the blue blog archives: smooch

A great success, despite the pattern being a bit annoying. For those still working, or waiting to begin, here's a quick summary (with links to the archives) of all the details of my Smooch. The picot edging was done as called for (following Johanna's helpful clarifications), but I reversed the decreases on the lace pattern for a smoother look. I used my new half-twisted decrease for all the left-slanting decreases, including lace, waist shaping, and eyelets at the neck. I started the neck on the same row as the beginning of the armhole and knit just as far as necessary to complete all the neck decreases before starting the short rows for shoulder shaping. The decreases for the neck were all done on eyelet rows (to make the eyelets nice and round) except for the second and third decreases which are more frequent and make the neck more scooped than a perfect V would be. Not sure that any inquiring minds really wanted to know all that, but there it is.

Good news: it's just gone warm here, so I may get a chance to wear Smooch (and my other tanks) yet!

posted by alison at 12:15 am | in tank girl kisses

Comments

WOHOO!!! awesome! looks just gorgeous on you!!!! you go girl :)

Posted by: Carissa at June 24, 2003 12:29 AM

Your Smooch looks great! I just finished mine, too!

Posted by: Wendy at June 24, 2003 4:19 AM

Another great tank! I like the color.

Posted by: Melissa at June 24, 2003 5:34 AM

Fabuloso!!! Beautiful... Well fitting and chic!

Tank Girls RULE, Ms. #1 Tank Grrl!!!

Posted by: Bonne Marie at June 24, 2003 7:00 AM

wow -- looks great! tres sexy et chic! and boy do you have skinny arms missy!!! i want your arms!! :) congrats on another lovely summer top.

Posted by: carolyn at June 24, 2003 7:33 AM

Looks great and I love the subtle color you chose.

Posted by: Leigh at June 24, 2003 8:00 AM

Whoo-ee! Oh to be young and er...um...blessed!

Posted by: Marg at June 24, 2003 8:10 AM

Alison your Smooch looks great!!

I like the way yours fits so much better than mine. Can you tell how the measurements on your tank compare to your measurements? I think the pattern calls for the tank to end up being anywhere from 1 to 3 inches smaller than the body it's to be worn on... mine is 1.5 inches smaller and I don't like the way it looks. Still debating on ripping...

Posted by: anne at June 24, 2003 8:22 AM

Thanks for reminding me, Anne. I knit Smooch a size larger than my normal size so it wouldn't be sooo tight. I mean a plunging neckline and peekaboo eyelets is plenty! Having knit five tanks in asc already, I knew how many I needed to cast on and chose the size closest to that.

Posted by: alison at June 24, 2003 8:34 AM

I absolutely love it! all these tanks are making me so jealous, yet I knit way too slowly... by the time I have even a moment to contemplate making myself a tank, it'll be the dead of winter again. sniff.

Posted by: kimkimkim at June 24, 2003 8:47 AM

It's gorgeous Alison. The color is just pefect for that "understated sexy" look :). Okay, you can move me from blue to red because I'm starting mine today. Your Smooch is an inspiration.

Posted by: Sharlyn at June 24, 2003 8:54 AM

Smooch looks great!

Posted by: BreendaH at June 24, 2003 9:04 AM

All hail the Tank Queen!!! Long may she, um, tank!

Posted by: Chris at June 24, 2003 10:30 AM

Looking good! Could you share what size you made? I would guess a small... I'm planning to join but haven't received the pattern book yet--I'm being punished by the goddesses for breaking my self-imposed yarn die-t. (It's all on the blog!)

Posted by: Steph at June 24, 2003 10:49 AM

I'm impressed!!! I must say starting the sweater after so many of your have worked out the kinks is great. Thanks for all the help.

Posted by: MKaye at June 24, 2003 12:08 PM

Beautiful!! I mentioned this before, but I think that color is one of the most gorgeous Smooches out there right now! My neckline is a bit low--I really wish I would have shortened it although the armholes were perfect for me, as written. Maybe I'll do another one....

Anyway, you look fabulous!

Posted by: Karen at June 24, 2003 12:44 PM

Gorgeous, girlfriend! But uh-oh, you & Anne now have me worried about fit. Did I miss something telling me to pick a finished measurement less than my actual? I probably won't mind if it's a bit loose like yours, but I was also thinking it might be fun to wear something rather fitted and sexy for a change, though I'm hardly boobalicious. Did another 1.5 inches last night, but I'm still on the boring Stst part of the back. Wendy whizzed by and I bet Bonne Marie will too . . .

Posted by: Maggi at June 24, 2003 1:21 PM

Hey ladies! Had a lot of questions and comments about fit. As I said, I knew how many stitches to cast on for my tank before I even looked at the pattern. I liked the fit of my other tanks (not too loose, not too tight) and decided to stay with that. That put me at a large for Smooch, which sort of told me that this pattern was meant to be real snug! So those out there worried about that, try comparing what you've knit to something in your closet so you can get a sense for whether it's going to be too tight or just right! And the armholes - I still have no idea about what the right armhole size is for me. Sometimes smaller seems good, this time it was a bit larger than usual, but at 20cm, it just covers my bra, so that's fine. And it's nice and airy. Perfect for the hot weather we've got today.

Keep on smooching, girls!

Posted by: alison at June 24, 2003 1:28 PM

It looks like I'm going to start mine over...too big! I'm not going to rip what I've already done until I get through the lace section on the do-over...guess I'll post about it on my blog... I already have the stitches cast on, just need to count, decide on a size & off I'll go...this should go a bit faster since I'm going to work on a smaller size...

I'm also watching to see what people say about their Smooch tank measurement versus their measurement... I like the comfortable fit that you (Alison) & Wendy achieved..in fact, seems like everyone who's done a photo has a comfortably loose tank...

Posted by: Jessica at June 24, 2003 1:32 PM

Do you think finishing Smooch had anything to do with summer finally arriving here? ;-)

Posted by: claudia at June 24, 2003 3:54 PM

Allison - can you post some pictures about that wacky decrease you learned at the Knit In? It sounds like a slip slip knit but I know I must be missing something and just can't visualize it.

Posted by: Gina at June 24, 2003 8:18 PM

GORGEOUS!!! Can you hear all those whistles in the background? Alison, you are the Tank Queen of the Knitting World. I bow to you :-)

[Now I'm inspired to finish mine up already!]

Posted by: Becky at June 25, 2003 1:33 AM

Ah it looks amazing! Love the colour, it's really sophisticated!

Posted by: jen at June 25, 2003 1:34 AM

Looks really cool :)

Posted by: Rodney Fiyyaz Victor at June 25, 2003 10:11 AM