![](\"http:\/\/farouche.smugmug.com\/photos\/122507569-S.jpg\"\/)
<\/p>\nI’m moving along fairly well on The Blue Shimmer, motivated by my cameo colored Royal Alpaca. I’ve finished the body and redone the neckline. The original pattern calls for several inches of ribbing at the sleeves, hem, and neckline (with the neck ribbing folded in half and stitched to the inside). I didn’t want to do that for several reasons. First, I think it’s a dated look, at least for me. Second, I didn’t think that the ribbing looked very good. (I tried the ribbing for the neck, although I had it folded to the inside in the first photograph I posted of this sweater.) The way the yarn changes thickness made my stitches look so uneven. They still look uneven in stockinette, but that was exacerbated in the ribbing. Finally, I wanted a wider neck opening. (Side note: the original sweater is knitted in light blue yarn; I changed it to cream because I knew I’d like it better. So mine is already not quite a blue “blue shimmer.”)<\/p>\n
So, my solution was to adapt the last pattern of the yoke for the hemline. I’ll also use that at the sleeves. Here’s a photograph of the hem, which hasn’t yet been stitched down.<\/p>\n
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As you can see, it echoes the patterning of the yoke. <\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/farouche.smugmug.com\/photos\/122507815-M.jpg\"\/)
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This photograph also shows that I’ve cut off the neck ribbing and changed it to a picot foldline. How do you do that, you might ask. Well, very carefully. Because this sweater is knit from the top down, I had to cut the ribbing off because you can’t unravel from your cast on edge. Before I cut, I took a needle that was one or two sizes smaller than the one I was knitting with and very carefully threaded it through each stitch, making sure I was following the same row all the way around. I then cut off the neck a couple of rows above that needle to get it out of the way, and then snipped and picked out the last row before the one I had picked up. ???? Here is a photograph to show what I mean.<\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/farouche.smugmug.com\/photos\/122507712-M.jpg\"\/)
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In this picture, you can see the cord of the needle going through the stitches of the row I am “saving,” and the yarn being held by my thumb is what I am cutting and removing. <\/p>\n
Finally, in this photo of the entire sweater, you can see the ribbing that I cut away by itself off to the side.<\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/farouche.smugmug.com\/photos\/122507752-M.jpg\"\/)
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The yarn from Sweden, which Susan and I will use on our Large Lace Collar sweaters, is much more even in color and texture; I hope that this sweater looks better once it’s blocked. (I have perfectionist issues.)<\/p>\n
Edited to Add: A wave and hello to the Clack House<\/b> (a members-only Clay Aiken fan site), from whom we have gotten a number of referrals. I’ve heard that you have started a knitting and crocheting thread and that some of you have been kind enough to mention our blog. I wish I could post in your thread, but alas I’m not a member. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I’m moving along fairly well on The Blue Shimmer, motivated by my cameo colored Royal Alpaca. I’ve finished the body and redone the neckline. The original pattern calls for several inches of ribbing at the sleeves, hem, and neckline (with the neck ribbing folded in half and stitched to the inside). I didn’t want to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blue-shimmer","category-knitting-tips"],"yoast_head":"\n