Mag Knits Ballet Camisole

[DesertCrocheter]

Anyone made this ballet camisole top yet? I'm so tempted to try it, but I knit combination and I've read that knitting in the round combination style can be difficult. And I've never knit anything in the round yet at all. But I'm meeting my sister in San Diego at the end of March and thought this would be a great top to wear there. Naturally in the pink, of course, because I the pink.

 

Patty

[tiggerhale]

I think I knit the other way and I've done in the round - it's quite nice.

 

But look what I found here:

http://www.modeknit.com/combined_questions.html

>>2nd question down...

[snugsmontreal]

well that top would be knit in the round, with the exception of the edging, all knit stitches so it really wouldnt be that confusing as you really wouldnt be doing an purl stitches until you get to the split and then you would be doing back and forth stitches

[Dangerouscrochet]

OK, I LOVE this!! However, I can't help you with your question. Sorry. I know nothing about "combination knitting" SO I will be looking into that today. HOWEVER, I now have a question of my own...... What does this mean "Decrease as set on every foll 5th round 7 (7, 8, 8, 8, 8) times more--148 (160, 166, 178, 188, 200) sts rem. Work 5 rounds even"

 

What is a foll????

[lisalu]

"foll" is following as in "every following stitch"

[Dangerouscrochet]

Thank you Lisa Lu!! I went thru my stash and found some James C. Brett Marble. Not sure how it will drape or fit after washing, but I am thinking of just swatching and see what happens.

[DesertCrocheter]

Well. I started this last night! Actually, I started it two nights ago, but since the dang thing twisted after row 6, I had to rip it out and start again. And it twisted, and then I had to rip it out and start again. And then I started checking after every 10 stitches to make sure it wasn't twisted. I got the first 7 rows of ribbing done, and tonight will switch needles and start the stockinette section (which I love, as I find it very soothing). Me and circulars did not start out the best of friends! I ordered the exact same yarn as inthe pattern, the KnitPicks ShineSport in blush, since I have gone overboard with pink recently (must be the perimenopause), and this is my first experience with it. I love it--super soft and while it splits a little, that may just be because I'm a combination continental knitter. Will update with photos when I get something worth taking a photo of. Patty

[Dangerouscrochet]

Patty,

 

That must have been so frustrating!! I too like stockinette, I can read or watch TV while doing it, so it goes so much faster. I am still waiting for my new needles from knitPicks to arrive. So far I have swatched in #6 #7 & #9. If I remember right #7 was the closest to guage, but still off by a half a stitch. So I had ordered #8 needles to see if that would be the best match. I knit super tight, and with making a wearable, I am very nervous about getting the guage right, esp since I will be using different yarn than in the pattern.

[DesertCrocheter]

Beth, I took a chance and ordered the same needle sizes as in the pattern, and when I swatched (I hardly ever swatch, but I love this top and want it to be perfect), my gauge was spot on. Last night I did the four rows of stockinette, and then started the decreased shaping on the bottom--so I got three decrease rows and the intervening 4 rows of stockinette in between each done. Maybe about and inch and a half? So far, so good (knock on wood smiley here). Patty

[lisalu]

I've been knitting for like a hundred years (seems like!) but I'm still not sure what you mean by "combination" knitting. What is that? I knit both English and Continental but I don't know what combination is.

 

That top is gorgeous and really tempting! I love that it is done in the round because I detest seams. Only thing, I also detest circulars. It seems like I am always wrestling with the needle and tugging the yarn around. I would love to do this if I could find a really good quality circular needle which might make difference but they are so expensive!

 

I've love to know how this project is coming along for both of you....post pics!

[DesertCrocheter]

Lisalu, in combination knitting, I actually form the stitches differently--I make my knit stitch through the back loop and purl by scooping through the front. Annie Modesitt's website has nice motion line drawings of how it works, and knittinghelp.com also has videos. So, compared to a 'regulation' knitter (just teasing, there!), my stitches sit twisted on the needles. Because I make them differently, I have to do things a little differently to get the correct slant, for example. So where you k2tog, I ssk, and vice versa. It's no big deal, and I get to where you are, just by a different path! Eastern Europe, where my mom is from, and other parts of the world knit like this (and my friend's German-borne mother said I did Russian knitting when her daughter described it to her, which makes total sense given my mother was born in northeastern Poland). Annie's website says the slightly less motion used in purling this way means you use less yarn, so the rowing out some people experience when purling doesn't happen. I don't know about that, but it is fast, even a newbie knitter like me can race along. I just know that this is how my mom knits and how she taught me. I had to look it up when my friend (with the German mother) told me I knit wrong and backwards, so I was so delighted to learn it had a name, I decided to do some reading on it. I had no idea there were so many ways to knit (Norwegian purling, for example, who knew?). But I think I'd better master one knitting style before I try to learn anything else, . Patty

[DesertCrocheter]

Okay, here it so far:

 

[DesertCrocheter]

Sorry--double posted when I tried to add "clickable" to the above post.

[Dangerouscrochet]

Patty,

 

Holy Somkes! You are really coming along with it!! LOVE the color. My mom bought me 5 skeins of the James Brett marble for Christmas, So I am going to try to use that. I am hoping my needles get here Monday or Tuesday, then ONE MORE swatch...and I will be ready to go!!! Thanks for posting a pic. It is nice to know someone else will be on the same project as me.

[DesertCrocheter]

Oh Beth, I'm glad you're going to be starting soon. I'm already worried about the 3-needle bind off at the end! Have you ever done that? I went to the library and got some books yesterday, and with knittinghelp.com videos, I figure I should be able to do it. Maybe. I've only seen that James Brett marble yarn for the first time a few weeks ago, and it looked and felt great. Hurry, hurry and join me! Patty

[Dangerouscrochet]

Patty

 

I didn't even realize it had a three needle bind off! LOL. I will worry about that when I get there. If I don't over think something, It usually works out fine. While waiting for the needles, I am knitting up a baby sweater out of the Creative Knitting Magazine. It is supposed to be easy, So I started it thinking I would be done by the time the needles arrived.

[lisalu]

THREE NEEDLE BO:

 

Not to worry. It is EZ. It sounds worse than it is. You just hold the two needles you are binding off side by side (it is usually the shoulders of the front & back). You insert your working needle through the stitches on BOTH other needles at the same time as you BO. Basically you are just binding off two needles together at the same time.

 

I'm sure a picture would make this more clear, but I promise it is as easy as it gets. It is easier than seaming!

 

Keep us posted w/pics. I might have to jump in and make this one too, it is SO pretty!

[Dangerouscrochet]

Well, after the LONG wait, the needles arrived yesterday. I swatched last night and this am....and I am looking at a size 7 and 9 for this project. which in-itself is not a BAD thing....but I already had the 7 and 9 in my posession, and would not have been waiting for the other needle.

 

Anyhoo, I only have 24' and 32' cable lengths, and the pattern calls for 29'. I am going to try to make it on the 24 so I don't have 'stretching issues' and see what comes of it.

 

BTW: the explaination of the 3 needle bind off sounds a bit challenging, but WAY better than sewing LOL. Thank you for posting it. I am sure I will be looking more into it when I get that far into the pattern.

 

 

Update: I have been working on this this evening, I am ready to go unto the stockinette area now, However, I am seriously considering just using the #7 needles thru out the entire pattern. As I did swatch, but I am now confused.....Was I swatching for the MAIN needle size????

ANY IDEAS??????

[shortylam]

This is what stated in the pattern: " 22 sts and 29 rows = 4" / 10cm in stockinette on larger needles, after washing" but I guest whichever needles you decide to use, the gauge should match.

[Dangerouscrochet]

I guess what I am trying to ask is :

 

If you are swatching to find guage....aren't we looking for the 'big part' of the garment area to match guage?? meaning.... we are not looking ofr the guage to match 'cuff' areas and such.

 

Anyone?

[DesertCrocheter]

When I swatched, I made stockinette, since the body of the sweater is stockinette. I'd say swatch stockinette, and then do the math to figure out how many stitches you need.

 

I've got about 5 inches done so far (I'm into the third row in increasing), and although it looks small, I know the sweater is supposed to be snug and form fitting. I've tried two different ways to make an increase, based on my knitting books), since the first one left a little bit of a hole and I wanted something tighter. I'm not sure what to use in the body increases, since she only gives advice about increases for the armhole area at the top of the pattern. Oh well, they're small holes.

 

Patty

[Dangerouscrochet]

What I am trying to say here is that I have swatched. I went merrily along swatching, and got the results ( or as close as possible) that i need. However, I realized that now that I am ready to do the stockinette portion, that the size I got for the correct guage is what i used to make the bottom or 'first' 7 rows. Does this make sense to you??

[lisalu]

Which increase are you using? If you use M1 (make one) it doesn't leave a hole, it is virtually invisible.

[shortylam]

first 7 rows is the ribbed part, right?

Well, as indicated in the pattern, the gauge is for the stockinette part, ie the flat knit part of the body. The truth is, you don't care what gauge you got for the ribbed part anyways because it is stretchy. What you need to pay attention to in order to have a close fit is the stockinette knit gauge. Try to get the perfect gauge for that as you can but if your garment comes out smaller (about an inch or so), you still can get the right measurement when you block the piece.

 

I hope I got your question right. So I guess you need to go for the stockinette part for about 4-6 rows and if it's too big for you, then there's the frog stitch. You may either recalculate the number of stitches based on your gauge or take a chance to do it in a smaller size.

[Dangerouscrochet]

Thank You Shorty1am!!

 

That is what I did. I found that #7 worked for the stockinette guage part. I did start the project in #7 ( The ribbing) but just continued on in the #7. I am wider in the hips than the waist, so a more stretchy band is not such a bad thing for me anyway.