tulips growing out of the back hem!



I'm still pursuing SOFT...so onward to something else made with the CEY Premiere in pale green.  Oh Yeah!

Changing Shape

I spent a lot of time knitting TWO projects, over 2000 yards of yarn, and frogged them both! Yes, testing my theory that "frogging is OKAY", a possible outcome when you explore new knitting techniques or yarn.

In both those frogged projects, I think it was the shape of the garment that did not flatter me. Working a pattern by another designer always comes with photos on a model...and that model never looks like ME!  And it's just so easy to get lured into a pattern because the garment looks so fabulous on that model.  Why am surprised when it looks so different on me?


Finally broke the "jinx" of bad projects on my Gilded Lilys Buttercup tee.  But I had to imagine it on me, and that meant changing its shape a bit. Oh, and went with a variegated yarn, another big change to design concept. But the yarn was so soft and I pictured it draping nicely.

Buttercup was designed as an A-line top, wide on the bottom, fitted at the top. And naturally shown on a skinny model without a large bust.  For me, I decided that A-line was not the ticket, flaring wider from an already wide bustline. But I so like the top section, that's the most important part.  So in the end, made it narrow through shoulders and yoke area, wider just above and around buslinte, and narrower below the bustline. More lace around the hemline to break up the variegated yarn stripes, and skipped the puffy sleeve finishing. And voila, I like it!

To the one person who may read this blog someday...feel free to change the shape of the garment body to suit YOU.  It's one of the easiest modifications you can make, usually just be changing increases/decreases along a side edge!

Publishing My First Pattern!

I love knitting the designs of other people, and have become pretty comfortable customizing them.  But I've also dabbled in starting "from scratch" on some of my sweaters, and quite successfully!  Always offering detailed notes on my Ravelry page...but knowing there is a nifty option to offer a Free Ravelry Download.

If only I could figure out how to do that!

Finally spent some time learning new tricks.

In advance...I already have jpeg photos of the finished item.  That was my easy start.

First...many patterns and stitches only offer written instructions, but a chart would be handy.  So how do you make a chart?  I am most familiar with Paint Shop Pro software, used it for MANY years to edit photos.  And I figured out a way to make a grid image.  And add a temporary grid to a blank image.  And download some Knitting Fonts.  So I've made my first chart!

Next...patterns always come with a schematic, showing how the pieces are shaped and measure.  They always have such clean lines.  And there's probably a really nice software to do that.  But again I am starting with what's familiar.  Paint Shop Pro again, using a temporary grid in the background.  Straight lines and Bezier lines for curves.  Made my first schematic!

Last Step before Publishing...it all has to get into  PDF format.  This puzzled me for quite a long time.  Turns out, I am most familiar with WordPerfect (very old school...but I learned many years ago in an old school!) for text editing.  So, just started typing out my instructions, rather following standard information I've seen in other patterns.  Then inserted my images for photos, chart, schematics.  Hey, pretty fun to position them where I'd like!  And THEN...there is this magical never-seen-it-before link to convert the WordPerfect file to a PDF!

Okay, wow, printed out, like a proud parent!

Next...how do I get this onto Ravelry?  Well, that was a lot of clicking around, and without more than another hour, I was able to open my Marcea's Ravelry Store (for free stuff), create a Pattern, and upload my pdf for Free Ravelry Download.

Twisted Diamonds Tee, Free Ravelry Download

Within my first hour...already have some knitter fans, queues and loves.  And ask for kindness in feedback if they try it.

Psychology of Frogging Successfully

Frogging....knitter's term humorously playing with the words RIP-IT, RIP-IT.

As a Wardrobe Knitter, I am pretty interested in wardrobe pieces, which could also be sewn.  And I was an avid seamstress in my younger days!  But what I LOVE about knitting, as opposed to sewing, is that if the items does not work out...you can unravel it and start over completely, without a loss of your precious fabric.  Well, more than that, knitting offers the ability to make the Fabrics AND the Garments.  And it starts with a ball of yummy yarn.

I've frogged MANY projects that are nearly completed. If I'm working on a new type of construction, new type of yarn, it's not always obvious to me how it will fit. How will that garment that looks gorgeous on a flat-chested model, translate into my figure?  How will my yarn drape, compared to that of the recommended yarn?  I am pretty comfortable with a particular construction style...working in pieces from bottom-up with set-in sleeves.  So almost anything outside that, particularly top-down seamless, is not easy for me to interpret along the way.  I absolutely do not have any understanding of try-on-as-you-go that everyone raves about top-down seamless.  I can try on, but still see that last line of stitches completed that don't have the correct tension until the un-knit row is formed, or the bust shaping is completed, or the sleeve is installed?

So I was trying a wonderful top-down cardigan pattern, new and no one else has made it yet, outside of the designer.  So there were no notes from others on Ravelry to look at it.  And I was working a size larger than the designer actually worked.  The schematics caused me concern from the start...but it was a new style, and maybe it should fit differently than what I've done so far?

My concerns persisted the entire project...but I knit forth, wanting to see if I was wrong.  I knit almost 1300 yards of yarn, got to the last sleeve, half-way through, and just could not see myself ever wearing it.  The armholes were just too deep, making too much fabric around my upper arms. The sleeves were baggy on top.  Just not my thing, and not what I imagined from the model photo (yeah, I'm no model, but I have vivid imagination).

I corresponded with the designer, took photos and posted them on my Ravelry project page.  And slept on it.

So here's the psychology that helps for Successful Frogging.  First...DO NOT FEAR FROGGING. IF YOU FEAR FROGGING, YOU WILL NEVER TRY ANYTHING NEW!  Secondly...ASK FOR ADVICE OR HELP if it is something that you think can be fixed, or re-worked without a full frogging.  Finally...when you have all the information to make a decision, do so before you move on to another project. Seriously, decide, then FROG OR FINISH, and move along.  And in my case, I have a new pile of wound yarn, ready for something new!

Stripes for Color Play

In several of my more recent knitting projects, I've been adding a little bit of extra color by adding stripes.

It partly stems from wanting pieces to work together better.  And that's what this blog was originally focused upon...building a "versatile" wardrobe.

To make those kinds of pieces really work together, though, it seems best to make those items in the same yarn. More unusual color combinations, like lavender and olive, are most pleasing when the yarn texture and drape are not also different.  Adding new texture by stitch variation still seems to work when using the same yarn in different colors...at least to my eye!

In my example to the left, I did some stripes with a completely different yarn. Admittedly, it was not the original plan, but I feared I was running out of the solid yarn...it happens to all of us!  But in choosing my striping yarn, went through my HUGE basket of leftover yarn. I had a few good choices, that were cotton like my main body, and also of a similar weight.  And then I decided on one that had a self-striping color change thing, because maybe that will make this coordinate with more shells and pants!

Of course, there's always what "seems" like a simple acquisition of stripes by using a self-striping variegated yarn.  Hard to tell what they will do until the garment unfolds, at least to me.  If offer a couple examples here of cardigans made recently with those kind of yarns.  Both had interesting elements pulling it "all together".  The first had fluffy white tufts randomly throughout the darker blue/green/berry motif. The other had a white tape backing a variety of fibers, which in addition helped soften the super bright colors.  It also had such diverse bright colors, that I chose to place different yarn colors in the pocket liners...FUN!