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Thursday, 30. November 2006
Don't They Care?
knitting_keeps_me_sane, 23:51h
I *love* patterns. I might almost say, that I collect patterns avidly and lovingly. Most times, I have a talent for looking past fugly yarn choices, unfortunate shapes and the likes.
Which is exactly why I bought a pattern booklet (2,90€) called "Norwegian Sweaters".
Sure, many use the Star Motif so common in Norwegian (And swedish) knitting, but most are only related to the norwegian style in that they employ large patterns, mostly in the yoke.
First, all (colourwork!) sweaters are worked back and forth. Except for one round-yoke sweater that was worked in pieces until the yoke was reached, and then joined. WTF? Who wants to knit colourwork patterns with up to 4 colours from the purl side?
Second, the shapes are sometimes less than flattering. The round-yoke sweater mentioned is so narrow in the yoke, that the model cant lift up her arms - then her belly would be bared to the bra!! Most of the set-in styles have shoulders hanging 2-3" off the shoulders. Fuuugly. There is also a basic ribbed sweater with a cropped, short-sleeved, ribbed-and-colourwork cardigan. Who needs a cardigan like that when you have a sweater?
Third, yarn choices. People!! Worsted+ yarns make for fast knitting and are good for winter, but when I can achieve the same gauge with a worsted yarn that is achieved with a bulky yarn - help, what went wrong? Do you like wearing cardboard?
Oh, and why does the cutest 50'ies style with deep ribbings, slim silhouette and boat neck have to have the upper 5" of the body covered in fun fur? Me Tarzan, you Jane? White, silver and baby blue is also not a good combination - at least not, if you want to actually *see* the pattern you are knitting. Might as well just knit it in, say, tan? It also mucks me that they knit a heavy winter coat out of CASHMERE - come on, almost 3 pounds of superbulky cashmere?
Fourth, pattern mistakes. Count count count - three mistakes (actually, if we count square-by-square, there are many more) in one pattern, and three honking mistakes in the pattern text. I dont want to explore this subject further, as I dont think being bald would be pretty :-)
Fifth: Photography. Do you ever feel that you can hear what the photographer is telling the model when you look at a picture? "Bend that arm, then the sleeve will not look as long" - "lift your chin or the collar will swallow it completely!" - "Hold your arms down your side, the sweater reveals your belly button". Ew.
Rant aside. Sometimes it is really good to be experienced, because - well, you can just alter the pattern. Not that easy when there is just an "average gauge" - and the pattern has cables, colourwork and stockinette. (Oppps, rant go away).
I love this booklet - it gives me something to laugh about, and it gives a lot of inspiration. Always good to feel superior, huh?
Most of the sweaters are supercute, and if I were a knitting machine, I would probably knit most - especially a blue/turquoise round-yoked sweater with little white motifs around the body, sleeve and lower part of the yoke. Purty! Or the aforementioned Cashmere Coat - if my b*tt were not so big *blushes*.
Pictures? Yep, when it clears up! I dont want to hold back the Fugly Styles of Germany :-)
Have a really nice day / Night
/Lene
Which is exactly why I bought a pattern booklet (2,90€) called "Norwegian Sweaters".
Sure, many use the Star Motif so common in Norwegian (And swedish) knitting, but most are only related to the norwegian style in that they employ large patterns, mostly in the yoke.
First, all (colourwork!) sweaters are worked back and forth. Except for one round-yoke sweater that was worked in pieces until the yoke was reached, and then joined. WTF? Who wants to knit colourwork patterns with up to 4 colours from the purl side?
Second, the shapes are sometimes less than flattering. The round-yoke sweater mentioned is so narrow in the yoke, that the model cant lift up her arms - then her belly would be bared to the bra!! Most of the set-in styles have shoulders hanging 2-3" off the shoulders. Fuuugly. There is also a basic ribbed sweater with a cropped, short-sleeved, ribbed-and-colourwork cardigan. Who needs a cardigan like that when you have a sweater?
Third, yarn choices. People!! Worsted+ yarns make for fast knitting and are good for winter, but when I can achieve the same gauge with a worsted yarn that is achieved with a bulky yarn - help, what went wrong? Do you like wearing cardboard?
Oh, and why does the cutest 50'ies style with deep ribbings, slim silhouette and boat neck have to have the upper 5" of the body covered in fun fur? Me Tarzan, you Jane? White, silver and baby blue is also not a good combination - at least not, if you want to actually *see* the pattern you are knitting. Might as well just knit it in, say, tan? It also mucks me that they knit a heavy winter coat out of CASHMERE - come on, almost 3 pounds of superbulky cashmere?
Fourth, pattern mistakes. Count count count - three mistakes (actually, if we count square-by-square, there are many more) in one pattern, and three honking mistakes in the pattern text. I dont want to explore this subject further, as I dont think being bald would be pretty :-)
Fifth: Photography. Do you ever feel that you can hear what the photographer is telling the model when you look at a picture? "Bend that arm, then the sleeve will not look as long" - "lift your chin or the collar will swallow it completely!" - "Hold your arms down your side, the sweater reveals your belly button". Ew.
Rant aside. Sometimes it is really good to be experienced, because - well, you can just alter the pattern. Not that easy when there is just an "average gauge" - and the pattern has cables, colourwork and stockinette. (Oppps, rant go away).
I love this booklet - it gives me something to laugh about, and it gives a lot of inspiration. Always good to feel superior, huh?
Most of the sweaters are supercute, and if I were a knitting machine, I would probably knit most - especially a blue/turquoise round-yoked sweater with little white motifs around the body, sleeve and lower part of the yoke. Purty! Or the aforementioned Cashmere Coat - if my b*tt were not so big *blushes*.
Pictures? Yep, when it clears up! I dont want to hold back the Fugly Styles of Germany :-)
Have a really nice day / Night
/Lene
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