Bella is finished!

Yippee, I finally finished Bella Paquita yesterday! With all of the reknitting I did, I probably knit the whole thing twice.

I used Rowan Calmer, so my gauge was very different from the pattern and I had to customize everything. I also knitted the top so that the lace would start higher.

More details on the modifications are on my Ravelry project and blog post.

I have to say I was very intimidated by this pattern at first, because I had never worked with charts before. But I took Marnie's advice and created a "crib sheet" and it went fairly smoothly. I had some trouble with the sleeves, but after reading Mary_Me_A_Little's post, I got "Knitting Without Tears" from the library, and I'm very happy with how easily they came together. (After having frogged the first sleeve 3 times.) I also liked the sweater without the sleeves and may knit another sleeveless version some day. The steeks scared the snot out of me, but I took the plunge and am keeping my fingers crossed. I put them at the shoulder seams. I'm happy with the yarn and I love the color - Berroco Comfort #9761. It's a beautiful pattern, and I will be wearing this one a lot!

Getting Close

Sorry for the dark late-at-night photo, but I've got to take what I can get. I'm finally getting close to the finish on Bella Paquita. Since I wasn't sure I'd have enough yarn, I stopped knitting the body when it was the shortest length I'd want, and put the stitches on waste yarn. I'll go back and knit more length if I have enough yarn.

My dilemma is now the sleeve length. I can't decide whether I want to knit them to the elbows, as in the original pattern. Any thoughts? Should I just end the sleeve now, add enough length so the bottom of the sleeve reaches the top of the ribbing on the body, or go to the elbow? If I go all the way to the elbow, I think there will be just barely enough yarn, so I probably won't be able to add any length to the body, and then I'm not sure it will look well-proportioned.

To frog or not to frog. That is the question!

Thanks for your comments on my post below about Giselle. (Giselle Sizing--post immediately below this one.) I've thought of how I can fix it. I think I will run a lifeline at the point where I want the length and frog back to that point, then bind off. Then it will fit like the pattern photos. I just cannot stretch it across the bust like it is because it is too long. I measured the gauge again and found that it must have grown when it was wet blocked. Silk does funny things like that. It fit when I tried it on a few rows before I bound off. I didn't wash my initial swatch so I didn't expect it to grow like that. That will be a lesson because if I had washed the swatch, I probably would have saved about a week of knitting!

Now--here's my question. I don't have enough yarn for my second flounce and I ordered another skein. I"m wondering if I should just use the yarn that I frog from the bodice for that. My concern is that this yarn has already been blocked and has stretched out. I'm afraid that mixing it with the unblocked yarn will affect the finished flounce when it gets blocked. Should I just save the blocked yarn for another small project? It would save spending on the extra skein, but I want the thing to turn out right and I don't mind spending since I've already spend a lot on it. I've never been in this situation before. Thanks for any advice. The comments are always so helpful.

Giselle sizing

I am making the cropped version of Giselle. I wish the pattern had included a photo of the back view. I don't know how far the front pieces should wrap. Mine wraps all the way around the back and actually crosses. I'm not sure if I like the way the back looks because it hangs over where the ends cross. I followed the directions for the smallest size and got gauge. The sweater seems longer that in the photo. Perhaps it is because Marnie is taller so it fits her differently in the photos. Has anyone had the same fitting issue? I envisioned it not going all the way down to my waist. I also think the sweater needs more negative ease. I measure 34.5 and made the smallest size. I still think it is beautiful and I will get plenty of wear out of it. I have finished one sleeve flounce and discovered that I don't have enough yarn to finish the second one so I have ordered one more skein. I will finish it when the yarn arrives.




I may put it aside for a few weeks and do the crochet then. I'm having surgery on my left hand the end of the month and I know I won't be able to knit for a while. I think I can crochet though, so I will save my crochet projects and try to knit as much as I can now!

Chart Problems, and Trying Again

I'm just about to start knitting the top of Bella Paquita for the 3rd time. This one had better fit, or I'll be ripping the yarn into confetti!

There seems to be a problem with the medium charts. Marnie is aware that there's an issue, but has not had a chance to look into it yet. I thought I should post about it in case anyone else tries to knit the medium size in the meantime.

I would normally have knit the "small" size, but my yarn gauge is off since I'm using Rowan Calmer, which is a thinner yarn. Doing some number crunching told me that knitting the pattern in the large size should work. Unfortunately, either I messed up the math, my gauge changed, or it's just because the Calmer is so stretchy, the top ended up being a little looser than I wanted it to fit.

Looking at the difference between the medium and large bust sizes, I figured the medium would probably be fine. So off I went and knitted the top for the second time. This time it was way too small. I couldn't figure out how I could have such a huge difference, when there was only 1.75" difference between the pattern bust size for the medium and large.

Looking at all of the charts, I discovered that the chart for the medium top is smaller than the chart for the small top.

At first, I just figured that somehow the charts got switched, and that the "small" chart was really for the "medium" size, and vice-versa. But after crunching some numbers, I'm not so sure that's really the problem.

I don't know how Marnie calculated the circumference for the size dimensions, but I tried this:

Number of stitches across back at underarms x 2 (for front and back), divided by 4.5 stitches per inch = bust circumference.

Small chart: (78 st x 2) / 4.5 = 34.7"
Medium chart: (76 st x 2) / 4.5 = 33.8"
Large chart: (88 st x 2) / 4.5 = 39.1"

The pattern sizes for the bust show:

Small: 34.25
Medium: 37.5
Large: 39.25

The small and large come out very close to my calculations, but the medium is completely off. If the small and medium charts were just switched, I'd expect to see the "small" size come out closer to 37". So maybe the small is really the small, and the medium is just wrong. Or, maybe there's some other secret to calculating the bust size.

So anyway, I've spent the day working out my own chart, that's a little bigger than the 'small', and hopefully I'll come out OK.

As for the bottom and sleeve charts, it looks like the small top matches the small bottom, and the medium top matches the medium bottom (I compared the number of stitches at the join), but for the sleeves, the small sleeves are really smaller than the medium sleeves. I won't worry about the sleeves until I get there.

On the plus side, I really like how the Calmer is knitting up, so if I can get the size to work out, I'm sure it will be great.

curly edges!

Hi Folks, I've been in the sunny Caribbean for a week now (my new home!) and so haven't done a great deal of knitting....but will get back into it soon! Because I'm impatient, I've done the crochet edging around the neck line and the bottom on Bella (I'm doing the cropped version) and whilst it looks very very pretty, it is all curly (ie the knitting hasn't straightened out to lie flat). Is this normal and will it lie flat when I've blocked it when the whole thing is done?

Coming Up For Air!

Hey Sexy Knitters!!! Whew, I have been SOOO busy that I've gotten a little behind in my SKC "duties" and am just now getting to post the winner of the last SKC Juliet/Tree Jacket Knit Along! I'm actually even further behind that just that, but we won't talk about that right now (hey Erin, your tote bag is on its way to me even as I write!) Anyway, today's been a bit of a catch-up day for me, so let's get to business, shall we?

The winner of the SKC Juliet/Tree Jacket KAL is Garnet -- Knittin' in the Yukon! Garnet's won a Hip Chicks Knit T-Shirt!

Congratulations Garnet!

The Bella Paquitas and the Giselles I've been seeing are gorgeous! Remember this knit along ends at the end of March which is only 3 weeks away! As always, we will have a drawing for all who finished either or both of these patterns, so if you've already finished, you can send me an email with either a pic of your finished project or a link to a pic of your finished project. Remember to title the subject of your email "Bella/Giselle KAL" for organization purposes.

Knit on!

Paired increases for Bella

I will be starting Bella in a week or so. What types of paired increases are people using at the sides? I will be knitting it in one piece. Are you doing a M1 before the marker and one after? How are you increasing? Thanks!

Bella sizing question

I am finishing up Giselle and now I am preparing the pattern for Bella. I notice that the smallest size is bust 34.25 inches which happens to be my exact bust measurement. Is this the actual sweater measurement or is it meant to fit that size bust? I have found that this type of sweater fits me best with at least 2 inches of negative ease. What would be the best way to accomplish that? Knit it to a slightly smaller gauge? I have found Giselle to be a little big after knitting the smallest size and getting gauge, so it wasn't enough negative ease. Thanks for any suggestions for getting the right fit!

Here is my Bella!

I used Pattons Classic Wool in Leaf Green.

Marnie, thank you for the beautiful pattern. I had a lot of fun knittting this sweater. I left the lace open, I am in love with the finshed sweater! I am now halfway through my first KAL!

Now, on to Giselle ...

Giselle is coming along but....

I have a horrible feeling it is going to be too big! I'm loving the pattern and am on the second set of waist decreases, but this morning I took the time to put the whole lot on waste yarn and try on and I fear it is going to be on the large side. I'm a 35" bust so am doing the first size inside the brackets (35.5) because I thought the 33.5 size would be too snug (ok, let's be honest, I thought I was still a 36 but they are clearly sagging with age!). I can't face frogging it all and starting again so I guess I'll just plough on and gift it to one of my more amply provided for girlfriends and then knit it again for me! Unless someone can think of an easy remedy....maybe if I increase the number of decreases per row to bring the under bust bit in more?

I learned to crochet the other weekend and am very excited about being able to do the cropped crochet version now! greetings from an unseasonably warm England in February. Liz

Bar increases on Giselle

I have a question about the bar increases on the front edges on Giselle. The pattern mentions mirrored increases. On the Purl rows, the increases are P1f&b at the beginning of the row then P1b&f at the end. However the knit rows have K1f&b at both the beginning an end of the row. Should the knit bar increase be K1b&f at the end of the row to mirror the increase at the beginning?

I finally got started!

WoW! Some of you have finished one of the KAL sweaters and here I am starting my first one. I had a couple of other projects to finish first. I am knitting Giselle in Handmaiden Double Sea Silk. So far, the yarn is knitting to gauge and it is wonderfully soft. I love this yarn!

I am concerned though that the area which will become the sleeves looks quite small. It is hard to believe that it will wrap around my arm. I guess I will put it all on waste yarn and try it on. I can't wait to see some completed examples of Giselle.

Bella's sleeve knitted in the round--tew kewl!

I've pondered the posts from far-more-experienced/brave knitters than I concerning the sleeves for Bella being done in the round. I've read EZ's (Zimmerman--Knitting Without Tears) wise words more times than I can count, just could not get my pokey ol' brain in gear to understand short rows and tubular knitting. Apparently, I'm not the only person wondering about this.

So, I've done a little research (ah, the internet!) and have come up with a couple of articles from knitty.com that may be of good help in learning how to do a cap sleeve that's knit from the shoulder down without seams:

www.knitty.com/issuefall04/FEATpatterns103.html

www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer03/FEATbonnetric.html

Bella Complete!

My Bella is complete. Here it is in it's unblocked form:


I used size 7 circ. needles and Valley Yarns Colrain in Olive Grey.

Loved the lace pattern. The leaves are perfect in this yarn color. It's very comfy.

If I were to do this again I would make the bottom part one size up and downsize the top by working it in size 6 needles. It focus' a little more attention on my tummy than I would like. I would also pick up stitches at the armholes and knit the sleeves down from there. I would also do a couple less repeats on the lace part. I had to cut way too much for the steeks. The steeks were moved to the back of the neck. I couldn't get them to lay right on my bony shoulders.

Other than those things, I like it!

What Yarn for Giselle?

I am on my way to finishing Bella, and I am looking for yarn suggestions for Giselle. My budget is a little tight at the moment, so I am looking for yarn that won't break the bank. Thanks!

Karabella Aurorita

Here's my Bella, made with Karabella Aurora 8.



I followed the pattern as is, for the most part, except for the sleeves. I did my sleeves in the round, starting from the top. I picked up 60 stitches around armhole (I made size S), starting 9 stitches before the shoulder seam, knitted the sleeve cap with short rows, and then continued in the round. I also made my sleeves a little longer than the pattern -- just kept knitting until the ball of yarn ran out.

Also, I did the lace steeks at the back corners, rather than at the shoulder seams. It seemed a more natural place for them.

And now that Bella is done, I've started on Giselle. I think I've done about 30 rows so far.

A Bella is Born

Here she is--sleeves and all! I had an easy time knitting the sleeves on two circulars (like with socks) from the top down as described in Elizabeth Zimmerman's book "Knitting Without Tears". I fiddled around with the technique and tried using wraps with the short rows (as with toe-up socks), but that looked terrible compared to just turning the work as EZ suggests and slipping the first stitch. I'll stick with doing sleeves this way since I've never been entirely happy with the bit of "bulk" that I always seem to get when sewing a set-in sleeve into the sweater body.

This pattern is a cutie, and I plan to wear it plenty! It tends to ride up a bit, so I'm not sure how much I'll be tugging at it. Perhaps it will ride up less once I seam-out a portion of the lace neckline--there's a natural turn in the lace where the pattern reverses direction at the back of the neck, so I will steek-n-cut that spot out rather than making a seam at the top of each shoulder.

Bella Paquita sleeve cap

Having successfully completed the bodice portion of Bella, I've been finishing up the first sleeve, discovering to my great dismay that knitted according to the chart, the cap is much longer than required. So, tinking with a few well-chosen words muttered under my breath back to the CO's for the cap, I am redoing everything, make the full-fashioned decreases closer-bloody-together and will hope that all turns out well. I knit to gauge, so this little glitch is cause for no small concern.

Saving the luscious lace as reward for getting the sleeves done is the perfect goad to keep me needling away by the fire these cold winter evenings!

Any thoughts on the sleeve cap conundrum?