Fixer Upper

Thank you guys so much for your kind comments and all the Rav hearts on the Yoshino dress! They are much appreciated :-)

Now, remember the Chic Cables and Lace Cowl? The one where the neck ribbing flared?


Well, I fixed it. It was nerve-wracking to cut into the knitting, even with a lifeline in place, but it was worth it.



Here is the neck ribbing, reknit using 2 needle sizes smaller:



I also managed to avoid 2 of the problems I had had with Wisteria. I used your suggestions for picking up extra stitches around the armhole and then decreasing to the right number on the next row, and I had no armhole holes! Yay! I didn't have any problems with loose stitches around the cable; maybe the extra slack was taken up in part by the yarn-overs in the lace? For future reference, though, Techknitting recently had an article on that very subject, and I plan to use the tips the next chance I have.

Here's the final result, with and without the cowl:






More info in the gallery and on Ravelry.

Convertible

Knitting is such an investment of time and energy that it's always nice when what you're knitting is something versatile that you can get a lot of use out of. In December, I had finished Winding Path by Twinkle (a.k.a. Wenlen Chia). The thing that excited me about this design was that it could be worn upside down! (And also inside out, if you're not too particular about exposed seams and yarn ends)




Sadly, I had some issues with the Spud & Chloe Outer that I used--a lot of pilling and some bleeding of the red color. Others have used that same yarn with success, so maybe I got unlucky or maybe the loose gauge increased the propensity for pilling. More info is in the gallery (which I've finished updating) and on Ravelry. Even though the sweater itself did not entirely work out, I still love the concept and may make it again using different yarn.

I'm now working on another convertible project. I love the Chic Cables and Lace Cowl Neck Sweater by SweaterBabe. I adore huge cowls; I think they're sassy, sexy, and comfy. But I live in Texas and wearing a large cowl can mean risking heat stroke for most of the year. Then, I saw this version by Yantarik (Rav link). She had the brilliant idea of making the cowl detachable! I'm making mine just a little bit different, but I'm borrowing the idea.




I haven't quite decided yet how I'll attach the cowl, or whether it really needs to be attached at all, but I think it's going to work out. The only thing I don't like is how the neckline ribbing flares out. I should have used a needle size or two smaller.


The proper thing to do would be to cut it off from the cast-on edge and reknit the ribbing. What makes me worried is that I transitioned to short-row shaping for the neck right after the ribbing ends, and I'm afraid it's going to be one big mess. If I can get a lifeline position properly, though, I will probably do it.