Inventing a Sweater

I do realize I tried this once before and it didn't go very far, though that was 100% the fault of the yarn, and not me. At least I'm not taking responsibility. The pattern itself was working out perfectly, but the yarn was just one big brown blotchy mess. I do intend to make that top again someday soon, once I find the right, non-blotchy, yarn. 

But here I am in that place again. I have zero aspirations of becoming a designer, but designers just don't seem to design what I want most of the time. I'm not much of a lace girl. I'm not a puffy girl (well, I have my puffy days, but I mean I don't like puffy sweaters). I'm not a boxy-sweater girl, nor a drop-shoulder girl, nor a lot-of-embellishments girl, nor a too-short-too-severe-hips-and-waist girl (a la Kim Hargreaves patterns. I love her patterns, love her sensibilities, but my body does not match them. Does anybody's?)  

Yes, I realize I could modify patterns, but why? Why not just make my own simple sweaters the way I like them, then?

Why can't designers read my mind? And WHY aren't they all standing in LINE waiting to design something especially to my taste? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I hardly EVER knit, and I sound like I'm impossible to please. Sigh. I'm really not. I have just figured out what I like, and I have a damn hard time finding it sometimes.

Anywayyyyyyyy. My daughter wants me to knit her a sweater that is "wearable to work." That's about all she gave me to go on a while back when I asked her. She is not working in Manhattan anymore, as she was when she made that statement. She is attending law school now. 

But long story short, I sort of had to get out my magic decoder ring in order to try to figure out exactly what she meant. The opposite of me, she seems to eschew cardigans, though if I asked her about that, she would probably not have an opinion to express about it. I have to just look at what she buys herself over and over again, and wears over and over again, and go from there. Basically, that is a v-neck, close-fitting little sweater. In this respect, I realize, she is exactly like me:  I have determined what is "my style," and I, too, buy and wear the same basic shapes over and over again. I totally get that. But that is not to say that I won't crash and burn with this attempt at what I think is exactly what she likes. 

Having done a quite exhaustive search of Ravelry patterns and all the books I own, and getting too tired from looking for what I have pictured in my own mind and finding nothing of the kind (or if I do find it, it's in the wrong gauge, or there is some other problem with it, such as it's in a book that I don't have and I want to start YESTERDAY), I just decided to wing it. 

I adore the baby cables that Thea put on the Golden Vintage Cardigan (Ravelry link), so I'm using those. And the rest is just a simple wearable slim-fitting pullover sweater in a luscious stretchy cotton yarn with a v-neck and cuffs embellished with that same little cable, to my daughter's measurements. I hope. Well, this is supposed to be for Abigail, but I sort of hope it turns out too big for her. Maybe I'm figuring the math wrong. Heh. KIDDING! I hope it's just right for her and I hope she loves it. Or if she doesn't, that she GIVES IT BACK TO ME. Oh, I slay myself. I do. Anyhoo.....

Oh, how I love knitting with Calmer (this is my third garment in this yarn, and if anybody has a sweater's worth of it in the color "Tree," I'll take it off your hands. I am in the market for it, but not at full price!), and this color is soooo restful on the eyes. It's called "Pool," and that's just what it feels like. (There is really a touch more yellow/green -- just a touch -- in the real thing. Like robin's egg blue, I'd call it.)

That is the progress for one evening of planning and knitting, and it was pure bliss. I'm knitting it in the round up to the armholes, and it's flying! Sorry, Mom's Shetland Fair Isle.....I needed something soft and smooth to knit for a while. Don't worry -- I will finish you someday. 

Had my almost-weekly dinner and knitting with Joan last night, and made some additional progress. Am well into the waist shaping now....

 ...and did my first-ever Russian join. It was fantastic, and you seriously can't tell where ball one ends and ball two begins! 

Doesn't that sound a bit racy? 

Comments

[Seanna Lea]

That sounds pretty good to me. I was going to suggest a sweater from the first stitchnbitch book, because it is the same basic shape as what you described. I, of course, need to rip mine out and reclaim the yarn if possible. It's just too wide at the neck for my relatively narrow shoulders.

I really want to make an entire sweater out of Calmer, but the stuff is just a little pricier than I am comfortable with.

[Geri]

Love Calmer! I've made one adult size sweater and one child's sweater from it. Easier on the hand than Shetland for sure! Russian join is so cool!

[sandy]

Have I ever knit from Calmer? I cannot remember. I hate that. It is beautiful. I look forward to joining in on the ride that is Ab's Sweater! :)
LX

[gayle]

Love those little cables!
I've read through the instructions for the Russian join, but haven't tried it. I never seem to think of it when I'm joining yarn...

[margene]

Go Norma! The sweater looks very wearable and classic. You may not aspire to be a designer but you could easily be one.

[Anne]

Lovely color you've picked - it'll look great on you.... er... Abigail. :)

[Kym]

Calmer, baby cables, and a deep v-neck. I'm hoping you'll share some of the details of this sweater. . . because this is my daughter's style, too!

[Jennifer]

Great design! I generally borrow a sweater from the person I'm knitting for that is approximately the same weight yarn as I'm knitting. Then I continually match my progress against the model sweater. I know I took measurements on paper, but the actual sweater doesn't lie. I try to compare and contrast every few inches so I don't have to rip out too much (if at all).

Good luck! You're such a good Mom!

[thea]

Living on the edge... I love that you're using the babycables too :) A hint if you're knitting especially for someone is to get one of her fave sweaters and use it to lay your pieces against just to check - as I look at the comment above this, I see I'm not the only genius here.

And really, if you want one for YOU and it's done in Calmer, you can just knit the same pattern mods as you did for the GVC, with the front all one piece and a V neck. Since that baby fits you like a glove.

Ta Da. V Neck Vintage..... Can't wait to see how it turns out!!!

[margaux]

i keep battling with myself on the make my own vs. modify the pattern... you know what scares me the most... arm hole decrease? like i just can't get that around my thick curly hair head.

[Diane H.]

Love the baby cables - what an interesting alternative to ribribrib. And that Russian join... I was just contemplating that the other day for some Kauni Effect yarn to use to make the joins at the color changes. Thanks for the link.

[Donna]

That looks great! I would love to have that sweater.

[Carole]

Good for you! The sweater will be wonderful.

[Linda M.]

It looks wonderful so far and I would certainly wear something just like it (pattern someday?). I have been collecting Calmer each year when my LYS has the BIG after-Thanksgiving sale, I have a bag each of Coffee, the dark blue, and the natural (or oatmeal?) color I think is called Calm. I have knit them all in my mind, so why don't I find the resulting sweaters in my drawer???

[Kathy]

Very cool!

[Elizabeth]

I think we should all have a custom template for the perfect sweater, where the waist shaping is at MY waist, the sleeves are the right length, etc.
I love that colour, Pool. How I wish I was actually in one right now instead of freezing my...sigh.
I have fondled Calmer but never made anything from it - not in the budget. But I would if I got the chance.
It's a shame you posted this. Now if the sweater turns out perfectly you'll still have to give it to Abigail :)

[Konna]

Very nice! I like the tiny cables....nothing puffy there! This is my style too.....hehe

[Cheryl S.]

Your design looks wonderful - nice and classic.

[Joan]

Everything about this sweater is beautiful from the design to the colorway. I'm going to have to try that yarn.

[Elaine]

Well, you learn something new every day.... thanks for the link for the Russian Join.

[Carol]

If you want to double-check numbers, your sweater looks similar to the Erika Knight Deep-V sweater in cathay. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/deep-v-sweater

Love your cables on this one!

[Doris]

Thanks for the link to the Russian Join. I have heard about it before, but never really knew what it was. Looks like a great skill to have. Love that beautiful color too. Can't wait to see you wear it...

[Kristen]

That color is stunning!

[Cookie]

Good for you!

That color will look great on your daughter (or you).

[elizabeth a airhart]

rowan calmer may be on sale at webs

your off spring will look lovely

[marianne]

Looking Good! love the design!
I knit a chemo hat with the colour Pool, GORgeous blue and yes, robin's egg blue.

[curly]

Love, love, love, Calmer and have made several sweaters from it. Just wish it made warmer sweaters, especially for this winter. Great design...publish and sell it?

[Judy]

Love it! Can't wait to see the finished project, which at the rate your needles are flying, will be quite soon!

[whitney]

It looks great so far! I have yet to knit with Calmer. Knitting with (ordinary) cotton destroys my hands, but I wonder if Calmer is a cotton I could knit with.

I was in the same boat, with knowing what kinds of sweaters I wanted and not finding patterns for them. I ended up deciding to try my hand at writing actual patterns for them, but we'll see how long that lasts before I give up and just knit what I want without taking the time to share a pattern at the end of it.

[marj.]

I've been driveby lurking for several years and thought I should say hi so "Hi Norma" and thanks for sharing so much of your life, photos, food and humour.

For someone who "hardly EVER" knits you manage to churn out some very nice results.