Fibermania

A Knitting Challenge

This is a sweater that my friend Tommy saw at a store and blogged, and which I found on the Anthropologie website. She liked it but didn't buy it because it is outrageously priced at $348. It's not like there is only one available in the world. I looked closely at it and thought I could tell what the designer had done to make that bottom part flair a little. I think it is only three rows of knit and then two rows of garter. The flair comes from the fact that the knit stitch is taller than the purl stitch and would stretch out when blocked.

I looked closely at the change in the stitching in the yoke, which looked to me like it may have been plain old garter stitch. The garter stitch is quite stretchy and would probably pull in the bodice part and make it fit closer at the yoke.

So I told Tommy that I would make a doll size sample and see if it would work. I think it did!

I used Regia sock yarn leftovers and size 2 needles. For the bodice I did three rows of stockinette (knit) and then two rows of garter. I blocked it quickly by a spritz of water and a hot iron. Sock yarn is superwash and can handle this abuse.

In my haste I forgot to twist the yarn here as I changed yarns and that left a little hole.

And now that I have done this illustration (Thank you Photoshop Elements!) I will frog this sample. And begin a real knit project.