From Basque to Longline

I've been going through my undies drawer trying to weed out the ill-fitting stuff. I still have this really cool basque I bought on eBay a few years ago by Fantasie of England. I never wear it because 1.) it's a basque and when am I going to ever prance around in that with some thigh-highs and heels with garter straps that smoosh down on my derriere? (yeah, that's unattractive) And 2.) my torso is unfortunately too tall so where the sheer lace should be at the hips is more at the bottom part of where my waist tapers out. About an inch off and it makes it uncomfortably awkward. The cups on it fit great despite it being a balcony style with a traditional seamed- 3 sectioned cup. I could actually wear it with t-shirts. And even though it's sized as a 30, it fits more like a 28. 24" unstretched, 28" stretched. Normally I can't wear this brand because they don't make 28's and I find their 30's to fit loose.

So my task over the next couple of days is to turn it into a long-line, like the Freya Edina (should be getting that in on Monday!!) and the Panache Cleo Sadie. It's not a true long-line. The bottom will end just where my waist nips in.

It looks nicer in person.

Test bra!

I had a bra from Victoria's Secret that I bought in 2004, from the Glamour Collection, I.E. makes you look normal collection. It was a Demi cup with a single vertical seam, lace with a thin tricot mesh lining. Unfortunately it was falling apart and I really liked the fit of it so I took it apart stitch by stitch and turned a size 32D into a 30DD. I made two bras from it, 1 successfully. The first one I didn't ease the cup into the band so I lost some of the cup material thinking I had cut it too big, so it came out like a push-up without the padding (less of a curve in the bottom of the cup is what gives this effect. The second one I made came out perfect, but it was quite crude looking. It was blue with a dark blue lace. That part looked fine. I didn't have any darker colored notions on hand so the wire casing, hook and eye closure and half of the straps were either black or white. And then I grew out of the cups.

I thought I threw the pattern away, but I found it the day before yesterday when I was going through my patterns. I adjusted the cup to make it a size bigger and accomodate this size change in the band as well. Since I wasn't using a stretchy fabric the band stayed pretty much the same (I did cut it on the bias for some ease). And it wasn't exactly a size 30 before. The fit is more of a size 26 and it fits a lot better, but almost a little too tight. Its a lot more supportive, compared to my 28's.

The cup is 2 layers of fabric and some quilt batting! It's thin enough (1/8" at most) that it conceals...kind of...but it doesn't add to size. Plus it's a lot more flexible than foam, especially since it's been sewn into the cup. I don't know why batting isn't used more often in bras. I remember when I was younger I had a bra with this in it and it was my most comfortable one.

Sorry, no action shots. There are still a few little fit issues that I need to fix so this doesn't look absolutely perfect on me, but it's close enough! Also, the inside is not finished to my liking. I didn't have long enough wire casings so I actually made some out of felt, but they probably wouldn't hold up as long since they're not backed with fabric. I can already feel the wires trying to poke through on the tops. And I was going to put some plastic boning on the side wings, where that seam is under the arm going towards the back (this would have covered up that raw seam allowance too). But I'll just save that for future ones.

Finished size: 26G (UK)with a 9.25" cup depth.

New Look #6909

=D I feel like a hot 1940's lady in this, lol (I.E. I usually don't wear very revealing clothes)

Baby Sophisticate (with patterns)

Available on my Ravelry, but I'll post it here too. The sweater is my take on "Baby Sophisticate" by Linden Down, using a sport weight yarn and much smaller needles (Sizes 2 and 4 - hat and socks use the same sizes as well). The hat and socks I could not find a pattern for. I guess for some reason when someone thinks baby items they also think gaudy, bulky and full of design. So these are a bit more simple, the socks are made from the toe up. I do not like the gusset look, so I made them to look like a pair of regular socks, though sport weight is a bit heavy for socks to begin with.

Pattern for the Sweater, Hat and Socks as follows:

Baby Sophisticate sweater
YOKE:
With larger needles, CO 40 sts
Row 1: k3, PM, k5, PM, k24, PM, k5, PM, k3
Row 2 (and all WS rows): p all sts
Row 3 (and every 4th RS row): k1, m1l, *k to 1 st before marker, inc 1, k1, sl m, k1, inc 1, rep from * to last st, m1r, k1
Row 5 (and all non 4th RS rows): *k to 1 st before marker, inc 1, k1,slip m, k1, inc 1, repeat from * to end
Continue raglan shaping, ending on a WS row - 32 rows have been worked, piece measures 4" from neck edge - 176 sts

Split Sleeves:
Row 33: (RS) k to m, place next 35 sts on holder, k to next m, place next 35 sts on holder, k to end - 106 sts for body
Row 34: purl
Continue in ST st, slipping first st of each row, until piece measures 5.5" from underarm, ending with a RS row - 39 rows from underarm

Change to smaller needles- Next 10 rows: (starting on a WS row) knit across. BO sts.

SLEEVES:
With larger needles, pick up and knit 35 sleeve sts, join for round, working 8 rounds in ST st
Dec Rnd: k1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1
Work 7 rnds in ST st
Rep last 8 rnds twice more
Rep dec rnd once more - 27 sts rem
Work 3 rnds in ST st
Switch to smaller needles and work Garter st for 10 rnds, starting with a purled row. BO sts

Collar and button band:
With RS facing, PU and knit 53 sts along right front, 38 sts along tops of sleeve and back neck, 53 along left front - 144 sts
Knit 4 rows, placing two markers on each front 32 sts up from edges
Next row: k2, (BO4, k8) twice, BO4, Knit to 1 st before second m, w&t on st before m
Next row: Knit to 1 st before next m, w&t on st before m
Next row: Knit to 4 sts before last w&t, w&t next st
Rep last row 3 times more (you will have wrapped and turned 3 times on each side of the collar)Next row: Knit to wrapped st, working wrap together with st, knit next st and turn
Next row: sl first st, knit to next wrap and knit, working wrap together with st, knit next st and turn
Rep last row 3 times more
Next row: Knit to last wrap, working wrap together with st *Do not turn*, (CO4, k9) twice, CO4, k2
Knit 4 more rows in garter st
BO sts
Note: there will be 2 extra rows on the left front button band than on the right due to the short row shaping. For a boys sweater this is not a problem since it closes left over right. For a girls sweater start the short row shaping on a RS row (Knit 3 rows in the beginning instead of 4).


HAT:
CO 80 sts, join for round
With smaller needles, work 8 rows in 2x2 ribknit
Switch to larger needles and work 20 rows in ST st

Shaping:
Rnd 29: (k8, k2tog) across
30 and all even numbered rnds: knit
31: (k7, k2tog) across
33: (k6, k2tog) across
35: (k5, k2tog) across
37: (k4, k2tog) across
39: (k3, k2tog) across
40: (k2, k2tog) across
41: (k1, k2tog) across
43 & 45: (k2tog) across - pull yarn through rem 4 sts and secure
Pompom optional but it's made on a circle 1.75" in diameter

Finished measurements:
Circumference: 13"
Length: 5.5"


SOCKS:
(Made with shortrow shaping at toe and heel)
Using crochet cast-on, CO 14 sts
Row 1 [WS]: P all sts.
Row 2 [RS]: K to last st, W&T.
Row 3 [WS]: P to last st, W&T.
Row 4 [RS]: K to st before last wrapped st, W&T.
Row 5 [WS]: P to st before last wrapped st, W&T.
Repeat Rows 4 and 5 until 4 sts remain unwrapped between wrapped sts on either side of work. You will be ready to start a RS row.
Row 6 [RS]: K to first wrapped st, k wrapped st, W&T.
Row 7 [WS]: Sl 1, p to first wrapped st, p wrapped st, W&T.
Row 8 [RS]: Sl 1, k to first double-wrapped st, k double-wrapped st, W&T.
Row 9 [WS]: Sl 1, p to first double-wrapped st, p double-wrapped st, W&T.
Repeat Rows 8 and 9 until one double-wrapped stitch remains at each end of work.
Row 10 [RS]: Sl 1, k to double-wrapped st, k double-wrapped st. Do not turn work.* (Work wraps of remaining double-wrapped st together with st when working first round of foot.)Carefully remove crochet chain from CO edge of work, and place the 14 live sts on two double-point needles, or one circular needle. There should now be 28 sts on the needles.

Work 13 rounds in ST st, then repeat short row shaping as indicated above, for the heel.

Ankle: Work 2 rounds in ST st
Cuff: switch to smaller needles and work 16 rounds in 2x2 ribknit. BO sts loosely

Finished measurements:
Foot length: 3.75"
Total length: 6.75"
Circumference at cuff: 5" slightly stretched - At foot: 4"

The blanket is "Cable Blanket" by Debbie Bliss, published in Simply Baby. I cast on for 9 cable repeats, a total of 156 stitches. It's an 8-stitch wide cable, repeated every 12 rows (if I'm remembering correctly. The edges of garter stitch as well as the ribknit panels are 4 stitches wide, and there are 2 purl stitches on either edge of each cable. - At least that was my interpretation of it. I couldn't get ahold of the book or pattern, so it may be a little different than that.

Cozy Alpaca V-neck!

The arms look extremely long but because of the RK they shrink up a lot. They're long enough to cover the first inch of my hand (and I have short arms).

=D Finally! It took me 3 months to finish, slow for me, but I had so much going on. It's the Cozy V-neck from Fitted Knits, a few modifications. It was exactly how I wanted it to look. I still have 2 more sweaters in the process. A tanktop from Knitty and the other is a Victoria's Secret knockoff I'm writing the pattern for and hopefully I'll have enough time to submit it to Knitty or a magazine for a Winter issue...hopefully! But probably not =/ Isn't the deadline for those sometime in mid September?

Also a baby sweater. That's going pretty well, the body is complete up to the underarms and I just cast on for the first sleeve this morning. It's going slow considering the size because I have no idea what the measurements are for a 6 month size, and most of the patterns I've come across are incomplete when it comes to the schematics (stupid designers!), but I've got it pretty much figured out. I've been watching Hell's Kitchen while working on that. (I want to put a knife through the screen and stab Elise over and over, then burn her remains! ...Yes I'm a few episodes behind.)

Green (purple!) Gable Hoodie - part 3

I finished it on the 5th but didn't get any pics until last night. So here it is! =D

Green Gable Hoodie - part 2

Chart B

Chart A

I finally finished it! It's more snug than probably the original pattern called for, but I made an inbetween size. I think that was an issue a lot of people had, it was either too big or too small. So mine is about a 32" with some negative ease....because it's a sweater, not a potato sack!

My version:

What you'll need:
2 hanks - Cascade Yarns Eco+ in color #7072 (478 yds each)
Size 10.5 29" circ needle
Size 10 29" circ needle
Size 10.5 DPN's

Size 9 DPN's
Stitch markers
Stitch holders/safety pins
Embroidery needle (for weaving in ends and grafting)

Gauge in ST st in the round: 15sts x 20 rows = 4"
Finished measurements: 32" bust, 28" waist (worn by a 35" bust and 24" waist)


BODY-
CO 117 sts on size 10 needle, PM, join to knit in round

Starting with a k st, work twisted rib across 15 sts, PM, (p2, k2 x3), p4, (k2, p2 x3), PM, starting with a k st, cont in twisted rib to end of row
Rep row until work measures 2.5" (13 rows)

1: Switch to size 10.5 needle, k15, work row 1 of chart A, k15, PM, k to end
2-8: work in ST st while working respective rows in cable chart
9: k1, ssk, k to M, work chart, k to 3 sts before M, k2tog, k2, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
10-27: rep rows 2-9 2 more times - 105 sts remaining
28-35: work even
36: k1, m1l, work to 1 st before 3rd M, m1r, k2, m1l, k to 1 st before last M, m1r, k1
37-44: work even
45-62: rep rows 33-44 2 more times - 117 remaining
63-66: work even



SLEEVES-
CO 35 sts for right sleeve on size 9 needles, starting with a k st, work twisted rib across 3 sts, PM, (p2, k2 x3), p4, (k2, p2 x3), PM, starting with a k

st, continue in twisted rib to end of row
Rep row until work measures 2.5" (15 rows)

1: Switch to size 10.5 needles, p3, work row 1 of chart A, p4
2-8: p3, work chart, p4
9: pfb, p to M, work chart, p to 1 st before end of row, pfb
10-73: rep rows 2-9 4 more times
74-88: work even - 45 sts remaining
89: p2, sl last 5 sts to st holder

CO for left sleeve in same manner, using chart B



(Join sleeves to body for raglan & yoke shaping)

Back-
1: k2, sl last 5 sts to st holder, k to M, work cable, k13, PM, sl next 5 sts to st holder, join left sleeve, p6, (p2, k2 x3), p4, (k2, p2 x3), p6, PM, k53, PM, join right sleeve, p6, (p2, k2 x3), p4, (k2, p2 x3), p6, PM - 107 sts remaining
2: k1, ssk, k to M, work chart, k to 3 sts before M, k2tog, k1, p1, p2tog, p to M, (p2, k2 x3), p4, (k2, p2 x3), p to 3 sts before M, p2tog, p1, k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before M, k2tog, k1, p1, p2tog, p to M, (p2, k2 x3), p4, (k2, p2 x3), p to 3 sts before M, p2tog, p1
3: work even
4-7: rep rows 2&3 2 more times
8: rep row 2

Place center st on front of sweater on st holder, and split work to work back and forth

(WS)9: work even
(RS)10: k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before M, k2tog, k1, p1, p2tog, p1, (k2, p2 x3), (p2, k2 x3), p1 p2tog, p1, k1, ssk, k to M, work chart, k to 3 sts before M, k2tog, k1, p1, p2tog, p1, (k2, p2 x3), (p2, k2 x3), p1, p2tog, p1, k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end, k2tog, k1
11: work even
12: k to 3 sts before M, k2tog, k1, p1, p2tog, (k2, p2 x3), (p2, k2 x3), p2tog, p1, k1, ssk, k to M, work chart, k to 3 sts before M, k2tog, k1, p1, p2tog, (k2, p2 x3), (p2, k2 x3), p2tog, p1, k1, ssk, k to end
13: work even
14: k1, ssk, k to 4 sts before M, k3tog, k1, (p2, k2 x3), p4, (k2, p2 x3), k1, sssk, k to M, work chart, k to 4 sts before M, k3tog, k1, (p2, k2 x3), p4, (k2, p2 x3), k1, sssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
15: work even
16: k to 4 sts before M, k3tog, k1, (p2, k2 x3), p4, (k2, p2 x3), k1, sssk, k1, work chart, k1, k3tog, k1, (p2, k2 x3), p4, (k2, p2 x3), k1, sssk, k to end
17: work even - remove shoulder M's
18: k1, ssk, k8, PM, k1, sssk, p1, k2, (p2, k2 x2), p4, (k2, p2 x2), k2, p1, k3tog, k1, work chart, k1, sssk, p1, k2, (p2, k2 x2), p4, (k2, p2 x2), k2, p1, k3tog, k1, PM, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
19: work even
20: k to M, k1, sssk, k1, (p2, k2 x2), p4, (k2, p2 x2), k1, k3tog, k1, work chart, k1, sssk, k1, (p2, k2 x2), p4, (k2, p2 x2), k1, k3tog, k to end
21: work even
22: k1, sssk, k to M, k1, sssk, p1, (k2, p2 x2), (p2, k2 x2), p1, k3tog, k1, work chart, k1, sssk, p1, (k2, p2 x2), (p2, k2 x2), p1, k3tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
23: work even
24: k to M, k1, sssk, k1, p2, k2, p4, k2, p2, k1, k3tog, k1, work chart, k1, sssk, k1, p2, k2, p4, k2, p2, k1, k3tog, k to end
25: work even
26: k1, ssk, k to M, k1, sssk, p1, k2, p4, k2, p1, k3tog, k1, work chart, k1, sssk, p1, k2, p4, k2, p1, k3tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
27: work even
28: k to M, k1, ssk, k2, (p2tog x2), k2, k2tog, k1, work chart, k1, ssk, k2, (p2tog x2), k2, k2tog, k to end
29: work even
30: k1, ssk, k to M, k1, sssk, p2, k3tog, k1, work chart, k1, sssk, p2, k3tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
31: work even
32: k to M, k1, ssk, k2tog, k1, work chart, k1, ssk, k2tog, k to end - 50 sts remaining
33-37: work even
38: (k2, m1l x5), k1, work chart, k1, (mir, k2 x5) - 60 sts remaining
39-65: work even

Hood Shaping-
66: k to M, work chart, k to last 3 sts, w&t
67: p to M, work chart, p to last 3 sts, w&t
68: k to M, work chart, k to st before last wrapped st, w&t
69: p to M, work chart, p to st before last wrapped st, w&t
70-93: rep last 2 rows until all ST sts are wrapped, ending on a WS row
94: work to first wrapped st, k wrapped st, w&t
95: sl 1, work to first wrapped st, p wrapped st tbl, w&t
96: sl 1, work to first double wrapped st, k double wrapped st, w&t
97: sl 1, work to first double wrapped st, p double wrapped st tbl, w&t
98-119: rep last 2 rows until 1 double wrapped st remains on each side of work - discontinue working cable chart on row 110. Cont in (p2, k2 X3), p4, (k2, p2 x3)
120: sl 1, work to last double wrapped st, k double wrapped st, k2
121: p2, sl 1, work to last double wrapped st, p double wrapped st tbl, p2

With RS of work facing:
1: Using size 10 needle, sl 1, work across to last st, sl 1, PU and k 44 sts along left of hood, PM, k center front st, PM, PU and k 44 sts along right of hood, PM for end of row - 149 sts remaining
2-3: starting with a p st, work twisted rib across 16 sts, (p2, k2 X3), p4, (k2, p2 x3), starting with a k st, cont in twisted rib to end of row
4: work to 2 sts before M, ssk, k1tbl, k2tog, work to end
5: work even
6: work to 2 sts before M, p2tog, k1tbl, p2tog, work to end
7-8: rep rows 4-5
9: bind off sts to 2 sts before M, p2tog, bind off this and next st, p2tog, continue binding off to end.

With RS of work facing, bind of underarm sts of sleeve and body using Kitchener Bind Off. Weave in ends, block if needed.