Sunday, August 12, 2007

Knittin' Help, por favor!


This is my first top (that makes me a top virgin?). Here's a pic that I borrowed from the Kpixie website and where I bought the yarn(well, most of the yarn) from.
So far, so good. It's worked from the bottom up which made it kinda boring, but easy. Now, I'm to the part at the top where you use the 2nd color. I got no clue what to do next.
The directions say: On the next RS row you'll start shaping the neckline decoration with Shimmer yarn. This section will be worked in three sections, the first in bamboo, the center with 2 strands of shimmer held together and the third in bamboo. Each WS row should be purled with the same yarn and number of stitches as the previous row.
I'm understanding all that! Cool! But then, I'm looking at the yarn in my hand and I'm wondering how exactly to make the switch. The first row is 42 with bamboo, 1 with shimmer and 42 with bamboo. So I go across the row in the usual way with the bamboo and then need to switch over to the shimmer for one stitch. Where does the bamboo go? And then after one stitch, where does the shimmer go? I can see the way that it turns out and comes to a point. That makes sense to me. I just can't figure out HOW! I was thinking if I typed out the instructions, that it would become clear. HA!
Anyway, the top's going to be really cool. The bamboo is a chocolate brown and the shimmer is green (and shimmery, true to descriptive name of yarn). If you're going to make this top, my recommendation is to get the newer SWTC bamboo. The one I'm using feels soft on the skein, but is scratchy when knitted. I bought the new bamboo for the fitted-flare skirt from Knitting Lingerie Style and it's way way soft.

5 comments:

Carol said...

Well howdy Ms Daisy! I have no clue on the yarns, carry by wrapping? I'd put a lifeline in before the color changing, then go with my gut. If it's wrong, you canjust rip back to where the madness starts.

vagabond bettie said...

drats!I figured when I got to that point that it would be obvious what to do!

knitting pirate librarian said...

This is just a guess, for I'm pretty confused myself, but I'm thinking it sounds like you might be able to use intarsia knitting. It's where you knit with two colors and carry the the inactive color along the back. Look at the knittinghelp.com video on intarsia and see if you think it would work.

http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting/advanced_techniques/

Now I have to confess that I haven't been able to figure this method out myself, but maybe it will make more sense to you.

vagabond bettie said...

After messing with this thing tonight, I've come to a few conclusions. One, the pic is not made with shimmer in the center. It's probably a close shade of bamboo to the main color. BASTARDS! The shimmer is, well, freaking shimmery. And doesn't blend well with the bamboo. Even when two strands of the shimmer are held together. BASTARDS!

brandilion said...

Hey, I'm back!! And watch your mouth, only sailors talk like that :P

OK so here is what I imagine, you get more and more shimmer every row right? The first couple of rows you may be able to get away with carrying your bamboo across the back of your shimmer and I would just let the bamboo drop until you need it again.

However, as you continue to do that you will be dragging more and more yarn across the back. You can start twisting your bamboo with the shimmer in the back every few stitches to carry it across without making a big mess.

Or you can use two different strands of bamboo for each side. I hope this helps, it will look fantastic when you are done. Is this back and forth or in the round the round will be much harder.