accessories: August 2005 Archives

one arm's almost done but is it?

It's really hard to tell exactly how long to make these sleeves. There's so much stretch to this lacy stitch that the proportions already look whaky. So I decided to seam it up and try it on (you know how much I like try it on as you go).

I'm glad I did because I realized 2 things:

1. I still need about 2 inches before the sleeve is the proper length to my underarm
2. I don't like the full length sleeves

So what am I going to do? Well, after a big internal battle of "Is it really that bad?, It's black, you'll wear it in the winter anyway, and Great, I'll just unseam a little and be done with it!" I admitted to myself that the sleeve was not wide enough to look good when pulled further up my arm. The drop stitch pattern looks best when it's only partly stretched.

I'll keep knitting this shrug across my back and back down the other sleeve and use that to determine the length (I think it'll be somewhere near that red line). Then when I've found the perfect length on that arm, I'll take out my scissors and cut cut cut!

And even though it would have only been noticeable to me the insanely picky a select few, both cuffs will now end the same exact way -- with stitches being bound off.

Y'all can breathe a little easier now.

I've finally caught the shrug bug. I thought shrugs wouldn't work on those of us who were busty, but once I tried on a few in the stores I realized they could! I've already bought 2 shrugs that tie in the front so I decided I needed one of those shoulder-back type shrugs.

I'm making the drop stitch shrug from the Summer 2005 IK Staff Project. Here's a closeup of the stitch pattern. I picked Dale Stork instead of the called for yarn (a silk blend) because I wanted more of an everyday shrug.

The Stork is a finer gauge so after some swatching I decided to add one repeat in order to get the correct width.

I'm really impressed with the Stork yarn, and even considered it for my long-awaited Martha. Stork's a baby yarn though, and the color selection isn't very adult-friendly. So back to the drawing board on Martha.

Back to the shrug.

After a few repeats I noticed that both sides are good options for the right side (mental note -- this would be a nice scarf). I've decided I like the wrong side better.

right side	wrong side

I must have a thing for water lately, because what's drawing me to the wrong side are the ripples that look like undulating waves. The right side has a harsher look to it, and while it's pretty too, I like the softness of the wrong side.

What do you think?