Create Along sort-of cross-post

Well, I'm still waiting for the Premiere yarn I ordered, but there's been a change of plan: the pictured project, which I was hoping to complete in time to submit to Knitty--by today!-- has given me no end of headaches. It is far from being completed, as ripping is unfortunately required. And what do you know, it's in Premiere, color #5248. In short, the perfect project to post about here. (And hey, if this CAL does indeed go to September, I should have time to do another one--if my other yarn ever arrives.) I hope y'all don't mind that the first few posts about this sleeveless top won't be real-time; I started the actual knitting about the time the CAL started up, in mid-February.

However, the original idea germinated awhile ago, almost a year, in fact.  I loved the Dayflower Lace stitch pattern in Barbara Walker's 2nd Treasury, and when I decided to design something using it, the first thing I did was Google to see if there were any other patterns out there--first, to see how others might have utilized it, and second, to avoid duplicating someone else's work. I found a scarf, a skirt, and a sweater, and I was interested to note that the latter, a V-neck cardigan with dropped shoulders, avoided any shaping, and thus kept the lace motifs intact (as did the scarf and skirt patterns).

It has been my experience with other curvy lace stitch patterns that mixing them with different stitch patterns must be done judiciously: part of their beauty comes from the undulations caused by the pull of the increase and decreases, and these are affected by adjacent stitches--or by trying to add shaping. So last spring, when I submitted a pattern idea for an empire waist top incorporating Dayflower Lace to Interweave Knits, I limited the lace mostly to the "skirt" portion of the top, thinking to tie the bodice thematically into the skirt by using faggoting--like that within the lace pattern-- to trim the neckline and armholes.

Needless to say, the pattern was not accepted, but I still wanted to pursue the idea, so a little over a month ago, I got out the sketch I had submitted, and started to think about how I might actually execute what I had drawn. By the way, this was one of my earlier sketches using Adobe Illustrator, and while my skills are still fairly rudimentary, one thing this program makes very easy is copying and pasting design motifs--such as if you want to communicate how a lace pattern stitch might appear across an entire garment.

So.  Some of the considerations with this top were:
1. How to create the empire waist shaping. Decreases on several rows, like waist shaping but more drastic? Or decreases all at once, creating a gathered effect?
2. What to do for the band under the bust. Simple stockinette or other pattern stitch? Bind off( or not) and attach to band, perhaps knitted horizontally to decrease stretch? I wanted this part of the top to have zero to slightly negative ease, to avoid that tent look! Use a ribbon or twisted cord to make sure the top fits closely here? And if so, incorporate eyelet holes into the band, for threading the ribbon or cord?
3. Bust shaping. If the underbust band was to have no ease, then there would have to be quite sudden increases for the bust, either along the sides, or using short rows, or using increases only in the front, to form a subtle gathered effect (which is pictured in the sketch).
4. Neckline. I wanted to use some sort of self-finishing for the armhole and neck edges, but what then to do about the center neck, which is drawn showing a single lace panel which is bound off horizontally? I didn't think the plain bound-off edge would look finished enough, but if I was going to add an edge finishing, I figured I would probably have to do it to the whole neck edge, and maybe the armhole edges, for design cohesion. Applied I-cord? Crochet? The Dayflower Lace pattern has no purl stitches on the right side, so I was reluctant to introduce ribbing or garter or seed stitch as an edge treatment.

Gah! What to do when faced with so many decisions?! START KNITTING! Luckily the lower part of this top is simply rounds of lace. I made a gauge swatch, calculated 14 repeats for a lower circumference of 40-ish inches, and I was off.

Edited to add:  Apparently Blogger and Typepad do not allow easy cross-posting, but I copied/pasted and that worked just fine.  Click here for the original post (from March 15th) and to see more of the Create Along.

Comments

[Typesetter]

If you decrease suddenly for a gathered effect, wold no his cause the lace to be bunched up and therefore essentially disappear? On the other hand, hot to decrease gradually in a lace pattern (especially if you want to keep the central lace panel to continue on the bodice?) (Uhm... Will the central lace panel continue with no interruption or be interrupted by the wais shaping?)

[Marit Kostøl]

This looks lovely! About the neckline:would it be possible to use two pattern repeats up front and then split them for each side of the neckline? I've done that on some sweaters, and it made a nice effect. Not sure if it will work here though.
Best wishes, Marit in Norway

[connie]

Hi Angela,
Your tunic/tank sketch is very pretty. It's funny, I was thinking of using the dayflower lace stitch too on a tank - but in a different way than how you're using it. It is a really pretty pattern isn't it? :)

Re: San remo. I've heard of it. I would love to see that festival as well as Carnevale in Venice. Have you been there in Feb for that? Hotels would probably be very expensive at that time of year. My husband's family lives about a 3 hour train ride from Venice. I've always wanted to make a very long day trip to Venice during Carnevale.

-Connie

[Kristin]

Wow that lace pattern is beautiful knit up. Such a great inspiration to choose from.

[Becca]

That is gorgeous.

I too gave up on getting a pattern in to Knitty. March just snuck up on me this year.

You should still work up the pattern...it looks amazing!

[Deb]

I think your design has a great deal of potential! Take what you will of this, a few suggestions:

The bodice- sockinette excluding lace bit. For the band I'd play around with someting a bit more substantial than stockinette-- perhaps sand stitch.

The edging. Have you knit A. Modesitt's "Backyard Leaves" scarf? Here's the deal. The edging is fabulous. Five stitches of slip/knit/purl that creates a perfect attached I-cord, without the ick factor. On just the back verticle portion the knitter would need to complete an attached I-cord. Otherwise, crochet- picot or crab stitches.

[MezzoDiva]

I sympathize!

I am so totally obsessed with this lace that I can't escape it. It haunts me: whenever I knit other floral/leafy lace motifs, they invariably just don't compare.

I fought exactly the same battle last summer while trying to create a light cotton sleeveless T in dayflower lace (throughout). Maintaining the motif integrity while decreasing in the lace panels drove me nuts and I eventually gave up (it being winter and time for warmer stuff.

I was planning to try again this summer and just avoid the issue of decreasing in the lace by (cheating) using a deep-V surplice over a couple of pannels from the empire "waist" up. But now that I see (and LOVE!) your design, I'll just wait until you publish and then I'll make yours (esp. if you size it up to 2X-3X).

Keep me in mind if you're looking for test-knitters for your lovely top. I can knit the DFL in my sleep!

BTW - In a failed attempt to exorcise the obsession, I recently designed a sock with the DFL and I got it into Knitty just under the wire. It's my first design for public consumption, so wish me luck.

[frida]

Bellissimo questo top, quando l'hai finito ce lo fai vedere? Sarebbe bello sferruzzarlo anche in un bel colore estivo: rosa, giallo o anche nero...