Continue in Pattern Five Million Times

It seemed like I would never finish the top of this top that I mentioned in my last post. I’ve done it before, but it was for a size years smaller, so it knitted up faster. Around and around I went, making raglan increases. Mind, it’s a pretty neat way to start a top from the top down with the gentle increasing, and I only managed to fubar in a single extra stitch (I counted before I hit the colourwork section, so it was easy enough to correct).

Whups

Now me, I hit knitting and colourwork with much enthusiasm, and pretty much loved it right away. Changing colours in crochet feels more daunting for some reason, though that could just be me. Watching how neatly and easily it builds in knitting is a delight, though I realized I still had quite a bit to learn as I worked on this top. For example, the pattern calls for you to move to a larger sized needle to do the colourwork band. I didn’t the first time I made it, and it came out super-tight. As you can see on the left, it’s a rather drawn-in waist, and I was only able to get it on my cute little model by hand-stretching the middle and hoping it didn’t snap. So when I got to making it this time around, I made very sure to move up needles because I am pretty sure I can’t do a loose enough tension to get away with staying on the same. The pattern calls for 4.5mm, so I upped it to 5.5mm for the colourwork band. I went up a full millimeter because well, I couldn’t find my 5.0mm circular, and I figured it would probably be better a bit looser rather than a bit tighter.

Suffices to say, going up the full millimeter seems to have worked pretty darn well. I guess I won’t know for sure until I’m a few rows further along, but it feels delightfully stretchy through and through. I was enjoying stretching it, and accidentally pushed some stitches off the needles — whups! No real harm done, but certainly, I should take it for inspiration to get it done and dusted so I can actually stretch it around. Of course, I will make a point to share a few pictures once it’s done.

As for afters… I’m not sure what I want to do yet. I think I might make something for myself, like a button-up cardigan. I rather like cardigans, but own maybe two. That’s definitely not enough cardigans. I’ve got loads of free patterns to raid from good designers here online, and I’ve also slowly been acquiring books and magazines from friends and assorted locations. There’s also the confidence factor — am I proficient enough to manage something ‘that’ big? I’ll have to force myself to swatch for once probably, mock grump. But it should be awesome though, whatever it is, ’cause knitting is loads of fun.

<3