Frolic and Detour, part II

Thanks for all the nice comments about the butterfly sweater!

Since so many have asked, I will try to explain how I modified the pattern.

I made the size 6 but cast on 64 stitches and, other than the bottom border, just knit straight until it was 13" long. Joanna is pretty long waisted so I like to add length.

At that point I added shaping as follows:
Rows 1 & 2:cast off 8 sts at beginning of row.
Rows 3 & 4:cast off 4 sts at beginning of row.
Rows 5 & 6:cast off 2 sts at beginning of row.
Row 7: ssk, K8, cast off 16 sts, k to end

decrease 1 more stitch at the underarm and 1 stitch every other row at the center until 1 stitch remains. Bind off.

I made both front and back the same and stitched them together before starting the ruffle.

I made the ruffle as one circular piece. I cast on 288 stitches, knit six rounds of garter stitch then did the butterfly pattern. After the pattern was done I added 4 more rounds then decreased by slipping 2 sts together knitwise, k1, pass slip stitches over. At the end of the round I had 84 stitches remaining.

On the next round I attached the ruffle by knitting it on to the body.

After that it was a few plain rounds so I had a place for the beads then 4 garter rounds and cast off.

I also picked up sts at in the armpit, k a couple rows and cast off so it would look a little neater.

I hope that answers you questions, unfortunately I'm not too good at writing things down.

Frolic and Detour

After spending a lot of time working on large projects I really needed something quick. I put the large things aside and looked for some (almost) instant gratification.

For Mother's Day, Joanna gave me this yarn:

She is certainly no yarn snob. I think it may have been the ducklings on the label that she really liked but I figured if it was what she liked she should get a sweater from it.

We looked around at some patterns and she liked the Monica pattern from Knitty but thought it needed sleeves. I suggested we have the ruffle go up over the shoulder and she liked the idea.

Not being able to make anything plain, we found a butterfly pattern Nicky Epstein's Knitting Over the Edge.

When I was picking up Joanna from school last week I saw a bead store had opened in the plaza where her school is so we went to check it out.

I found these little yellow butterfly beads and matching yellow seed beads.

I thought they would look great around the neck of her sweater.

They are a bit subtle but I like that. Here is the whole sweater.

Joanna was kind enough to take time from her busy schedule to model it for me.

She will be able to wear it to church tomorrow for her birthday!

The next question is, what do I no with the almost whole tube of yellow seed beads?

Back to the big projects!