My knitting dilemma concerns the Nora Gaughn cardigan from VK Fall '06 I've been working on over the past week.
It has a shape and details that caught my eye despite the VK model actively turning me off the piece. A stylized riding jacket with the back hemline curving down longer than the front and a cheeky nod to being "double breasted" across a too narrow button band. All that paired with stitching detail reminiscent of a classic Aran as moss and garter stitches, varying widths of ribbing and a wee hint of lace to lighting things up wrap the body and circle the sleeves in bands of varying widths.
It gave me visions of easy but entertaining knitting in a pattern for which the dimensions were perfect for me just as written!
But the yarn is knitting up to look like chenille with a soft edged bulkiness about it. If I continue with this yarn the definition to show off that brilliant application of those stitches will be lost. I may as well follow the shaping instructions and knit the whole thing in stockinette.
But I love the yarn and I'm keen to work with it now. What to do with it though? I wish it would tell me what its best suited to but so far its not "talking".
I have neither the time nor interest to shop for a substitute yarn.
If I think about switching to a new pattern and yarn from my stash I'm so far utterly un-enthused. So many new and fun things were to be had in working my most recent batch of knits - fair isling and first time steeking, eyelet lace and "tangled" yoking. I've also done fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants pattern work while on the needles with a new-to-me fiber and then all over seed stitch with my beginner Continental. Its like I've momentarily exhausted my "wouldn't that be fun to try" list.
The poor finished pieces of Minimalist are being caught up in the quandry and are still piled, unblocked on the laundry room counter.
Maybe its more than a "bit" of a dilemma...
The rain and cold in the forecast for the weekend and a Saturday morning meeting that will take My Beloved out of my company and off to the office for a couple of hours promises some time and energy early tomorrow to perhaps wrestle this question to the ground and put something entertaining in my knitting basket. Let's hope! In the meantime though, what will I work on tonight?
agreed - the blue yarn, while beautiful is not right for this sweater (one I love, as well). You'll be happier with a crisper meriono or similar to show the definition of the stitches.
ReplyDeleteAs far as tonight's knitting... you can come and knit the endless rounds of 2x2 rib on my sleeves...
I think you know in your heart, by experience, that the blue yarn isn't suitable.
ReplyDeleteMaybe put it aside, and shop for something at The Frolic?
I took a quick look on ravelry and that tweed yarn looks great in simple patterns like big cables or even just something with a lot of garter stitch. I agree that you need something a little less "rustic" for that lovely VK sweater. Maybe even Cascade would work for that. But for now, do you have any cabled sweaters you've been wanting to knit?
ReplyDeleteOh boo! I agree, that model's expression is rather off-putting, but the cardi is very interesting!
ReplyDeleteSee, now is the time that you could spin while you wait for an answer to arrive...
I like the suggestion - Put it aside and shop for something else. And you are right about that model - scary. Although I didn't notice her until yo mentioned it. My eyes were focused on the sweater. Goes
ReplyDeleteto show what glorious knitting can do to distract.