It seems like forever, but I think its only been a month that I've been knitting and modifying this cable tee by Gayle Bunn. In my last update, I said I might turn this tee into a vest. Well, obviously, I did and I'm very happy with it.
This change was easy to do, but would have been even easier if I had known from the beginning that is what I would do. Here are all of my notes, some which I've posted before:
1. My gauge in this Berroco Vintage was way off so I did my own calculations for my cast on and decreases. My gauge was 5.5 sts per inch, so I cast on 186 sts to knit this top in the round.
2. I did 10 sets of decreases (4 decs each time - 2 front side, 2 back side) to bring the chest size down, then did 1 increase round for shaping.
3. I followed the hem directions and cable chart from the pattern. I omitted the ribbing on the back since I didn't like how it looked.
4. Followed the chart directions to row 31 or until my vest was 15 inches long, then bound off for the underarms. Bound off 4 sts on each side of my markers (left and right) for a total of 8 bound off sts for each underarm. Then knit the front and back separately.
5. On the front, I continued to follow the cable chart. To complete my underarm shaping, I bound off 1 st on each side of my knitting for the next 6 rows (3 bound off sts per each underarm on the front side). Once my stitches were bound off for the underarms, I continued to knit straight, following the cable chart.
6. Followed chart through row 56, then bound off center stitches as indicated in pattern. On the next 12 rows, I bound off 1 st per side of the neck to shape the neckline. When done, this left me with 16 stitches on each shoulder.
7. I knit these shoulder straps straight until my armholes were 8 inches deep, then held my stitches and began working on the back.
8. Working the back, I bound off the underarms in the same pattern as the front - I bound off 1 st on each side of my knitting for the next 6 rows (3 bound off sts per each underarm).
9. Then I knit straight until my back side was about 1 inch shorter than my front. Next, I bound off the center stitches, leaving me with 18 stitches per shoulder.
10. For the next 4 rows, I bound off 1 st per side to shape the back of the neck (2 sts per each side for a total of 4 sts). This left my with 16 sts on each shoulder. Then I knit straight for 3 more rows.
11. I joined the front and back of my shoulders together with a three needle bind off, then blocked my vest.
12. When dry, I picked up stitches around the neck and armholes and knit 4 rounds, then bound off to create a rolled neckline. I could have also done a garter st border instead. Either would have been fine. I'm happy with the rolled neck.
A couple of last thoughts:
1. Gayle Bunn's chart for this pattern is real well written and easy to follow. I expected to find some small mistake in it, but didn't. It's excellent. But I would recommend color-coding the cable symbols on the chart to keep them straight.
2. This top knit in this Berroco Vintage would definitely be too heavy and hot (for me) to wear as a tee. I'm glad I changed it into a vest. I think I'll get a lot of wear from it.
3. If I had known from the beginning that I was going to make this pattern into a vest, I would have made the bottom band wider by knitting more garter rows. As it is, the hem turns up and I had to iron it to make it lie flat. Small issue but I thought I'd mention it.
4. If I were to knit this again, and had the yarn to do it, I'd repeat the cable pattern on the back too. It's so pretty and would definitely make an eye-catching detail.
No comments:
Post a Comment