WIP: Faire Isle, Slowly
Remember that sweater I cast on during my hurrication? It’s still here, guys.
Just as I suspected, it took a back seat during holiday knitting season. (And by back seat, I mean I was sitting on it, wedged between the cushion and the arm of the couch because that’s where I store my WIPs. I’m not even joking. I just promised myself that I’d get a proper place for them. Let’s make that happen.) After the blur of the holidays plus a big secret project (sorry, suspense!), I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d worked on it. I was half way through the armhole shaping on the back. Why, oh, why do I always put down a piece when I’m working on the armhole shaping? Then I pick it up and I can’t trust that I marked the proper place where I’d left off and I’m suspicious and double guessing the whole way through.
Anyway, over the past week, I was able to not only finish the back but I also worked on my Zelda cross stitch and knit up a new (but simple) design. Pretty neat, huh? I guess since I spent all of New Year’s Day on it, I got a couple of extra hours.
Here it is, so badly in need of a blocking (and better lighting).
As I’m a professional, I held the piece up to my back (you know, the scientific way of measuring garments) and I’m now a little terrified that it won’t fit. I know I voiced my concerns about the sweater being snug before. Now that I’ve completed the entire back piece, there’s really no turning back. Also, since I’m definitely, absolutely a professional, I didn’t bother blocking my gauge swatch so I have no idea if blocking the pieces will help loosen things up. (I’ll remember that for that “How to Knit a Gauge Swatch” post…)
Since it’s wool and most of my sweaters end up being massive, I can only assume that giving a nice soak will give me about an inch more which would be a big help. That or I need to go on a diet, ASAP. I’m not giving this sweater up. I’m too in love.
Here’s a picture of the wrong side. I like sharing my wrong sides a lot. I feel like it’s not something that’s out there enough and I think that they’re interesting and beautiful in their own way. I’ve also gone on weird OCD searches for them when I’m afraid I’m not doing a technique properly. The backside of a faire isle piece is important the way that the back of a cross stitch is important (says myself, who has sloppy, terrible cross stitch backs). Also, you can see that I have hours worth of ends to weave in. Party!
Anyway, this sweater isn’t the quick, simple project I thought it would be. But are they ever? My only hope is that I have time to finish the front before winter is over. Ok, my only OTHER hope is that it fits. And that I don’t cry. Those are my only three hopes. Oh, and also that I don’t run out of yarn because St. Denis is discontinued. Ahahaha!
Please help me.
My sweater’s going to stretch out, right? Do you like looking at wrong sides? Would you share yours?
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Tags: blocking, Debbie Bliss, faire isle, gauge, knit, Magazine, St Denis, sweater, wip, wool, wrong side, yarn
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Comments (7)
It should block out bigger, at least a bit, for sure! Though not as much as non-fair-isle knitting, because of the floats in the back… Fingers crossed for you!
I love looking at wrong sides, and they are often very beautiful. Not only in fair isle, also for example on simple stockinette – the wrong side can have a very special beauty. Here is one I showed on my blog last year: http://fridica.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/second-mitten-syndrome/
Lovely! Thanks for sharing your wrong sides! I think they’re so interesting.
I’m sure it’ll block a little wider, especially if you give it a little tug.
I also like the wrong side of fair isle, though I’ve never posted a picture, but I guess that has more to do with not knitting much fair isle than anything else. My sister used to do cross stitch and the back of her projects always looked as neat as the fronts, not sure what her secret was though, probably OCD.
You should knit more faire isle! One of my favorite techniques that I’ve been doing for years but still don’t quite have it right. That’s what it’s all about, though!
Fair Isle is on my list of techniques to try out this year. It looks so complicated (but probably isn’t!). I love the WS of projects. I recently knitted a basket weave cowl for myself and the WS is so nice that I sometimes wear it inside out on purpose. Maybe I’m crazy…..nah!
That’s awesome! It’s reversible and it wasn’t even meant to be. You should definitely try faire isle. Nothing to be afraid of!
why don’t you give it a mini-steam-blocking for your peace of mind? it’s not going to yield the same results as immersion-blocking, but it should let you know if you really actually need to panic or not. i use the steam function on my iron to spot block things/get colorwork to loosen up a little bit.
it’s looking gorgeous, by the way.