Will Wonders Never Cease?

What wonder you ask?

Well here at Chez Blog de Fluffy, there is actually KNITTING to share....AND it's NOT SOCKS :)

(of course socks will always be near and dear to my ♥ and there are a few of those to share but that's for a *future* post - hey! there's another "wonder" - plans for a future post for uber lax blogger, FKD, hehe)

Anyways, yep it's true - finally a garment makes it's debut....

I give you the beautiful and lovely Lace and Ribs Tee!!

A close up of her pretty lace stitches


Her delicate picot edged neckline


Her lacy sleeves


The front, back and eleventy million pins/blocking wires (the #1 reason I knit SO MANY SOCKS.....minimal blocking, no pins and no contortions to get em to look pretty!)

And the money shot.....

Isn't she a beauty?

Deets:

Cast on: January 1, 2009

Completed: April 4, 2009

Lace and Ribs Tee by Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer (Ravelry Link)

Yarn: 7 Skeins Schachenmayr Micro, color #73, Spring Green

Needles: Addi Turbo US #2 and #4

Notes/Mods: I have to say that this was hands down the most well written pattern I've EVER used! Jackie is so talented and professional every single step was spelled out and easy to follow without being fussy or overwritten!

The yarn is a silky, knits like buttah sportweight microfiber with fabulous stitch definition that just flowed across my needles. I think it will be cool and comfy to wear even here in Hot as Hades Florida.

My only mods were minimal - I did a "standard" picot edge for the neckline rather than the 2 row, sewn down picot the pattern called for (I picked up the purl bumps and knit my picot together to form the hem rather than sewing it)

I had to go down 1 needle size as the yarn acted like cotton (altho was MUCH easier on the wrists and had much more memory!) I also preferred the fabric with a smaller needle so I knit at a slightly tighter gauge and went with the 47" size to obtain a finished measurement of 44".

Because I used a microfiber rather than a natural fiber I was afraid (needlessly!) that the tee wouldn't block well so I crocheted the side seams and to set in the sleeve caps rather than mattress stitch them so the seams would have lots of stretch for blocking.

All in all I LOVED knitting this Tee and LOVE the finished product! If I loved it so much, what took me so long to knit it you ask? Well, I merrily cast on *thinking* I had 10 skeins when in truth, I *only* had SEVEN! I was so worried I would run out of yarn despite many calculations that I figured if I let it marinate for a while the yarn would magically multiply and all would be well, hehe....I worried for nothing and have about 1/2 of a skein left :)

I think the FK Mom is gonna LOVE her new Tee, at least I hope so! It's just her style and color so I'll follow up with some modeled shots in May after it's gifted in May.

I'll be casting on another sweater shortly (try not to faint!) as a special friend has a special birthday this year and she's allowed me the honor of knitting "her dream sweater" to celebrate what she means to me :)

Plus there will always be socks!

I leave you with this adorable pic of the P-Man who's equally shocked to not see the socks :)


Happy Knitting!