More About the Sweater I Shouldn't Be Making

You know, Gisela.  I should be working on birthday presents, baby knitting, and the sweater for the class I'm teaching in September.  Instead, I'm working on a sweater that might or might not fit and that is knit on size 8 needles out of lace weight fiddly yarn.  Seriously.  

First, though a gratuitous dog picture.

Bacon is growing -- nearly 35 pounds from the 11 when we got him Memorial Day.  He's nearly 5 months old today.  He can ring the bell to go out, mind his invisible fence, sit, come, leave it, and lie down.  He loves smooshy beds and cow hoofs.  He barks not all all (yet), but growls when there is any kind of music outside in the neighborhood -- concerts, loud cars, etc.  

He's almost broken of his propensity to jump and "box" you with both of his front paws when he wants something.  I've caught myself using the old saw, "Use your words, Bacon!"  Toddler behavior apparently initiates that response in me regardless of species.

He won't be big like Sophie -- remember Sophie? -- and he likely won't get close even to Monte's 70 pounds.  

The vet thinks between 40 and 50 pounds in the end.  Not a lap dog.  Sorry, buddy.

Gisela's fronts, back, and one sleeve have been blocked to the size indicated in the pattern.  Not even aggressively.  But -- she doesn't drape to those numbers.  She stretches to them.

Hmm...  

I'm soldiering on with the second sleeve and thinking about how to get this sweater to fit as it's supposed to:  as a kind of light jacket.  It doesn't have buttons to hold it closed but what I think I have knit is a fitted cardigan with little or no ease which would need buttons to hold it closed.  Hanging open it would look too small.  

I think I'll have to knit a different shaped placket onto the fronts of the sweater.  Like a short row trapezoid type shape.  Or something.  Maybe just oblong stockinette triangles that will roll, but taper down beneath the bottom of the sweater, like ties.  I'll know better how the thing fits when I seam it.

It's the Luna that's holding the knit shape rather than conforming to the blocked shape, I think.  The pattern calls for a cottony linen yarn that holds no shape at all.  And I knit it in lace weight wool and silk held with a poly/paillette thread.  The wool/silk alone would hold a block I think.  So, in the end, what makes this sweater excellent is also making it maybe not fit.  

I say maybe because I haven't sewn the thing together yet, have I.  It could still fit the way I want it to in the end.  Magical thinking isn't just for politicians, now, is it?

Bacon sees what I did there.

Comments

[Joy]

What a handsome boy! Good luck with the sweater.

[Katiedo]

What are you teaching mom & I might be interested - I am on "medical leave" ( read no lifting of grandkids for 3 weeks) & in a week or so will be able to come to a class!

Mom went into shop yesterday to show you her dahlia sweater!