theraineysisters knitting and so much more

May 2, 2010

From Susan — Lettie, You Saucy Minx!

Filed under: Boxes — lv2knit @ 12:52 pm

I have been working on my Boxes Drape Vest for the past few weeks — it is a LOT of knitting!  But my goal is to finish it before embarking on anything new, so I plod onward.

Lettie agreed to try it on for me and the saucy minx was bra-less!  Jeez, Lettie, cover up that boob!

And from the back:

I tried it on, too, and I think it will fit.  I wanted to have the “racer-back” look of the original (see picture below) because it looked so fantastic on my friend Beth.  This sounds good in theory, but presented a few issues.  The armhole opening is quite small and since the opening orients more to the back (making the back narrow and racer-like) the fronts bunch at the front armhole.  I made my armholes wider, putting the extra space BEFORE the armhole placement in the pattern.  I added 12 rows to the opening.  Mayhaps too much, though it still presses against my arm in the front a little bit.  It made the armhole opening a little large for my taste.  I added 4 rows of 2×2 ribbing around the armhole opening (not in the original pattern) and it did help.  Blocking the center back a little wider will also help.

Another issue is that I am running out of yarn.  I bought 6 skeins of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd’s Worsted, color Hermosa — it was all they had.  I found one more skein and thought, “Woo Hoo!  I can add an extra set of boxes to make it longer!”  Wrong, over-confident one!  At the center back, I had used up all of the 4th skein of 7.  That means I would need 8 to complete it as is.  So, I will knit with my 3 remaining skeins until I run out of yarn.  Then I will cut off the first half, more or less splitting the difference, add some length to side 2 to make them equal, and then reknit the ribbing on side 1.  It will involve a little extra work, but after trying it on, it is too long now anyway.    What a maroon!

9 Comments »

  1. That is gorgeous! I love most of the patterns in that book! I did the mitered vee capelet. It was really fun to knit.

    Comment by Maria — May 2, 2010 @ 2:28 pm

  2. Maroon? I think not. Many knitters (most knitters?) would not be able to accomplish your fix. I admire you 🙂

    Comment by kmkat — May 2, 2010 @ 4:04 pm

  3. This vest seems like such a natural for you that I hope it turns out to your satisfaction.

    Comment by Chloe — May 2, 2010 @ 6:55 pm

  4. Ah, don’t be tough on yourself. Sometimes I think that knowing how to fix stuff like this lets us take some chances. Sometimes they work out wonderfully, sometimes we have to adjust a bit. But we CAN adjust – that is all that matters! The vest is going to look smashing on you – just your colors. And I love the woven boxes – so classic and so classy.

    Comment by twinsetellen — May 2, 2010 @ 7:29 pm

  5. Yes, we often outsmart ourselves, don’t we?

    Comment by Surly — May 2, 2010 @ 9:04 pm

  6. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

    When I read the adjustments you had to do, I went what, a person can do that????LOL

    You are truly an amazing lady.

    Comment by Annie C — May 3, 2010 @ 7:07 pm

  7. Susan- I think that design requires a taller person, so you will look great in it.

    Some of us are a little more height-challenged.

    Comment by Lorraine — May 4, 2010 @ 10:10 am

  8. Wow! Gorgeous!

    Comment by knittingoutloud — May 6, 2010 @ 7:02 am

  9. It’s lovely — and I’ll bet that it will be completely worth the “adjusting” you’re going to have to do there at the end. 🙂

    Comment by Kym — May 7, 2010 @ 9:07 am

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