I've seen this new pattern from Stitch Diva - the Simple Knitted Bodice around. And I was thinking that it was really cute. But I also have issues buying patterns from online sources (long story, ending with watching a blog flame war end with the designer calling plus sized women who used her patterns fat whores). And I looked at the Simple Knitted Bodice, and I thought, and I looked. And I read the description a few times and realized- it's just a top down raglan. Just like a certain Top Down Deep V Neck 3/4 Length Sleeve Raglan I've been working on. And I was thinking how Top Down Deep V Neck 3/4 Length Sleeve Raglan has great drape and would be a pretty nifty T-Shirt type sweater.

And so I started sketching, and I found a cute lace pattern (two actually - Chalice and Arrowhead, both have some good double decreases that would be the perfect place to put a sparkly bead). And I looked at a few mods (seed stitch around the lace panels instead of reverse stockinette, likely no waist shaping, unless I drop down a needle size just for the lace part, which I might, depending on how swatching works out for me).

And then I started thinking about yarns. I have a lot of yarn. I was thinking either 4.5 or 5 stitches/inch (probably 5, I'm on a small needle kick). The actual SKB calls for Tilli Tomas silk. Kpixie.com prices it at about $80 for the yarn, not unreasonable, I suppose. I want it to be very lightweight and sort of cool - a spring/summery sweater. I could also take this time to try something new (well Tilli yarn would be new, but differently new). Bamboo perhaps. Or Soy Silk.

I could also try and pull from my stash. I have Elsabeth Lavold Silky Wool in black - very light weight, and I know I get 5st/inch with it. I also have some Debbie Bliss Cathay in cream, which I really don't want a cream colored sweater - but I could probably find some dye that would stick to a wool/silk/cotton/acrylic blend. The smart thing is of course stash knitting, but then, new yarn. And new yarn is fun. Plus, would the pattern show up well with black yarn, considering I'm going to have to layer it? I know the EL blocks well (recommended yarn for "Branching Out" in Knitty), but I hear good things about the drape of bamboo as well. But then EL and DB from the stash I know are also machine washable.

Decisions, decisions! Anyone have strong thoughts, any which way?

(PS. The purple hoodie is making headway (hope to have the body done tomorrow night), the Top Down Deep V Neck 3/4 Length Sleeve Raglan is lounging in a basket. They're not particularly interesting to look at right now.)

posted by Amber @ 7:31 PM

2 Comments:

At 10:38 PM, Unknown said…

Omg. I have been obsessed with that top for a while now. I want to make one and while I can't splurge on the Tilli Tomas right now, it may be something for the future. The bodice is TT Pure and Simple and the lace is TT ...Disco or something like that. It's got beads. I like beads. And actually the kits for all the yarn come out in the $150-$170 range if you go with the pattern yarn. I'm actually thinking of trying out something in a bamboo. To correspond to the beaded portion part, I'm thinking of using the same bamboo yarn and carrying a separate string that has beads spaced on it (like double stranding). I'm not afraid of stringing beads...that's what the bead spinners are for!
At 10:35 AM, Anonymous said…

I'm working with the Silky wool for two wraps and like it quite a bit...so I've been thinking of using it for the SKB. The silk looks lovely, but tres pricey!