Finished House Sweater
Last month at the Boston Knit-In-Public event, someone asked what I was making. I answered a "house sweater", not thinking about what that might mean to a muggle. The nice young man was a bit puzzled and asked me why I couldn't wear it out in public too. So yes, not that sort of a house sweater. This is a Hogwarts house sweater. In my case, of course, Slytherin.
Whew! I am really glad to have this project done, and I am excited about wearing it to Terminus. (Yay, I got my official registration stuff today!) This would be what we call a "quick take a photo quick while there is a break in the clouds and it isn't raining" picture.
Modifications: I worked the body and sleeves until the split for the arms and sleeve cap respectively. Also I changed the cast on to produce a finished 35" bust measurement. The suggested positive ease on this sweater is crazy huge! I made the arm scythes the same size as the next size up, while working my smaller number of stitches to provide for my narrow shoulders and do less math in terms of sleeve cap shaping. Both aspects seem a success.
I am so sad that the Matchmaker has been discontinued, because it is such a great workhorse yarn. I only wish that I had been able to make the whole sweater in it. Instead I went with, what was to me, an unknown: MeiMei Camel. It was quite inexpensive, and the angora made it really soft in the ball. Unfortunately it didn't quite live up to expectations when knit up in terms of softness though. It actually comes across as somewhat scratchy, though not unbearably so to me. However, I certainly would not gift it. I am okay with the end result but wouldn't buy again.
If I had this project to do over again, I would do a few things differently pattern-wise too. First of all, it turns out that I really like a 1-2-1 stripe pattern better than a 2-2-2 pattern. But since you do the stripes right at the beginning it wasn't worth changing by the time I realized.
Also I have no negative ease at the bust, but since there is no waist shaping it still looks a little big on me. I think you could add a little waist shaping without changing the look to be too fitted, and then it would flatter more.
Finally the sleeves are a little oddly shaped in the upper arm area. I found it to be way to baggy until I blocked the heck out of it, perhaps because I am fairly petite. If you like lots of room at your upper arm you would be in luck with this pattern though. If I was to do it again I would change the increases to the larger number of rows apart as soon as I got to the elbow.
Despite my minor grumblings though, I am satisfied with this sweater. Now I just need to pack it!
Whew! I am really glad to have this project done, and I am excited about wearing it to Terminus. (Yay, I got my official registration stuff today!) This would be what we call a "quick take a photo quick while there is a break in the clouds and it isn't raining" picture.
Pattern: House Sweater by Amber Daniels(-Cook)
Pattern Source: Charmed Knits
Yarn: MeiMei Camel (in color 2014) and Jaeger Matchmaker Merino DK (putty and loden)
Needles: US 3 / 3.25 mm & US 7 / 4.5 mm
Pattern Source: Charmed Knits
Yarn: MeiMei Camel (in color 2014) and Jaeger Matchmaker Merino DK (putty and loden)
Needles: US 3 / 3.25 mm & US 7 / 4.5 mm
Modifications: I worked the body and sleeves until the split for the arms and sleeve cap respectively. Also I changed the cast on to produce a finished 35" bust measurement. The suggested positive ease on this sweater is crazy huge! I made the arm scythes the same size as the next size up, while working my smaller number of stitches to provide for my narrow shoulders and do less math in terms of sleeve cap shaping. Both aspects seem a success.
I am so sad that the Matchmaker has been discontinued, because it is such a great workhorse yarn. I only wish that I had been able to make the whole sweater in it. Instead I went with, what was to me, an unknown: MeiMei Camel. It was quite inexpensive, and the angora made it really soft in the ball. Unfortunately it didn't quite live up to expectations when knit up in terms of softness though. It actually comes across as somewhat scratchy, though not unbearably so to me. However, I certainly would not gift it. I am okay with the end result but wouldn't buy again.
If I had this project to do over again, I would do a few things differently pattern-wise too. First of all, it turns out that I really like a 1-2-1 stripe pattern better than a 2-2-2 pattern. But since you do the stripes right at the beginning it wasn't worth changing by the time I realized.
Also I have no negative ease at the bust, but since there is no waist shaping it still looks a little big on me. I think you could add a little waist shaping without changing the look to be too fitted, and then it would flatter more.
Finally the sleeves are a little oddly shaped in the upper arm area. I found it to be way to baggy until I blocked the heck out of it, perhaps because I am fairly petite. If you like lots of room at your upper arm you would be in luck with this pattern though. If I was to do it again I would change the increases to the larger number of rows apart as soon as I got to the elbow.
Despite my minor grumblings though, I am satisfied with this sweater. Now I just need to pack it!
posted by omly at 9:14 AM
4 Comments:
It looks like you stepped right off the set! Great sweater!
This comment has been removed by the author.
Omly, it looks *terrific*!
I think you're right about the stripe, tho - I think I like the 1-2-1 better, too. I have about 15 other things to do before I get to the House sweater, tho! If I can find my colors in Brown Sheep Naturespun DK, I may try that yarn.
Cheers!!
I think it looks gooooooood!
I have had 4 skeins of Matchmaker in my stash for years, and can never come up with anything to do with it.
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