Base Ten
Pattern: Decimal, by Snowden Becker.
Size Made: 1X (49” bust)
Yarn: Mas Acero, by Brooks Farm Yarn (55% superwash wool, 30% silk, 15% viscose, 9-ply light worsted weight)
Needles: US 4, 47” Addi Turbos
Opinions: This is a lovely pattern, but probably not a good first sweater for a beginner. It’s not hard, per se, but there’s no hand holding. Decreasing for the neckline while keeping the lace pattern going took some trial and error, and I’m not 100% pleased with the way the pattern fell at the neck when I finished the decreases – if I were to knit this again, I’d probably tweak it to suit my preferences. That being said, for anyone with sweater expereince, or for someone with a good sense of adventure, it’s a marvelous pattern and a gorgeous finished piece.
The Mas Acero yarn is equally lovely, and despite my initial misgivings it suits the pattern beautifully. It’s next-to-the-skin soft, and the silk gives it smoothness and sheen. I’m hoping that since it’s a 9-ply yarn (three 3-plies, plied together) it will resist pilling and hold up well. My only complaint is that in five skeins of it, I ran into a lot of knots. The first skein was the worst (I think it had four or five,) but they all had at least one. I’m not sure what the problem was – I’ve used and loved a lot of Brooks Farm yarns, and never run into a knot before. I’m pretty sure it was an anomaly, in any case, and would certainly recommend the yarn.
My only other note is that – big sigh – it’s a little small. Not terribly small, not heart-breakingly small, not I-won’t-wear-it small, just…a smidgen small. A smidgen of a hairsbreadth small. Just a toe into the smallish side of comfortable.
In fact, it’s so barely slipping into too-small that I’m pretty sure that a more aggressive blocking will put it firmly into the perfect camp, but it’s worth noting that, if I were to knit it again, I might consider knitting a 2X. There’s a good possibility that a 2X would be edging into too big, but as a fat chick I’m generally more comfortable with too big than too small.
Regardless, I love it. LOVE IT. I love the color, I love the pattern, I love the feel of the yarn, the weight of the sweater, even the pretty little silver buttons I picked up today at Shuttles, Spindles and Skeins. I’m looking forward to wearing it all over Portland, and then all over everywhere else, too.
(I may or may not be having difficulties with my RSS feed…apologies for any inconvenience.)
1Marika
wrote on 5 August 2009 at 0:37
It’s absolutely gorgeous, and fits you perfect!
2sunflowerfairy
wrote on 5 August 2009 at 2:20
Two thumbs up, Nerdie. Good job.
(I knew you could finish it in time.)
3Carole
wrote on 5 August 2009 at 3:25
I think sometimes we wear our things TOO big and that might be why you think this is too small but it sure looks perfect to me.
4Katie
wrote on 5 August 2009 at 4:57
WOW, it’s beautiful!
5BigAlice
wrote on 5 August 2009 at 9:02
Damn, that’s gorgeous. Congratulations!
6luneray
wrote on 5 August 2009 at 9:36
That looks really lovely on you. I’m surprised you think it’s too small because to me it looks like a perfect fit.
However, in my experience, silk stretches and I doubt you will need an agressive blocking to get it to the size you want. (Next time I use silk blended yarn, I’m taking before and after measurements of my gauge swatch. I knit my sweater to the gauge of my washed and blocked swatch. Pre-washing, my sweater fit perfectly, post- washing, the neckline was 2″ lower, the sleeves were 3″ longer, and I’d gained about 4″ in ease!)
7Linda M
wrote on 5 August 2009 at 11:53
delurking to say that my first thought on today’s post was how nicely it fit you and how great it looked over the black dress; it is very elegant and very flattering.
8Cookie
wrote on 5 August 2009 at 12:57
Love it! You did such a wonderful job, and I agree with Carole. I think we tend to hide in slightly over-sized things. Then try on something that’s the proper size and freak.
Or is that just me?
Don’t answer that.
Oh, and I totally knew you would finish in time.
xo
9taelixev
wrote on 5 August 2009 at 14:24
Yay!!! I love it! Looks good!
10Carrie K
wrote on 5 August 2009 at 14:24
It looks fabulous and perfect on you. I’m w/Carole & Cookie on the slightly over-sized bit. Proper fitting is more flattering, if more anxiety provoking.
Plenty of time for Sock Summit too! Knew it.
11Chris
wrote on 5 August 2009 at 18:31
It looks lovely on you!!
And hey, look at that, Google Reader saw fit to tell me about your last three posts finally.
12elizabeth
wrote on 6 August 2009 at 3:54
It is beautiful and I agree with everyone else, it looks wonderful on you! Maybe the yarn will stretch a bit with wear.
13gayle
wrote on 6 August 2009 at 3:56
It’s absolutely beautiful! I’m glad you finished in time to show it off in Portland!
14Jenn
wrote on 6 August 2009 at 4:12
I don’t usually comment, but it is beautiful! I think it fits you well. You look very beautiful and curvy(good curvy)!I have recently been learning that things that are loose make ppl look bigger!
15Wanda
wrote on 6 August 2009 at 4:47
You really don’t want this sweater to be any larger. It fits you perfectly now. I think you are used to wearing things a bit larger. The sweater is fitted but doesn’t look tight. It accentuates the “girls” and makes you look curvy in all the right ways. If you’ve got it, flaunt it! Beautiful job on this sweater. I adore it!
16Carrie
wrote on 6 August 2009 at 5:30
It’s a beautiful piece of work, to be sure. Wear it in good health, because it’s lovely and flattering. And I know I said this before but I’ll tell you again – love the haircut!
17Mali
wrote on 6 August 2009 at 6:11
Absolutely gorgeous! And the fit is perfect. As a former fat girl I hear you on going up a size, but don’t! This size is so flattering on you. I’m guessing your lovely spouse thinks this is a pretty faboo cardi on you too!
18Lee Ann
wrote on 6 August 2009 at 18:12
Holy crap, you’re lovely.
19Kathy in San Jose
wrote on 6 August 2009 at 19:55
Don’t forget that it will also stretch slightly as you wear it, so you may find in a few hours that it really is the perfect size! Looking forward to seeing it in person at SS09.
20Liz P
wrote on 13 August 2009 at 17:29
Actually that fits perfectly and is quite nice! Lots of people wear things large all the time so when something fits well they worry it is too small. That fits great!