Upside-Down Sweater (Joey群編2007年10月上下顛倒穿)

Yarn: Filatura di Crosa Brilla (58% rayon 42% cotton), color #385 Light Coffee - 9 balls (120yd [110m] / 50g)
Pattern: Joey's Knitting House KAL
Needles: Boye F/5 - 3.75 mm crochet hook, Addi Turbo US size 3 (3.25mm) / 32" (80cm) circular needles
Size: Sleeve to sleeve 41", length 17"
Duration: 2007/10/21 - 2007/11/27

線材: Filatura di Crosa Brilla (58% 人造絲 42% 棉), 色號#385 - 9 球 (120yd [110m] / 50g)
圖樣: Joey編織の屋 96/10群編會活動-百變造形秀
針號: 3.75 mm 鉤針, 3.25mm/80cm 輪針
尺寸: 兩袖緣之間長 104 cm, 衣長 44cm
製作日期: 2007/10/21 - 2007/11/27



This is the second time I joined Joey's KAL. Not that I didn't see projects I wanted to work on, it's just intimidating seeing how fast everyone else in the group is finishing their projects. Plus I have got tons of projects piling up in my stash... Feeling a bit guilty buying new yarn to start a new project when in fact I have got more than enough projects to last me through next year... But the temptation of new patterns and new designs are hard to resist, especially when there's only limited time when you can get your hands on them... And this is one of those cases.

這是第二次參加Joey的群編, 不是沒有喜歡的作品, 只是每次看到大家完工的速度實在是快的驚人, 而且我自己已累積了許多等著開工的projects... 我通常都是看好作品再買線, 所以我囤積的毛線大部份都是已想好作品了, 只等著開工, 算一算以我的龜速, 這些線夠我忙一整年喔! 可是每次看到新的作品圖樣, 還是有點忍不住, 這件上下顛倒穿設計簡單但特別, 看了實在很喜歡, 於是決定插個隊先織它嘍!



Choosing a suitable yarn and swatching for gauge turned out to be the challenge for this project. The pattern used a fine gauge cotton yarn with a larger crochet hook to achieve the airy look for the lace portion, while most of the FOs in the KAL group used worsted or DK weight yarn resulting in a heavier/chunkier fabric. I tried several options, seen below from left to right: Louisa Harding Grace Wool-Silk, Classic Elite Wool BamBoo, Patons Grace, and Filatura di Crosa Brilla (I did two swatches with Brilla using different size hooks, one in light blue and one in light coffee.) And of course, the one I liked the most is the one I don't have in my stash. A great excuse to visit the LYS and pick up new yarn, and I was glad that they had the exact color I wanted.

選線和試織片密度花了我不少精神和時間, 原圖樣用的是細棉線, 可是看到大家用的好像都是比較粗一點的毛線, 所以一開始實在是不知如何下手, 就從囤積的毛線裡先開始找中細的毛線. 我試了四組線, 下面照片從左到右分別是 Louisa Harding Grace Wool-Silk (最粗的), Classic Elite Wool BamBoo, Patons Grace (織蕾絲洋裝的那組線), 和 Filatura di Crosa Brilla (最細的). Brilla 這組線我用不同大小鉤針試了兩個織片, 一個淺藍, 一個金黃. 結果最喜歡的還是細線, 偏偏Brilla囤積的不夠, 所以還是跑了一趟毛線店, 還好店裡正好有我喜歡的這個顏色.



Nine balls of yarn proved to be quite heavy for such a little sweater, and I have only a tiny bit of yarn left. The weight pulls down the sweater, making it more drapey, which I love. The one thing I did not anticipate is how the ribbing portion looks when I flip it and wear it as a collar. It is a bit too wide and hard to hold in place, I have to wear it more like a cowlneck for it to stay on my shoulders. I don't know how the more "conventional" way of wearing this sweater (i.e. ribbing at the waist) would fit, since I can't try it on right now. I think I will wear it more in the "conventional" way once I get my waist back, instead of the "upside-down/cowlneck" look.

這件衣服用了九球線, 頗有重量, 因為線本身重, 垂墜性不錯. 有一點沒想到的是, 倒過來穿的時候, 羅紋編的領口有點太寬了, 如果像原圖照片裡的穿法, 肩膀上掛不住會一直掉, 要不然就要把領口往下拉. 現在是無法試穿"正常"的穿法(肚子太大了), 不知道穿起來是什麼樣子. 不過我想, 等我生完哪一天真的可以穿這件衣服時, 應該"正常"的穿法會比較實在, 因為我不喜歡會跑位的衣服, 要常常喬來喬去的很麻煩.



I also love the buttons I picked up at Joann for this sweater. They added an even more contemporary look to the garment.

在布店Joann找到搭配的釦子, 更添加了時尚感.

VK Lacy Dress

Yarn: Patons Grace (100% mercerized cotton), color #61005 Snow - 16 balls (136yd [125m] / 50g)
Pattern: Vogue Knitting 2007 Spring/Summer Issue
Needles: Addi Turbo US size 6 (4mm) / 24" (60cm) & 32" (80cm) circulars
Size: Chest circumference 34"
Duration: 2007/03/30 - 2007/11/13

線材: Patons Grace (100% 棉), 色號#61005 雪白 - 16 球 (136yd [125m] / 50g)
圖樣: Vogue Knitting 雜誌 2007 春/夏季刊
針號: 4mm/60cm & 80cm 輪針
尺寸: 胸圍86cm
製作日期: 2007/03/30 - 2007/11/13

This project really tested my patience and determination. It took forever! Although the lacy bodice and acorn edging kept the knitting interesting, it's the sheer large surface area of it that wore me out. I chose to knit the bodice and the sleeves first, and then the bottom tier of the skirt. Looking back, I think it is the right decision. If I had to knit the bottom tier first, I probably would have given up half way through the 290-sts-per-row-for-54-rows-twice pieces. It was just too much of the same thing. And I could hardly hold all the stitches on the 32" long circular.

這個project真的是考驗耐心和毅力, 織的有夠久啦! 常常想自己是不是吃飽閒閒沒事找事做, 自討苦吃. 雖然蕾絲花樣織起來蠻有意思, 可是實在是太大片了, 織多了還是覺得無聊. 這件我是先織上身和袖子, 最下面也是最大片的裙擺留到最後才織. 那也是織來最痛苦的一段, 每段290針目織54段要織兩片, 針目多到我80cm輪針都快抓不住了, 實在很累人.



I did make one little mistake though. One of the notes in the pattern said to make sure all the acorns are pointed in the same directions. Well, since I took my time to make this dress, by the time I started the sleeves, two months had already passed since I finished the bodice. I actually started knitting the sleeves on the plane to Chicago in August. To keep my luggage light, I did not bring the finished bodice with me, so I couldn’t look up which way the acorns were pointing. I just thought, well, usually row 1 is the right/public side, and so I continued to finish both sleeves. It was not until I tried to put the pieces together that I realized, the acorns on the bodice were pointing in the wrong direction. I thought about just leaving the acorns in “insert 2” pointing one way, and all others pointing the opposite way, but it just looked too obvious to me. Finally I decided to have the acorns in the sleeves pointing one way, and all others pointing the opposite direction. I guess if I don’t say anything, people wouldn’t notice the difference, right?

這件洋裝有些小小的織錯. 本來所有花邊裡的橡果都應該朝同一個方向的, 可是我實在是擱下太久, 都不記得已經織好的上身裡橡果是朝哪邊. 袖子是八月去芝加哥時在飛機上開工的, 因為不想帶太多東西, 織好的兩個身片就沒帶著, 所以只好自己瞎猜繼續下去. 後來把所有的織片湊起來才發現方向不一樣, 有想過錯的”insert 2”就算了, 把其他的方向調成一樣就好, 後來自己看看還是覺得怪. 最後決定, 身體和裙子部位的橡果朝一邊, 袖子的橡果朝另一邊. 我想如果我不說, 應該不會有人看出來吧?



I also added acorn edging along the bottom panel. I think the original design looked great without it, but somehow my version just looked ‘”unfinished” (even after blocking). So I knitted two strips of acorn edging (80 repeats each) and sewed them along the bottom. This added quite a bit of weight to the dress. I used 1.5 balls of yarn just for this part. But I really like the effect.

裙子下擺也多加了一段蕾絲, 其實我覺得原設計裡沒有蕾絲也很好看, 可是我的織好後看起來就覺得好像少了什麼, 好像沒有完工的感覺, 於是決定滾個邊. 織了兩條橡果花邊(每條有80個花樣重複)後縫上去, 用了1.5球的線, 整件衣服也變重了, 不過我覺得效果還不錯.



I think I’ll like this dress. Well, since there’s no way I could squeeze my 7-month-pregnant tummy into this dress, I can only guess how it would have fit my pre-pregnancy body. Hopefully I will lose enough baby weight by next summer so I may actually be able to wear it.

我猜這件穿起來應該還不錯看吧? 這件洋裝從沒懷孕織到現在懷孕七個多月, 近期內是不可能試穿了, 目測是覺得依照以前的身材應該是可以穿, 希望到明年夏天可以有機會穿.

Fiery Bolero

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cathay (50% cotton, 35% viscose microfibre, 15% silk), color #12011 - 6 balls (110yd [100m] / 50g)
Pattern: Interweave Knits 2005 Summer Issue
Needles: Addi Turbo US size 4 (3.5mm) / 24" (60cm) circular (for stockinette), US size 3 (3.25mm) / 24" (60cm) circular (for ribbing)
Size: Chest circumference 34" (pattern sized for 32 3/4")
Duration: 2007/09/19 - 2007/10/11

線材: Debbie Bliss Cathay (50% 棉, 35% 人造絲, 15% 真絲), 色號#12011 - 6 球 (110yd [100m] / 50g)
圖樣: Interweave Knits 雜誌 2005 夏季刊
針號: 3.5mm/60cm 輪針 (平針) 和 3.25mm/60cm 輪針 (緣邊)
尺寸: 胸圍86cm (原圖樣尺寸為83cm)
製作日期: 2007/09/19 - 2007/10/11

I had wanted to make this top since I first got the magazine. I bought the yarn during a clearance sale in a LYS last August, and didn't get around to it until this summer. Just have so many projects and so little time. Such is the dilemma for us knitters, isn't it? This is actually a very quick and easy knit. Obviously I didn't work on it full time during the three weeks it took for me to finish it. I picked this project to start in the midst of all those lace projects, to sort of give myself a break. Something straight forward and not fussy, something that I don't have to keep counting stitches and rows and looking at charts. I actually knitted the majority of this top on the road while we were driving around in Toronto, just a few rows at a time. Plain old stockinette is the best for in-the-car knitting.

當初一拿到雜誌時就想織這件, 去年八月碰到附近一家毛線店出清存貨折價時把線也買好了, 卻一直等到現在才織好. 實在是想織的東西太多, 時間太少. 我想愛編織的人都有同樣的難題吧? 這件織起來其實又簡單又快, 從頭到尾雖然拖了三個星期, 不過我也沒有全副精神地去做(之間還在玩別的projects). 這一陣子玩蕾絲玩的有點累, 持續地算針數和段數以及看圖表, 腦細胞死了不少, 覺得需要些較簡單淺顯的東西來放鬆一下. 這件小外套有一大部分是在多倫多時織的, 老公開車時, 我就織毛線. 在車上織毛線還是織平針比較輕鬆, 不像蕾絲要一直盯著免得出錯.



Originally I had wanted to make this top in the same shade of orange-y red as shown in the magazine, but when I saw the actual yarn color in a store, I changed my mind. Somehow it just doesn't seem to be the right color for me. I like purple, but I hardly knit with purple. This shade of purple is not appealing to everyone, I know. At first I hesitated on picking them up from the clearance bin. After another half hour of pacing in the store, I just couldn't leave without them. And the color kind of grew on me, I am liking it more and more. It would look striking on ivory, grey, brown, and black, which are the basics in my wardrobe.

本來是想要用雜誌上麻豆穿的那個帶橘的鮮紅色, 去到店裡一看便改變了主意. 顏色是還不錯, 只是覺得不太適合我. 紫色一直是我喜愛的顏色之一, 也不知為什麼很少織紫色的衣服. 這次挑的這個紫並不是很討喜, 可能很多人不會考慮. 可是當初在店裡看到時, 卻捨不得不買, 考慮了許久, 還是把它帶回家了. 不過這顏色我越看越順眼, 用來搭配中性色系如乳白, 灰, 褐, 或黑應該都不錯.



Now some knitting observations:
編織心得:

The pattern is easy and clear, I had no problems following it at all. But do check the corrections posted on Interweave Knits' website. The pattern as published was correct, but they posted a different way of describing how to do the short rows along the back neck ribbing which, I agree, is much easier to follow than the magazine.

這件的pattern很簡單也很詳細, 一路織來沒有遇到什麼問題. 不過想要織這件的朋友們, 記得看一下Interweave Knits雜誌社網站上登的圖樣修正. 雜誌上原圖樣並沒有錯誤, 只是在解說後領引返編織的部分有點不太容易懂. 網站上登的解說就清楚多了, 也不用算那麼多針目.

I deliberately used a larger gauge - 21 sts/4" instead of the suggested 22 sts/4". I wanted a 33 1/2" - 34" chest circumference, the closest size in the pattern is 32 3/4" and the next size up is 35". I decided to knit according to the 32 3/4" pattern, and hoped the larger gauge and blocking would give me a slightly larger garment. I think it turned out pretty well.

這件的密度我故意用的鬆一點, 圖樣是22針目/10公分, 我的密度是21. 圖樣上的尺寸要不就是太小(胸圍83公分), 要不就是太大(胸圍89公分). 想說密度弄鬆一點, 定型時再拉開, 應該會比較剛好. 結果還挺滿意的喔!

I used a little over 5 balls of yarn. For the size I made, the magazine called for 5 balls of yarn. It probably would have been enough if I watched carefully while I knitted and maybe ripped out my test swatches when I ran short, but I didn't. I bought 6 balls anyway, so I figured, why skimp on the few inches that I usually leave when changing to a new ball or the lengthy tail that I saved for seaming?

這件我用了五球多一點點的線. 根據雜誌上說的, 五球應該就夠了, 不過就要省著點用. 這組線我當初買了六球, 絕對不怕不夠, 所以用線時也沒有刻意去省, 線頭都留長長的. 五球用完時其實只剩下一隻袖子的緣邊還沒織, 如果把試密度的織片拆掉來用可能也夠了, 可是我就是懶得拆. 反正線夠嘛, 幹麼那麼麻煩?

Cathay knits up beautifully. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. But it also splits like crazy if you have to unravel. The yarn also splits during seaming, all those threading back and forth. My guess is - don't work it too much, and it will be fine. But I wonder if I will ever be able to rip this out and reuse the yarn for something else?

這組線Cathay織出來的針目清楚漂亮, 算是出乎我意料之外. 但是如果有需要拆掉重織, 或穿針用來縫合時, 這個線就分岔的很厲害. 想要它不分岔呢, 就不能太過操作. 不過這麼一來, 好像也不可能哪天把它拆了換織別的東西哦?

See those terribly splitty yarn ends?
線頭分岔的很厲害