Eventually it happens to all of us: a thoroughly botched project. Today, I will share my recent failure: The Buttony Sweater.
It started out great, as you may recall from this hopeful photo:
And it seemed like it was going great all the way until I reached the ribbing at the bottom of the body.
The first issue I encountered was that I ran out of the contrast color yarn that I was using for the top & bottom ribbing a few stitches before the end of the bind-off. But never fear! I had a very similar color of yarn that I substituted for those last few stitches & no one will be able to tell the difference. Once I'd finished binding off, I tried it on & the real problem revealed itself. This thing fits terribly! It's too bulky under the arms & way too tight in the waist & hips. My waist shaping is too low & too dramatic. On top of that, I don't have as much yarn as I thought I did, so I definitely don't have enough to do full sleeves.
Here it is lying flat. Even here, the shaping mistakes are obvious.
Luckily I have a plan! I'm going to rip it back to the armpits & start the waist shaping almost immediately below them. I will make fewer decreases & increase more at the hips. To ensure that I have enough yarn, I'll knit one less buttonhole. Lastly, I'll have to make short sleeves instead of long sleeves. I only have one ball of the main color yarn left so I'll have to use half of it for each sleeve. Fingers crossed that this turns out better & if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!
A few weeks ago, I was approached to review Metropolitan Knits: Chic Designs for Urban Style, the debut book by one of my favorite designers, Melissa Wehrle. I first took notice of Melissa's work back in 2005 when Sesame appeared in MagKnits. I was a brand-new knitter at the time & this was one of the very first sweaters I aspired to knit! Then, when she was the featured designer in KnitScene Fall 2009, I really fell in love with her patterns. They are functional, sturdy & flattering. She utilizes design features such as tabs & uniquely-placed lace motifs, which add a ton of personality to classic designs. Her body of work also includes a good mix of fitted feminine pieces & more relaxed, comfortable knits to appeal to a variety of styles. The patterns included in this book are no exception.
This book is inspired by & dedicated to life in NYC & is divided into three chapters based on different facets of city life. I'll tell you a little bit about my favorite patterns from each chapter.
Chapter 1 (Heart of the City) starts with two quick-to-knit accessories then dives right into a sweater that a more experienced knitter could really sink their teeth into. The Museum Sweater consists of an all-over lace pattern, with shaping worked into the selvedge stitches on the sides. There is additional shaping around the neck & shoulders, then the cowl gets picked up & knit inside out in twisted rib. For me, this would be a years-long project but I still find myself drawn to the drape of the yarn, the relaxed yet flattering silhouette & the huge comfy cowl neck. Plus I definitely welcome the occasional knitting challenge.
The Meier Cardigan, which appears on the cover, is one of my favorite patterns in the book. The construction is really smart: it's knit from the bottom up in one piece to the armholes, then gets divided for the sleeves. One reason for this is that the cardigan includes side lace panels, which I didn't even notice until I'd looked at it quite a few times! I feel like this would also get the cardigan off to a really quick start, as you would see a lot of progress right away & be encouraged to keep knitting.
Chapter 2 (Urban Bohemia) is my favorite chapter. It's full of big, comfy sweaters & I want to knit almost all of them. These are perfect Seattle garments: rustic, warm, layering pieces that could take me through about 8 months of the year.
The Magnolia Cafe Cardigan has a shawl collar & button band that are actually knitted separately, joined at the back then attached to the cardigan for a cleaner look. I love that level of attention to detail. That theme is continued by knitting the lining of the pockets in a contrasting color yarn. These touches, plus the combination of cables & double moss stitch, make this a great piece for process knitters & product knitters alike.
For a more laid-back knitting experience, the Washington Square Cardigan, is high on my knit-list. This sweater makes me want to hug it. Due to the vast swathes of stockinette & the simple lace pattern, I think it would look awesome knit in a bulky thick-&-thin yarn. I appreciate the continuation of the buttons onto the inside of the collar, as they move from functional to decorative & complete the line.
Chapter 3 (City Gardens) mixes the elegance & casualness of the two previous chapters with a lighter touch. Looser gauges & lighter yarns are used here to evoke a more natural aesthetic in contrast to the lively, urban experience celebrated in the previous two chapters. Balancing a busy, full, extroverted city life with quiet, introspective time in nature is an important aspect of life in Seattle (& actually part of what drew me here rather than NYC). This chapter highlights some of those areas that offer a respite within the city.
Normally I am not a shawl knitter, but the Grand Army Plaza Shawl might be the exception to that rule. I love the open, un-finicky quality of the lace & the yarn chosen for this pattern is just gorgeous.
Of all the patterns in this book, the Courtyard Pullover is my favorite & the one I hope to cast on first. I love the variety of all the different stitch patterns & I find the length & shape of this piece really flattering. I could see myself wearing this a lot, with both skirts & jeans & I think it might look great in a semi-solid yarn as well as a solid color. The best part is that this sweater is knit raglan-style from the top down.
I hope I've piqued your interest in this book & in Melissa Wehrle as a designer. You can pick up a copy of Metropolitan Knits: Chic Designs for Urban Style through Interweave, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble. Or, if you're really lucky, you can win the copy that Interweave has kindly provided for me to give away! Just leave a comment on this blog (not on FB) with either your favorite pattern from this book or your favorite pattern by Melissa & I will choose a winner on August 16th (which will also be my 11-yr anniversary with Dan, an auspicious day no doubt!). Good luck & I can't wait to hear from you!!!
And it seemed like it was going great all the way until I reached the ribbing at the bottom of the body. 
