Well. Believe it or not there HAS been lots of knitting going on over here at Family Trunk HQ, and some of it is turning out just swimmingly, but unfortunately a lot of it's also Top Secret Until Such Time As the Ministry Sees Fit to Release It (apologies to non-Harry Potter fans). There is something I can show you, but it's the one project that hasn't yet "clicked" for me into its final form.
You may remember this luscious blue angora yarn from my post over here about how it occurred to me to base the "Emily" sweater in the Family Trunk Project series on a much-loved photo of myself at 2.5, hanging out in the pumpkin patch in a baby-blue and tomato-red set of corduroy overalls and some dapper little tomato-red galoshes. I decided to femme the idea up a bit, with some twisted ribbing that emerges into stockinette on a diagonal as it progresses up the body, meeting in a point just under the bust. The sleeves (short or 3/4 length, I haven't decided) would be worked and joined onto the body, and then the upper portion would be worked as a circular yoke, with a row or two of eyelets to accommodate the lovely tomato-red velvet ribbon I blogged about last time. I'm thinking of some ribbon detailing on the sleeves, as well.
There are certain things about the way this design is working out that I just love. I like the degree of visibility on the cables: soft and romantic, but still easy to see. The transitions from cabling to stockinette also look lovely, and the decreases work out very neatly: 2X2 cabled ribbing means sets of four stitches, and the math says I need to decrease a quarter of the stitches away as I transition to stockinette. Easy as pie: working the two formerly-cabled stitches together when I work them for the last time gives me three stitches per set instead of four! I love it when math is my friend.
But something about the design is bugging me, and I can't quite put my finger on what it is. I've had to put the project aside for the moment anyway, since I'm working on some patterns with deadlines, but when I pick it back up, here's my plan:
I have a second big cone of this yarn, and I think I'll leave what I've knitted so far, and start again from the second cone. I'm thinking I'll adjust the line of the "peak" so that the cabling extends higher up and the transition to stockinette forms a kind of empire waist - always a flattering line. I may decrease the amount of ease slightly, because the angora is very fluffy and doesn't have much drape, a combination that adds weight: I guess there's a reason all those angora sweaters in the 50s were form-fitting. Between the empire waist and the snugger fit, part of my issue will be solved: I don't think the current version is all that flattering, despite the waist shaping working out pretty much perfectly.
Also, perhaps most significantly: I think my second attempt will be a cardigan. For some reason I've been fighting the idea of making this a cardigan ever since it first occurred to me; I'm not sure why. Usually when I find myself battling my instincts on a design, giving in turns out to be the right move, so that's what I'm gonna do. When I get as far on the second version as I am on the first, I can compare them and see which I prefer.
Up next: two sewing updates!
I love the line of this, but I agree that the empire waist might prove to be more flattering. It also allows for size adjustment between the waist and bust measurements, a must for me! The cardigan idea sounds intriguing. Can't wait to see how this turns out.
Wow, Emily, that is beautiful. Your attention to detail is really inspiring - I love reading about your design processes and just seeing the sheer amount of thought (and maths!) that goes into a design. I think the empire waist will look lovely, and the cables work really, really well with the yarn...interesting, because I would never have thought to work cables in angora myself, but it works *so* well. Looking forward to seeing the cardiganised version!
The colour of that yarn is really beautiful - it reminds me of the sky on a clear, crisp winter's day.
just a general comment - has anyone mentioned to you lately that you are AMAZING? I love your blog, your inspiring creativity and the posts you share. Thank you for everything you do!
Hmm, interesting. I love, love, love the corset-style cabling and think it is .very. sexy. Not sure about an empire waist instead, but maybe something that recalls a tighter underbust corset? And I'm not sure what the siren song of the cardigan is for you; maybe following the corset references, if it fastened up the side or the back?
Just thinking. Beautiful work, though!
I agree about angora being very heavy, visually. It's so puffy. Neat design though!
If I were to knit it (and a couple of your patterns are on my If-I-Ever-Get-To-The-Bottom-Of-The-Mending/Making-Pile wish list), I would add 3" - 5" of the cabled rib to the hip.
I'm very interested to see what you choose for the bust.