Monday, March 24, 2008

From Molly Ringwald to Capecho

One of my resolutionary* revolutions (at least, knit-wise) is to overcome the attachment I have infused into all (most) of my knits and take the big step. The plunge-into-abyss.
I've decided that a knit-never-worn is a knit-no-good.
The Molly Ringwald I made last year is one of these, and the first candidate on the chopping block.
I never wore it because I thought it was a combination of incongruous yarn for a sleeveless project, and the yarn itself seemed to stretch out and have nubbly, handspun-esque bits which created an undesirable shape around me.
Yarn: a lovely soft pink Noro Cash Iroha

Here you see it before (it didn't expand so much until I'd worn it a number of times):
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and now here you see it's guts, it twisted, mutilated guts:
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This will, with any luck, be its after:
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I do realize that the yarn weights are rather different. I haven't done the math yet, but what with all the comments I've read proclaiming this pattern to (and I'm condensing what seems to be a general sentiment here) "come out large, floppy and not at all like the lovely (and probably clipped-in-the-back) version on the cover", I think a smaller gauge is more likely to lead me down a road of knit-happiness, and not to yet another knit-never-worn.

**Edited to add** Deception masquerading as a mistake? Here's a quote from the pattern corrections on Vogue's site:
This garment is not close-fitting; it was incorrectly described in the copy on page 105. The sleeve is the only close-fitting part of this garment.
Incorrectly described?
More like incorrectly photographed.

*again, don't look up the word, I manufacture them meself

9 comments:

Kai said...

Excellent idea.. I haven't been knitting long enough to be at this stage. Although I do have a knit that I need to adjust a little to make it more wearable!

The Noro looks lovely. Are you going to try the VK cardi/shrug then, even after the misleading photograph?

Teresa said...

Thanks!
I will try the capecho. I'm taking it as a personal challenge to make the pattern wearable.
We'll see if this is a misguided sentiment! (and fingers crossed I've picked the right battle!)

Susan said...

Did you check out Hisknits' version on Ravelry? That looks like a fit that would be very flattering on you.

Hilary said...

"It was incorrectly described"...how lame! I look forward to seeing how yours turns out -- you seem to have a knack for making sweaters that fit extremely well, so I'm sure it will be great.

Teresa said...

Thanks for the heads-up susan! I did do a bit of research on ravelry (good god I loves that site!). I like that version of the capecho, too.

Hilary: thanks to you too. It looks like it'll be a relatively quick knit, so I should have results (good or bad!) to display rather soon.

Anonymous said...

WHY DID YOU DO THAT!!?!? I loved that vest on you. Remember when I told you that it looked beautiful, thats becsaue it did! You better make something lovely out of that Noro, or I'll put you in a headlock...

Teresa said...

I think I explained why I did that!
*raises eye brow in snooty manner*
:(
I hope for no steph-headlocks in the future.
I fear the FO post.

YowlYY said...

Good luck with the capecho! I loved doing mine, and despite my suspicion it ended up fitting well (not tight fitting, but not bulging either). The only thing I would change, if I was to re-knit it, would be the yarn...far too rigid for my taste. Still thinking of doing it in a softer yarn... but maybe after the summer! :)

Teresa said...

Thanks so much for the input! It is progressing, and I do fear it may be ill-fitting!
I shall persist in the knit.