Pattern: Climbing Vines Pullover, Interweave Knits Winter 08

Yarn: Dream in Color Classy in Chinatown Apple, 2.75 skeins

Needles: US 8 and US 7

Notes: I think Interweave Knits suffers from several problems lately, but after knitting this pullover I’m not sure that dowdy designs is one of them.  I was attracted to the lace panel in the magazine, but honestly I thought that the sweater looked pretty dowdy and awful on the pretty model in the magazine.  First of all, she was wearing a long sleeved button down shirt under it, which creates unflattering lines, and then the sweater she was wearing was too large for her.  I am wearing this sweater with three inches of negative ease in the bust.  That may seem like a lot (it did to me) but to be honest this is one of the few pullovers I own that I feel fits like my storebought sweaters.

I knit the front by hand, and knit the stockinette portions of the back and sleeves on the Bond.  After knitting them I transferred the hem stitches to size 7 needles, and knit the ribbing by hand.  To be honest, I cannot tell the difference between the handknit and machine knit portions.  For the most part I found the pattern to be clear and easy.  I did shorten the body by 1 inch in length (I like pullovers at 14″… the pants I’m wearing are very low waisted, it is not too short.)  I also did one extra set of decreases for the waist, since I wanted this to be formfitting.  The neckline as written is quite wide, but I really like wide necklines, especially if (as in this case) holes in the lace require the wearing of a tank underneath.  It does not fall off the shoulders – it is merely pulled to one side in these photos.  However, if you don’t like a wide neckline you might want to consider altering this.

I liked knitting with Classy much more this time than my last experience.  I don’t know if this is because of the color, or because I wasn’t knitting garter stitch.  I did find some vegetable matter in the yarn, which surprised me, but it wasn’t very much, and it wasn’t large splinters or anything.

This was a very pleasant experience, and I am glad to find the Bond useful for the purpose I wanted it – to knit the boring bits of some sweaters, and free me up to enjoy the rest (the lace panel here was quite enjoyable.)  I’m not sure how much faster is was, since I it’s a bit cumbersome to knit a piece, and I tended to knit a piece and then stall for a few days on the next, but at least during that time I was able to work on other things by hand.  I’m very interested now in seeing how the other sweaters in IK might look in more appropriate sizes.  For instance, the cover sweater from the winter issue, the Blooming Cardigan, is clearly huge for the model.  I’m thinking it might be far nicer in the smallest size (and without the belt) so I may make that soon.

As usual, I had to get the Sarah Jane seal of approval.

She is mildly amused.  I have promised her a sweater of her own, and I will interpret her cries as cries of joy!