Aug 03 2008
Mirage Pullover
I saw Mirage in More Big Girl Knits and immediately fell in love. While in Singapore, I did the work to go about sizing it down for me, and I couldn’t be happier with the result.
I wore the sweater for my journey home from Singapore—those planes are so cold. On my way out, actually, the man sitting next to me put an extra blanket over me because I looked so cold huddled under my single blanket (and I was wearing a cardigan). Wow, the sweater kept me so comfy warm, I only needed one blanket on each leg. It was uncomfortably warm in the airports, in fact. In all, this sweater has seen Singapore, Korea, Vancouver, and New York.
I used a thinner yarn on purpose, hoping that I could just knit one of the existing sizes and not have to actually redo all the math. (I’m not afraid of math, but if I don’t have to do it . . .) Happily, it worked out to knit the smallest size in the book. But I actually used the principles and lessons imparted in the Big Girl books to think about whether the motif needed to be sized down further as well. I wanted it to be in proportion—and the tighter gauge accomplished that—but I decided that it needed to be still smaller. However, I swatched the “cable” part (which isn’t really a cable, it’s just an increase on one side and a decrease on the other) at different widths and preferred it the way the pattern indicated. The part I changed was the eyelet panel, which felt too wide as it was. So I dropped it down to just 4 eyelets, instead of 6. The additional stitches were transferred to the stockinette panels.
Mirage (my ravelry page)
Pattern: Mirage Pullover (rav link), from More Big Girl Knits
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, which softened upon blocking and wearing
Skeins: 6
Started: Sunday, July 13
Finished: Saturday, July 26
Needles: Addi Turbo US 5
Notes: I’d figured that there was risk of the sweater falling off my shoulders (and other knitters reported such), so I’d planned to work the yoke further than called for. Because I transferred the stitches taken out of the eyelet panel to the stockinette panels, this meant that I already worked the yoke further in order to decrease until the stockinette section had disappeared on the arms. It was perfect with just that change—probably about 1 additional inch.
On the sleeve (above) I didn’t do the increases the way they said—between the purls and the stockinette section—because it produces a distinct jog; instead I did M1s one stitch in on each side. Adds some elegance, to my eyes.
Other mods were to not make yos in the “cable” panel but to do M1Rs and M1Ls. This was no big deal until I got to the short rows at the neck, when working the M1s backward was too much for my brain to handle. I’m not even really sure what I did, but it’s not noticeable so it’s fine.
I think I made the sweater overall too long (that’s the hem above), but I’m not going to change it. I knit until I got to a length I liked—which turned out to be the length given in the pattern—but in the wearing I think it could be about one inch shorter. It doesn’t grow or anything, it just feels too long.
Over the years, I’ve knit far too few sweaters (being a product knitter I tend to love the quick, fast knits), but I want more, more, more—and this was a great first step.
this is so beautiful and fit you perfectly!
i think its time for me to replenish some SIlky Wool.
I didn’t get to see it on you when you were still here. It looks great!
Your sweater is so beautiful. I’ve been debating as to what to knit next. Now I’ve got to give this pattern another look. Nicely done!
I’m almost as impressed that you took photos in the airport without being arrested as I am with the sweater itself! Great job on both. ;)
I just have to say, I think that’s lovely! It looks stunning on you!
The sweater looks fantastic on you. Kudos!
Beautiful! It wears you well.
That colour looks great on you. What an awesome sweater pattern!
Hurrah! Well done, and you didn’t even have to do much math. I love Silky Wool and it works really well for you here. Beautiful!!
Love it! That orange looks great on you and it’s such a bonus not to do any math if you don’t have to!
I love it! Keep on your good work.
What a great alteration to this sweater!! I would have never thought to even “look” in that book!
I luv the sweater!! And you made the perfect yarn selection and color!!
Not only does the sweater look so fabulous on you but the shots too are great. I like the first shot a lot!
It’s not to long. It’s perfect!
Wow! It looks like a perfect fit and some great shots. I love the pattern and color, and how cool that you didn’t have to do all that math.
Love that orange! Thanks for all the descriptions of your mods.
I love it! The color is great. It suits you very well.
That pumpkin color is great on you. Is it me, or do you look kinda sad in the first picture? I’m sure it was hard leaving the folks behind in Singapore.
Welcome back.
Your slight mods produce a great result! EL Silky Wool is such a great yarn, and the color is perfect on you:)
welcome back!
and that sweater is beautiful. i love those “cables.” nicely done, really.
WOW! I love a bunch of the sweaters in that book but it never occured to me to use thinner yarn to down-size. so very clever.
The fit looks great! Also, the color! Love!!
Minty, this sweater is bad ass! I especially love the color (my fave). Nice work, lady.
It looks beautiful, and how fortuitous that the sizing worked out with the thinner yarn. I love the orangey color of the EL Silky Wool.
It’s perfect for you. What a great pattern adaptation. Makes me think about looking more closely at some of the sweaters in that book. Thanks for sharing with us.
Welcome back! The sweater looks great - it’s got a wonderfully tailored look.
This sweater really turned out great! You wear what could be a problematic color really well, too. I think I agree with you about the length, but I didn’t really notice until you pointed it out and I gave the photos a closer inspection, btw.
Also, where is all your stuff?!?! How can you survive such long flights with just that one little bag!
I love the sweater. I love a lot of the sweaters in that book as well. I also need to size down. Thank you for mentioning using a lighter weight yarn to avoid the math.
It looks great! It sounds like your mods were well thought out, and the sweater fits you really well. And it’s orange, which I love of course :)
that sweater looks LOVELY on you… though I think it will be autumn again before you need to wear such a pretty orange in NYC. Just think of the Central Park possibilities! :)
i love love LOVE it! thanks for explaining all your changes in sizing down. makes perfect sense :) i think that’s the same “cable” that’s on the nutkin socks.
It’s really amazing how your free flights take you all over. I would kill myself if I had to fly that many legs and hours to get between here and the US. It’s gotten to the point where I would pay $200 more to save 3.5 hours. I just can’t do it anymore.
It looks beautiful on you. That color is supposed to be “the” color this fall.
Amy
Wait! Can we talk about how you knit a SWEATER in a mere 13 days?!?!?!?!? Wowza. Good job you! Especially since it’s a really cute sweater.
This is just beautiful on you! I love the color - so warm and pretty!
Truly beautiful!
Gorgeous!
can you stand another comment telling you how beautiful this is? :)
It’s totally amazing, of course!
That sweater looks great and what a terrific color! Good for you getting creative and sizing it down.
seriously beautiful sweater! i love the color and it fits you perfectly. i know it can be uncomfortable when a sweater feels too long. i tend to prefer longer sweaters, but maybe it’s more that i just don’t like cropped ones :)
Beautiful! The color looks fabulous on you! Yay for coming home!
Wow, I love that sweater!! And I’m with you, I’m not so much afraid of math as suffering from an “aversion” to it!
The sweater looks fabulous on you! I like your various mods a whole lot. I’d probably never have even thought to size down a pattern from that book.
What a lovely sweater - I love the sleeves! So pretty and practical.
Love this sweater! The color - the fit - perfect!
It looks amazing on you!
Wow. This is so beautiful. Love the color. It looks fantastic on you!
Gorgeous sweater!
beautiful sweater. just wish it would be easier to replicate. i can’t believe how quickly you churn out sweaters. wish i had time/the skills to do that. oh well. someday. your monkey post is adorable too! why are all the best softies crochet patterns. although sheldon is knit and he’s really cute. have you seen the patterns for pirate sheldon and bikini sheldon–hillarious!