The Soapy Knitter » Tops

Rosi Does

Rosi G. — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:17:43 +0000

Rosi can bake.

Rosi can chat on the phone.

Rosi can knit.

Rosi can model.

Rosi can even salsa (well, too!).

But, Rosi can most definitely NOT pilot an airship. I’ll leave that to Zylphia.

I saw this pattern somewhere in the knit-o-sphere and I KNEW I had to make one. It was a bit slow going at times because: sock yarn + size 4 needles + size 46″ bust = a whole lot of stitches on the needles at once. But OMG is the finished sweater ever so worth it.

I only did the lace insert in the front as I felt it didn’t need it in the back (and it made for a faster knit).

I didn’t gather the neckline with a ribbon. I just let it lay across my shoulders boat-style.

I have to wear a tank under the top so my boobage doesn’t show. Heh.

The sleeve detail is awesome. I love the gather at the top, the length and the bit of lace at the bottom.

The pattern itself is well-written and easy to follow.

I gotta tell you that this is the sexiest sweater that I own. I have worn it ALOT after I made it and compliments abound when people see it. I feel great when I’m wearing it and feel all sexay!!! See my excitement?!

So, Zylphia, have fun on your airship. I’ll continue having fun in other ways!

Zylphia Pilots Her Airship

Source: Sunset Cat Designs
Size: XL, 46″ bust
Yarn: Malabrigo Sock, 2068 yds total
Color: Boticelli Red
Needles: US size 4
Cost: 4.7 skeins at $14.60 per skein = $68.62
Started: February 2, 2011
Finished: May 16, 2010
Mods: See above.

Coachella

Rosi G. — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:58:56 +0000

A couple of months ago I decided I wanted a new Coachella. My previous one was stolen by gremlins in the laundry. Cristi gifted me some aMAIZing yarn to do a Coachella KAL with her but I couldn’t wait for her to get done with her sock knitting mojo. LOL So I plunged ahead.

We all know that one of the many complaints about Coachella is the fact that the cowl neckline hangs too low, usually exposing your boobs. I remedied that by running some of the same yarn through the cast on edge and pulling it to create a gathered look.

But my fave part about my new tank is the back. I subbed the plain t-back for a wider, prettier lacy one. Some of you may recognize this as the same stitch pattern used in my soon-to-be-published Corazon lace scarf.

I started off the strip with more sts than what the pattern suggests and I worked more increases into the stitch pattern going down the back, resulting in the wider back AND armholes that aren’t as deep.

The yarn was kind of weird to work with as it’s basically woven fabric strips. But it does feel nice in the finished garment! (Thanks Cristi!)

I do want yet another one of these maybe with an all-lace back. Let’s see what I can come up with. )

Coachella

Source: Knitty, Summer 2007
Size: 1X
Yarn: South West Trading Company aMAIZing (corn fiber), 4.4 skeins, approx. 630 yds used
Color: Pink #371
Total cost: approx. $23 (but yarn was a gift!!)
Needles: US 8
Gauge: 5 sts & 7 rows per inch in st st
Started: May 5, 2009
Finished: June 21, 2009
Mods: Read above for the biggest mods. In addition to those mods, I only did two rows of short rows for the bust. I finished the bottom with 1×1 ribbing instead of the ktbl. BTW, I AM wearing a razor-back bra with a wide back piece under this tank.

Striped Tomato

Rosi G. — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:18:28 +0000

Because I’m the type of person that when she sees something shiny, she runs after it, after seeing the progress on Cristi’s gorgeous Striped Tomato, I knew I wanted one.

A few posts ago, I showed how horribly ugly the front was coming out where the jog was. I solved that by ripping back almost to the neck edge, moving the start of the round to the side seam and using Meg’s Jogless Jog to do the striping. This method made my jog practically disappear. With this method you:

Pick up the new color and knit one round.
On the second round of the new color, remove your marker, lift the right leg of the stitch under the next stitch on the left needle, place it ON your left needle and knit it together with your next stitch (the one that this leg was sitting under). Place your marker back on the right needle (it has now moved one stitch to the left). (BTW, this lifting leg thing is similar to the Cat Bordhi’s LRinc except you’re not actually doing an increase because you are knitting the stitch together with the other.)
Knit as many rounds as needed in this new color.
Repeat from #1 for as many stripes as you have.

The yarns I used, Noro Silk Garden and Ella Rae Classic, work very well together. This top is verrry soft to me and feels great when worn. I went with the solid for the ribbed edgings on the sweater.

(gratuitous boob shot)

All in all I’m TOO pleased with this great top that fits nicely and was a pleasure to knit. At the end, I almost didn’t even want to bind off! Thanks for the inspiration, Cristi!

Tomato (in stripes)

Source: No Sheep for You (was also given as a Knitting Daily free pattern)
Size: 44.5″ bust
Yarn: Ella Rae Classic in Blackberry (2 skeins, $3.53 each) and Noro Silk Garden in colorway #205 (4 skeins, $6.05 each)
Needles: US 6 (same needles used for ribbing also)
Cost: $31.26
Started: March 11, 2009
Finished: March 27, 2009
Mods: Obviously, I did striping instead of the fair isle in the original Tomato pattern. I only decreased 3 times for the waist instead of 4; and, increased 3 instead of 4. I cast on 8 sts at the armhole instead of the few called for by the pattern for better fit under the arms.

Socks and a Top

Rosi G. — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:00:10 +0000

The Sidewinders are FINALLY done!! THANK THE HEAVENS!!! I was sick of these socks taking up room in my knitting basket making me look all unaccomplished!! LOL

These socks are not necessarily difficult but I was quite upset that they didn’t FIT when I finished the first that I waited an entire year to knit the second sock! That’s my one finished Ravelympics WIP.

Sidewinders Socks

Source: Nona Knits
Size: 9M
Yarn: Gedifra Socks Color, 345 yds.
Color: Greens
Needles: US 1.5
Cost: $6.56
Started: August 1, 2007
Finished: August 11, 2008
Mods: none.

I have a way more exciting FO for you than these socks tho. And way prettier, IMHO!

The Lace and Cable Top! It’s DONE!! YAAAY! I LOVE IT! I have only one complaint: I think the boat neckline is too wide and it falls off the shoulders (one or the other shoulder, but not both at once). I may have to seam up a bit on each end.

I really like the fit of it. The yarn that I used, Elann Luna, really feels great against the skin. One thing tho, you have to be careful not to snag the top on anything: your bag, the seat on the train, your chair at work, etc. Cuz the yarn is soooo splitty that even knit up if it gets caught, that piece won’t look too pretty!

The lace repeats are very easy to remember so it is a very fast knit (if that’s all you have on your needles, but we all know that I have that KADD!).

Here’s a gratuitous boob shot close-up of the lace:

Pretty, no?

Right now I’m trying to finish up a quick baby blanket that my cousin asked me to make for her to take the baby out of the hospital with. She asked me last Saturday. She’s due September 1st. Oy. WISH ME LUCK!!!!

Lace and Cable Top

Source: Vogue Knitting, Spring/Summer 2008
Size: 40.5″ to fit a 44″ bust
Yarn: Elann Luna
Color: Fresh Cream, #5052
Needles: US 6 & 7
Cost: $17.56
Started: July 17, 2008
Finished: August 17, 2008
Mods: The neckline is too wide so I had to sew an inch on either side.

WIP Wednesday

Rosi G. — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 11:00:46 +0000

First of all, thank you all so much for your warm comments and virtual hugs. Thank you to each and every one of you that emailed me and shared personal stories with me much like my own. In a sad way, it was nice to know that I’m not alone in having had such a weird life. I hope that all of you can find peace and a good side to your sadness as I will now try to find in this unfortunate event in my life. I hope to finally be able to meet my half-brothers and sisters and maybe form a relationship with them. I want my children to see what a NORMAL family is like. My father’s side of the family seems to be a good example of normal, loving people. I’ve gotten to speak to my aunt and uncle (father’s siblings). I will be meeting up with them soon.

As usual, the needles have not stopped around here. The same way that I cast on for a BUNCH of socks not too long ago, I’ve now been 100% into knitting sweaters. Right now I have FIVE sweaters OTN: four fully active and one that has been asleep for quite some time in the WIP basket.

Let’s start with the Somewhat Cowl (Yarn: Marshmallow from Decadent Fibers). I am progressing rapidly on this one as it’s mostly stockinette and am now halfway down the body. I don’t plan to make this as long as what the pattern calls for (24″ finished length in my size). With my gut I can’t make sweaters that extend too far below my waist or they get a crease line. HA! Here’s an upside-down shot of it:

Next up is the Central Park Hoodie (Yarn: Araucania Nature Wool). I’m knitting this sweater seamlessly except for the sleeves so it went way faster than usual. I also don’t like how the cable is stopped abruptly at the start of the hood in the pattern so I’ve continued the cable. I’ll make notes of my changes in case anyone is interested. I’m more than halfway through the hood and then on to the sleeves.

Number 3 is the Fairly Easy Fair Isle (Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky). There’s not much going on here. Stockinette until I get to the top part.

The fourth has been on the needles for quite some time and hasn’t been touched in ages. So not much to talk about there. It’s the Bog Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman (Yarn: Makalu Yarns Lambgora).

Lastly, but DEFINITELY not least is my current train knitting: Cable-Down Raglan (Yarn: Shelridge Farm W4). Jeanine mentioned NaKniSweMo so I joined up – as IF I needed an excuse to cast on yet another project. HA! Cast on right on the 1st of Nov. I’m loving the knitting. I DID have to rip yesterday tho because I was NOT liking the raglan increases as instructed in the pattern (kf&b on either side of raglan marker). So after I ripped back I decided to use my new favorite increases: LaLinc and LaRinc, as described by Cat Bordhi in her New Pathways for Sock Knitters book (that link brings you to a video of it. I love these new increases so much that it’s the same ones I’m using for the Somewhat Cowl above.

Here are pictures of the old raglan increases. See how different they are on either side?

Now check out these MUCH NEATER increases. These match up way better.

I’m not COMPLETELY happy with these either but it’s because half the increases are done on reverse stockinette so they’re forming tiny little holes. Do you see them in that last picture? Anyone got any suggestions for me on that?

Well, that’s all for now folks. I also knit on all those second socks sometimes and sooner or later will have a few finished pairs.

TTFN!