I ripped Ms. Marigold and went down to size 4 needles.  I’m now getting exactly 5st/inch (and I’ve been obsessively checking my gauge too!)  I’m now just to the point of making the armholes.  I don’t know if you can tell from the picture, but it’s much smaller.  I will not get paranoid about it being too small now.  Since I apparently think I’m bigger than I am, that probably means it will fit.  Those of you who have made Ms. Marigold… did you do any waist decreases?  I know I’ll definitely add increases for my lower waist, but I’m wondering if it will need any other shaping?

I must be a loose knitter…

In other news, I recieved Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel in the mail today.  I decided to order it before the other books I’m looking at, because it seemed to have the largest number of designs I would actually make.  I must say that I’m very pleased with the book.  There are a few garments made in oddly bulky yarns or with purl ridges in unflattering places, but overall I’m impressed.  I think the author has a very distinctive style, which I much prefer to generic looking garments.  I took pictures of some of my favorites (because I know that really helped me when I was thinking about buying the book!)

This vest may be my favorite item.  I’m possibly a little obsessed with vests right now, and I adore the unique features (the u neck and the stitch pattern.)

I like this little cardigan, and not just because of the color.  The ties are leaf shaped at the end, so cute!

This is a classic v-neck pullover, but I think the deep ribbing makes it really unique.  I can see myself wearing it!

Love this shrug, mostly because of the turned up neck in the back.  I think it’s a contender for my wedding shrug (all in one color of course!)

Sorry this picture isn’t the greatest.  There are better ones online.  I didn’t like this one online, but it’s really cute in the book.  I love puff sleeves.  I don’t, however, love the shirt they’ve photographed it with  – the collar is distracting.  This would be much cuter with something simpler.

This sweater is very similar to the above.  I would leave the cables off either the sleeves or the body, it’s too busy for me.  I love the shape though, and the angora yarn.

There are a few more designs I like, with some reservations.  I don’t know how good wrap sweaters look on me, and I’m not sure anyone needs extra lines around their waist.  And the t-shirt would have to be sized down, as a size 34 will not have negative ease on me.

Another great thing about this book is the yarn it uses.  It almost exclusively calls for less expensive yarns – Cascade 220, Cascade pima tencel and silk (2 of my favorites!) and even Knitpicks (the red cardi above is knit in merino style.)  I think I even saw some Lion Brand.  This leads me to feel that I can sometimes use the recommended yarns without going broke.  For instance, the cute vest calls for 3 skeins (or so) of Cascade 220 quattro (the marled looking one.)   Merino style is what – $3 a ball?  Although I would probably not use wool for a short sleeved sweater… still that’s a great deal.

I love this book, which is sort of surprising since I’ve never cared for her designs that much before.  These designs are pretty much all simpler than the Cable Down Raglan (which I love, but which I have given up on… I will recycle the pretty yarn into one of the sweaters from this book.) There are some sweaters (which I didn’t photograph) that are bulky with too much extra stuff for my taste, but this book has over 20 sweater designs.  Thank god, I’m so tired of getting books that give me like 5 sweaters and 15 patterns for scarves which I will never use (although I do understand all the work making this many sweater patterns.)  There is also a dress, which I think is cute but not for me, and a suit, which I’m not really feeling… although just the jacket might be cute.