Poetry in Stitches Camisole

The Poetry camisole is finished, and I really like it! After spending more time on the finishing than the knitting (typical), it's ready. This pattern is a copy of an actual vintage under garment. Maybe it was worn over a corset? I love learning about what people wore underneath their Victorian and Edwardian finery.

The shaping makes the top very comfortable, and I believe it would be flattering on most body types. The only adjustment that I made was to knit it size small on the length, but size medium on the width.

The instructions for the button holes were written for the medium size only, so I had to do that calculation for the size small. But I think it was good for my brain to be forced to do a tiny bit of math. It is getting old and creaky.

I found some flower shaped buttons to bring out the summery feel.

Details
Pattern: Poetry In Stitches p126
Yarn: Hifa Luxor cotton in pale blue 315. (Click on the button that says "Fargekart" to see the colors) Kit was special ordered from Nordic Fiber Arts.
Needles: Addi Bamboo circulars, 3 mm, 60 cm (24 in) long (An awkward Addi size, stick with 80 from now on!)
Crochet hook: 3 mm
Started: May 21, 2006, Finished June 28, 2006. A record!

The weather is not cooperating. Sometimes it's too sunny for pictures! I hope to be replacing this picture shortly.

I love the Hifa cotton yarn. It's smooth and makes a pretty fabric. I would love to make something in plain stockinette using this yarn to really bring out the sheen.
The only problem was that the plies tended to separate some when crocheting, but I don't mind, because this is what makes the yarn so smooth and silky. Crocheting was much harder on my carpal tunnel than knitting, though. I think I need one of those ergonomic hooks!

I had a problem with my cast-on being looser than the bind-off (the cast-on side is the button hole side), and when I tried it on, I realized that it would not look good. One side was a little longer than the other. So I picked out the row before the double seed stitch area, picked up the stitches, and reknit the 14 rows in the opposite direction. Now it's great. There is not any gapping between the buttons at all, even though the top is quite form fitting.

The garter stitch was quite stretchy, but the crochet edging firmed things up nicely.

I really liked knitting sideways like this, and I am thinking of making this Solveig Hisdal jacket from Norsk Strikkedesign later! I also love this Hanne Falkenberg jacket, the Mermaid. Isn't it the coolest, most awesome design ever?

The camisole is getting there

I felt compelled to post, even though the weather is very dark and dreary and I can't get a great picture. I have the crochet edging and the buttons left to do. I still have to actually buy the buttons. But this is a pretty fast knit, and I had lots of plane and airport time to knit when I went to Mexico. I was inspired by Sandra (I love her colors), who did hers so fast, and knitted whenever I had a minute. I love the little wedges which give such a good shape, and they also break up the project, knit twelve rows, knit a wedge, knit fifteen rows, knit a wedge. Somehow that was very motivating.

I almost don't want to post, I kind of want the Mexico pictures to be at the top of my blog forever and ever. I thought about putting one in my header, but pictures of palm trees don't exactly scream "pine cone lodge". :)

Travel, food, and textiles

My husband travels to meetings in cool places. I tagged along to Acapulco.

We were lucky enough to go to a party here and see this beautiful view.

Seafood on the beach every night, watching the sunset from this deck. Food in Mexico, what a wonderful experience. The breakfast tortillas, the papaya juice, the soups, the seafood... I was taking notes.

It was funny to see all the cabs.

Shopping for embroidered dresses in the market, I was able to get a blouse

and a dress. I could look at this forever:

I would have loved to buy more, but aggressive bargaining was so much work.

Some knitting happened as well. I am almost done with the camisole now, but I loved this floor so much, I had to show this picture.

I didn't have internet available except for about an hour and no cell phone service either. It was relaxing. But now I am slightly behind on my emails. Hope you all forgive me.

Cotton for summer

Tired of black and white yet? No way, not me! Though I am feeling compelled to set aside the wool every now and then, and play around with this cotton camisole from Poetry in Stitches.

Hifa cotton in ice blue from Nordic Fiber Arts.

It was a treat to choose a color out of the 60 or so on the color card. I seriously considered at least four or five different blues, but in the end I went with this one, the palest of the pale. The yarn was special ordered, so it took a while for it to get here, but it is beautiful. Smooth, sleek, mercerized cotton, quite unlike their rather rustic (but lovely) Hifa 2 wool, which I am using for the Brocade Leaves sweater.

The camisole is knitted sideways in garter stitch and "double pearl" stitch (I may have to find what the English name for this is), and is copied from an actual antique under garment! Isn't it cute with the short row shaping at the waist?

Twin dogwood trees in our yard. Finally it's spring! Though of course it's still raining.