the blue blog archives: false start

Last week I decided to cast on for the first of my phildar projects. I wanted to start the short-sleeved sweater for the next knitalong - so far poor Clémence is knitting along all by herself. I cast on according to my gauge, knit "happily" off and on for a few days (quotes are due to the decrease in happiness effected by the teeny tiny gauge), and it looks like it should fit my boys just perfectly. Unfortunately, it's for me. So what I have now is the world's largest swatch. Uggggh! I've put it aside and will be ripping out the first (apparently useless) swatch so I can start again from that ball. I just can't bring myself to rip out all those teeny tiny stitches yet.

But since I'm ripping and starting over.... what do you think of the idea of carrying along some sort of complementary sparkly yarn, like Rowan's Lurex Shimmer or Phildar Sunset? For some reason, I feel the need to make the lilac more interesting (like this pattern here).

Regardless of what I decide, there will be no knitting on the Phildar top this week, because I am now in full-on deadline mode with native. I'm knitting the native sweater for my mom and she's coming up this weekend (just a few days before her birthday) and I'm trying to get it done by then. Ha, ha! Plan B is to at least get the knitting done (weaving in ends later) and sew up the front and back pieces so it finally starts looking like a sweater and mom can try it on. The race against the calendar is on!

posted by alison at 8:10 am | in native , phildar filly

Comments

What yarn are you using for that one? I think that carrying something shimmery along for the effect is a great idea. I'm substituting Rowan Lurex shimmer for Phildar Sunset in the cardi rayon later on my list of projects...

Posted by: kerrie at August 11, 2003 10:35 AM

Rowan's Lurex Shimmer is a great carry-along yarn-I made a swatch of this with one strand of patons Lux cotton awhile ago - but can not find it now - was going to email pic to you! Bum! - Never mind -just thought I would let you know it seemed to work well.

Posted by: Lydia at August 11, 2003 11:01 AM

I'm using Phildar's lambswool and really liked the look of that pattern I linked to, which is the lambswool and the sunset yarn together. I'm glad to hear from you both that the lurex shimmer seems like a good yarn for carrying along. They have a purpley shade that could work well with the lilac lambswool.

But will it make the whole thing seem too evening-out-y? I don't ever go out except to the playground, so I wouldn't want it to look too fancy, just more interesting. What do you think?

Posted by: alison at August 11, 2003 11:53 AM

Oh oh! Definitely use the lambswool + sunset. The sunset is much finer than lurex shimmer, and knits up nicely with lighter weight yarns such as lambswool or licorne. Can't wait to see how it looks :-)

Speaking of which, sending a little sumpin' off to you tomorrow morning :-)

Posted by: Becky at August 11, 2003 12:44 PM

P.S. I don't think the sunset, if carried along single threaded with lambswool, will make it look too fancy. It's so thin, it's almost like thread. (Perhaps if used alone and doubled, it would.) I think it would make the top look more interesting. Go for it!

Posted by: Becky at August 11, 2003 12:47 PM

i like the idea of carrying along a sparkly yarn, but in my experience, not only is lurex shimmer thick and not very pliable, but it's really scratchy. i would only use it as an accent - i wouldn't want it all over my skin.

that's just my two cents. :)

Posted by: andrea at August 11, 2003 5:38 PM

I got my licorne from france on saturday & started my top that night--I just hadn't told anyone yet!

Posted by: maureen at August 12, 2003 4:58 PM