Simple Knitted Bodice

June 2009

By the time I came to make this, I knew that you're not supposed to mix dye lots. However, when you have three skeins of something but no clear purpose in mind, and find a gorgeous pattern like this that calls for seven, what's a girl to do?

So, with detailed explanations and disclaimers, and informed approval, I set about making B's birthday sweater. The difference in dye-lots did show up a bit (it's difficult to capture these things in a photograph) but given how much I wanted to keep this when it was done, I guess it can't have been that much of a problem...

We had a bit of a try on as you go session with this, and as she's a very tall lady, we decided to add about 2" to the length of the body and 1" to the length of the arms, in each case after all the shaping had been finished off.

I hadn't done much lace knitting before this, and so I did have to cloister myself away a little bit when I came to those sections. I was very proud of the end result though, and as these things so often are, it was easier than I was expecting. And I enjoyed the peace and quiet, to be honest...

One day I'd like to make this again for myself, possibly with some short-row shaping at the bust. I might be being a bit picky, but I think the intention is that the lace section sits a bit lower down the body than it does on me (from the front, at any rate).

Pattern: Simple Knitted Bodice by Stefanie Japel for Stitch Diva Studios

Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed

Amount: 7 skeins

Colourway: 146 Herb

Needles: 3.5mm and 4.00mm

Size: 36 - 38"

On ravelry: here