Audrey A-Long

Back finished!

Here is it:

block me please!

I have also started the front. This time I made mistekes with the dicreases, so that I was compelled to rip out many rows..... But knitting Audrey is still fun!

LeslieP: Darting around

Since I've totally cribbed Audrey's progress for my own blog, I thought I'd post a close-up of Kim Hargreaves' darts. I went with the originals out of sheer sloth, and in the end, I'm pleased, though I suspect Tiffany's will prove more elegant. Have a look see, darlings!

Prrrrrrrogress!

Hello all. Finally, some progress! I have finished the back of my Audrey, and I am really now enjoying this yarn. I think we have come to an understanding, she and I. Here is a picture of the armhole decreases.

The ribbing has really evened out, I'm very pleased. THANKS to everyone for their ideas. Eventually the things that helped the most were 1) using my denise needles and 2) Tiffany's idea of bunching up the stitches on the needles. Thanks, Tiffany!

Let's start with a sleeve...

I've started my Audrey! I'm using Calmer in "Amour" [oh la laaaaaaaaaa!] and size 4.5mm Addi Turbo circs. Cast-on method I decided to use: Long tail cast-on, otherwise known as Old Faithful. I tried the tubular cast-on (another favorite of mine for lightweight, non-bulky yarns), but quickly ripped it out when I saw how wonky it looked on the stretchy yarn that is Calmer. The cable cast-on, another favorite, didn't provide enough elasticity for the ribbing. So I went with Old Faithful.

Selvedges (stitches that are going to be hidden in the seam) are all in stockinette stitch. I plan on seaming Audrey using mattress stitch, and I find stockinette stitch selvedges to work best for me when I seam using mattress stitch. [Look, Ma! No holes!]

Thus far, I am ROLLING on this project. Calmer is the Most Luxurious Yarn, Ever. I'm almost dreading the moment when I'll actually finish knitting all the pieces and have to start seaming. But, please note that I wrote "almost dreading"...a consoling thought is that after I finish knitting and seaming, I'll get to WEAR Calmer. Say it with me now, friends: "Oh la laaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

MAUD is MAUvelous!

Wow. Not only is Maud the mother of four, a law student, and a wonderful knitter, she is very giving as well. Thanks to her generosity in sending me a photo of her increases, she may well have aborted a trip to the insane asylum for me, too! Even though AOL tried to stop her emails by first delaying and returning them to her and then dumping them in my spam box (why don't they dump the ones that ARE spam, I ask you!), she persisted, and with her photo enlarged on my computer screen as guidance, I have just successfully completed my second set of increases. Now, I wonder if they'll take that strait jacket back at the medical supply store? oh.........my............goodness. Who'd a thunk it would be so hard to do this "easy and straightforward" pattern?

Audrey finished!

My Audrey is finally here and was worth the work as it's lovely to wear. All I need now is a Vespa and Gregory Peck.... I wasn't sure the neckline would suit my narrow shoulders but it has worked out pretty well. I have posted a picture at my blog.

Thanks for all the tips and comments from everyone else here. It's been a great knitalong! I'm sorry I haven't been able to answer some of queries I received about the increases, but I've been offline for a little while. Maud's photo shows them very clearly, though.

The increases

The picture of my finished Audrey is not very sharp on details, so here is a close up of the increases.

Guess what I did to my Audrey!

..I had the body and 1 and a half sleeve finished and the edging started, so I was happily looking forward to maybe finishing her over the weekend. Then last night I pinned down the back for blocking ... there were some funny shades on the knitting ...

I HAD PICKED UP ONE BALL WITH A DIFFERENT DYE LOT !!!

And knitted it into the middle of the back, just above the decreases and finished the whole back without noticing it !
So now I'm back down to the decreases. I have already called my LYS (Wollmond) and luckily she has another ball with the right dye lot. Will you believe me if I swear that this has never never ever happend to me during, well, about 30 years of knitting !?! I'm still absolutely sure I checked the dye lot number on every ball - well, obviously I did not !
Back to knitting, see you all on Monday. Everybody have a great weekend with lots of knitting time. Greetings from Germany.

Alcohol!

By George, I've got the fix for the wonkiness! Alcohol! A few glamorous cocktails (and a lovely Grace Kelly type cocktail dress), and all my knitting will look straight. Or wonky. Or who cares!!! Why didn't we think of this sooner??

Increases

I had so many problems with the increases that I had to rip out many rows three times.... But now I seem to have chosen the right method. Here is my progress:

Decreases

Hi everyone, I posted once, but deleted because the picture was so terrible. I hope this is better. Here are my decreases according to the pattern, since we have been discussing how they are to turn out. Yes, it's all wonky, please forgive that. Thanks for the tip, Julia!

Wonky Fix?

Hi all, despite the fact that I have not yet swatched or cast on, I do have a suggestion for fixing the wonkiness of the knit columns.

I've been knitting Pia from the latest Rowan, which also has a great deal of ribbing at the bottom. I've noticed that, for me at least, the columns of knitting look neater on the wrong side of the work. Apparently my purl stitches are better at holding shape on the knit side than my knit stitches are at holding shape on the knit side.

So, to me, it seems like a good solution to simply pull a switcheroo on the right and wrong sides - always purl when the pattern says knit and always knit when the pattern says purl, and then sew everything up with the "wrong" side on the outside. Do you follow? I think in this way I can achieve some dreamy ribbing.

Here's what I'm talking about, with a little cell phone camera illustration:

Right Side

Wrong Side

Does anyone else notice this phenomenom in their own ribbed knitting? Let me know if you think it might work for you, because I'm interested in how common this 2x2 ribbing tension problem is.

Knit or Purl on decreases?

Okay, I'm on my fourth try on Audrey, and I haven't gotten past row 15 yet! First it was way too big, then it was closer, but I decided to knit the front and back circularly, then it was still too big (because swatching in stockinette when you're knitting in 2x2 ribbing just doesn't really help!), and now I'm on my fourth (fifth?) try, a couple rows past the first set of decreases and . . . I'm not satisfied with the way it looks.

My BIG question is--the decreases come in the middle of a purl-purl column, but the decrease is a K3tog . . . how should I work that stitch on the next row? As a purl, in which case there are 6 purl stitches in a row? Or as a knit so that there’s a single knit column between the double-purl columns? (I’m trying to explain this as clearly as possible!) And of course, 8 rows later, the purl columns will be decreased . . .

I’ve tried this both knit and purl, and am not satisfied with either. I also tried Tiffany’s Dart but was unsure with that one, too . . .

What do YOU do with the ribbing while decreasing/increasing?? It could obviously be different for everyone, but, opinions?

Deb—I’m going to work on my niece’s birthday socks for a while, Audrey is being just a little too diva-ish and tempermental! (grin)

Shoulder Length Dilemma

I’m at the 14th row on the last 20 rows of the body of the sweater and it is long enough right here. I’m pretty short from armpit to shoulder, so if I knit all 20 rows my sassy sweater will quickly become a turtleneck. Right now the top is 2” below my collarbone, which where it looks like it hits the model in the magazine. If I cast off now, how do I alter my sleeves so the final count of stitches is correct and the length is the same as the bodice? Just thinking out loud, but if I worked 26 rows including decreased and straight rows from where I cast off the armholes… and it looks like I will be working 30 rows after the armhole decreases for the sleeves… so the sleeves will be 1 1/3 cm longer – counting on my gauge being correct. Will this be okay? Or should I eliminate one of the last four row decreases and cast off 40 sts?

Finished!!!

So, what ideas for skirt, shoes and accessories do you have?

Guess what I got in the mail...

My Calmer has FINALLY arrived!

I am looking forward to swatching it!

The neck edge

This is how my neck edge looks, in coral.

To get the neck edging the right lenght seems to be a smallish problem. At least for me. I thought I had measured it right. I sew it in place, and it was waaaaay too long. I opened all the small stitches, frogged three pattern lenghts, sew it in place, tested, still too long, two more pattern lenghts frogged - now it seems to be the right lenght, with 26 pattern lenghts for size S.

I have still to fasten all yarn ends and to block the whole sweater once more. But it looks so promising...

Nobody at home right now except me, so you have to wait until tomorrow for a picture of me wearing it.

[MEOW] [MEOW] [MEOW !!!]

Paul...
PAUL!

Could you PLEASE, kiss kiss, let the Truman out? And on your way back, will you bring me that ice bag...

Oh, the pleasure of comforting all those men without tax breaks last night is almost too much to think about! Between the martinis and the Powder Room, my little piggy bank is SMILING...

But oh my aching head!

Before the whirl so rudely interrupted, I got quite a bit done on my Audrey! The yarn from Colourway UK got to the US in about 5 days. Was it ever FABULOUS to break open the EUROPEAN box and find my Coral DELIGHT. I SO LOVE PACKAGES!

Actually, this color reminds me more of a soft Tomato color. OOOh la la! You do know the phrase "tomato" actually means, ahem, pardon me for being vulgar: HOTTIE!

AND this is so hot, I'm scorched!

I LOVE THIS YARN! After a pretty awkward courship during the first inch or so, it was smooth sailing. I am using Addi Turbo's; sizes 7 & 8. They grab the yarn just enough to make very even stitches. I followed Rowan's advice from a previous book about knitting with chenille (or any slippery, naughty yarn) as well: keep the stitches bunched up close to the points of both your needles while knitting. This helps control any uneveness in your tension. Then, after two or three inches of work collects on the right needle, spread them out with a flourish!

I have used this technique successfully on all the cotton - cotton/blend yarns I knit with and have had very little trouble controling naughty stitches. So far, so good with the ribbing as well. I think the needles and knitting style and YARN is all playing very nice together.

THE DECs: I went with Hint #2 from my last entry and am making the double decrease as follows.

One decrease is made on the second stitch from either end. The right side DEC is a SSK; the left side decrease is a K2TOG.

The interior DEC is made on the outside facing knit stitch on a knit column [I used Rowan's stitch count for their first DEC st - just make sure you use the stitch facing the side edge in that column]. The right side facing DEC is a K2TOG; the left side decrease is a SSK.

I am making the DECs every 6 rows, 4 times. I will be making the INCs every 8 rows, 4 times, after 7 rows of waistline ribbing with no shaping.

I really like the way this is turning out! I think it is smoother and less dramatic looking than the original - OH! The very first time in my life I've stepped away from some DRAMA...

TA ta, my kittens, I must get my beauty rest - the weekend awaits!

And don't be shy - ask away with your questions about knitting Audrey and Tiffany will gladly relate!

Everybody Loves Friday Night

I had an epiphany about size. Read about it over in my blog. Maybe this will help.

Sizing help!

I started knitting the sleeves first because I couldn't decide which sweater size to knit. I note that the sweater sizing for the XS and S say "to fit bust" 32 and 34 respectively. I probably need a 33, which doesn't seem too far off, except I'm worried that if I knit the 34 (which I usually do) the sweater will have too much ease, and won't have the body hugging fit that I think this sweater should have. The size S sweater measurement is 36 inches, which would give me 3 inches of ease supposedly, though it may not be so bad in rib. I'm really unsure. Usually I can get a good sense of which size to knit from the rest of the measurements in the schematic, but this one seems rather incomplete, only giving one measurement for each dimension.

A question for those of you who have knit the front and back pieces... how are the measurements sizing up? True to the schematic? Do you have to stretch the piece a lot to get the schematic width? Help!

Some Progress to report !

I'm back from my skiing vacation and have some progress to report ! Finished the first sleeve and the back and started on the front, also I had to start on the border just to find out what it might look like.
I followed the instructions for the decreases and increases precisely - which I usually never do with knitting instructions - and I'm rather please with the look of them. I'll try to include a pic, hope that I can figure out how to uplode one ?

Anyway, just wanted to let you all know how much fun this is ! I read through all the entries and find a lot of anwers to questions I also had.

Regards from Germany and happy-Audrey-knitting.

Happy Mistake

I've never been so happy to find a mistake in my knitting . . . I realized about halfway through beginning the sleeve knitting that I had started the yarn from the wrong end of the Calmer skein. I finished the rest of the first 6 sleeve rows and found this:

Now that I have a visible boo-boo, I have an excuse to start over from the CORRECT end of the skein!

I still love the way this knits and as I knit these rows, I'm noticing that I certainly chose a deep shade of PURPLE! Within the very FIBER (heehee) of my being, I really wanted to knit this in white, but people gasped when I said that. Ah well. I figured I can make the purple one first -- then the white.

New Audrey-er

Hi, I'm Debbie, and I'm very excited to meet you folks. This is my first knit-along, and such a nice one to start with! I just got my Calmer the other day, in the now-discontinued "Jewel" color, which I love (a deep, fuschia/magenta kind of color). I'm having trouble with my swatch, though, too. I tend to knit loosely, so I immediately started with #6 bamboo needles, and even so, my swatch was 4.25" inches instead of 4". The Denise needles (still in #6) came closer on my third swatch. I'm trying to decide--if I knit the XS size, will the sweater come out about right? (grin) It doesn't help that I never really can decide which size to knit--precise measurements never seem to help me fit my sweaters properly. Different amounts of ease, different types of yarn--it all comes down to guesswork for me--math skills do me no good at all. The lack of precision drives me moderately nuts, but what can you do? I'm working on that Elf** sweater too, on size 2 needles to get THAT anywhere near the right gauge. I ultimately won't know if the sweater's going to fit until I can actually try it on. Hmmm . . . I wonder if it's possible to knit Audrey from the top down?? (grin) I am going to knit the front and back together in circles, though, to save some extra stitching. I'm looking forward to trying Tiffany's Audrey Dart, too (the knitting part, not so much the cocktail, though, yum.) Anyway, I'm excited to be part of the group.

--Deb B

Neck Edging

I've finished the front & back of my audrey and decided to check out the neck edging..... Now I've gone astray by not knitting audrey in calmer (using Kaleidoscope cotton by Brown Sheep), but so far, so good. until now. This neck edging is ugly, I don't like it. It comes out all in garter stitch, with the rosette pattern peeking out. It just doesn't look nice against the ribbing pattern. I'm going to try it with odd rows all being purls to see if it looks better with a stocking stitch front facing. Has anyone else given this a go yet? I'm really curious to know what you think. I've been leafing through my books for a different edging pattern......tsk tsk!

steamy!

I'm so excited about my Audrey that I've already started looking for skirts and shoes to match! I have a handbag that matches perfectly, but it needs to have its handle fixed. The springy clothes shopping validation is likely a result of the horrendous Massachusetts winter that is finally coming to an end!

I'm knitting in Amour, the warmish red color. I got gauge the first time with bamboo: the yarn cooperated with the needles well. This is my first foray into working with elasticky yarn. The first few rows felt really strange and involved some mumbling and complaining, but I got the hang of it. Would Audrey be worth it if she were easy to get along with?

I did two swatches--one in St st and one in rib. Both, particularly the stockinette one, were a little uneven, likely because of my getting used to the stretchy yarn. A little bit of steam blocking on both swatches plumped all my stitches up nice and even though. I didn't try this on the decreases so I have no idea if this easy fix will work there.

Concerns/question

Finally jumping on the bandwagon here and am just getting around to posting.

Just seeing Tiffany's great Audrey Dart instructions. Unfortunately, I had already followed the instructions according to the pattern, (except I came up with different methods of decreases).

I've already completed the first row of increases. I've had Audrey sitting on the side ever since, which at this point has been almost a week. I'm concerned about the row after the increases. I'm having some difficulty visualizing how I will be able to maintain the 2x2 ribbing.

I really feel kind of silly asking but....

Am I purling the make ones on the row that follows? Which will then make 3 purls?

In other words is it, k2, purl 3, K2, etc. and what becomes of the next set of increases? Am I making sense?

Another Request for Help

I'm feeling frustrated with the appearance of my ribbing just as JennyW is. Mostly, I think it's due to the stretchy-clingy nature of the Calmer yarn. I've tried several different types of needles, as suggested by Theresa, and finally settled on using bamboos. I found that there was significantly less resistance on these needles than there was on the Addis which I first tried out. Nevertheless, I occasionally find myself struggling to move the yarn across the needles.

To attempt to combat the uneveness of my knitting, I have tried the following:

1. When I arrive at the purl stitch that immediately follows a knit stitch, I wrap the yarn around the needle clockwise. This twists the stitch and helps makes it snugger.

2. On the reverse side, when I arrive at one of the twisted stitches, I knit through the back loop, in order to untwist it.

Even with this technique, which has helped me in past knitting projects, I'm still ending up with some sloppy looking stitches. You may be able to see what I'm talking about in this photo:

Thanks in advance for any help!

HELP!

Hi everyone. Just looking for a little advice...

I got my new calmer (in calmer) and dutifully swatched. Unlike some, I got the gauge after 3 tries. BUT. I have made two attempts now at knitting the back of Audrey, and it looks terrible! I think I am having trouble with how stretchy the calmer is. It just looks, well, unprofessional, like the "v"s that are my knit stitches are sometimes too big or too small, the purling looks bumpy and uneven... ugh!

I have knit for 25 years, and mostly I am pleased with the results of what I make, but this time I don't know what to do. I have tried denise, bamboo, metal, addi-turbos, and even the "combined knitting," and nothing seems to help.

Interestingly, at least to me, I had started a similar sweater last fall with a 2x2 rib and IT looked funny too, like all the Vs of the knit stitches looked pulled apart down the middle...

I'd show a picture but I'm not that html-savvy...

I knit left-handed, btw. any thoughts you guys???!!! Thanks in ADVANCE. And Happy Easter, to those who celebrate it.

Celebration and a Sizing Question

HEYYYYYYYY, EVERYBODYYYYYYYYY, I GOT GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGE on the Calmer!!!! Last night, finishing about 1:40 a.m. The Miracle happened on #9 Denises. And the fabric came out oh-so-beautiful, and I didn't get ANY snags. I was so happy I nearly wet myself. HowEVER, in my excitement I made a probably bad decision: I was worried I'd need the yarn for the sweater, so I ripped out my swatch. So the evidence is destroyed, I'm afraid. You swatch police will have to satisfy yourself with my testimony and judge my veracity for yourselves.

Unfortunately, there should be no knitting today. (We shall just SEE if I can stay true to THAT edict.) I have loads of housework, gardening and transcripts (not necessarily in that order) to do. So Audrey will have to wait to get cast on.

NOW, does anybody have any advice on sizing? Where should one be measuring? Is it bra size or fullest bust measurement or under-the-arms measuring?

Swatching Blues

Head on over to my blog for a good photo of a Laurel Calmer swatch. That is, "good" in terms of color representation. I don't think it's quite exact, but it's very close. I still haven't made gauge. Unfortunately, three's not a charm for me. I'm hoping for success on number five? Send all your good Audrey vibes my way, please. I do want to knit this sweater someday!

Not getting calmer....

Unfortunately I did not receive my calmer on time. I am so disappointed! I am living tomorrow for a six-days-trip to Italy and I had hoped I could begin with Audrey. Nope. I have to wait another week. I am a quite slow knitter, so I think everybody will have already completed their Audrey long before I do :-(

Well, have fun knitting out there, I hope I can REALLY join soon.

Oh What A Beautiful Morning!

I am just thrilled to pieces! My Calmer finally arrived at my doorstep yesterday, and I was more excited about the color Pool than I had even imagined I would be. It has more greeny teal in it than I had thought (although it looks more blue in the photo), and I love it already. It should look lovely with my pale skin and red hair (I hope!). Yippee! I swatched it last night and got gauge using Susan Bates Quicksilver US#8s.

My little piece of Audrey wanted a morning out in the sun today, now that we are finally having some spring weather here in Wisconsin, so I took her out to sun on a rock by my growing irises and grass. She sighed and was happy, until I told her that she couldn't be left outside on her own... Isn't she pretty?

It is a happy day for me and my Audrey!

Oh mes petites fleurs, quand vous allez au lit quand les sunrises, les possibilités sont sans fin...

I just couldn't go to sleep without leaving you the instructions for the shaping shown yesterday. This being such a HUGE holiday weekend and all, one might find a little time for the magic of the needles between biting the heads off of the finest chocolate bunnies!

Behold the Audrey Dart:

Ingredients:
2 oz Gin
1 1/2 oz Cream
1/2 oz fresh Lemon juice
1/2 oz fresh Lime juice
2 drops Orange-flower water
1 tsp Powdered sugar
1/2 cup cracked Ice
Cold Club soda
Orange slice

Mixing instructions:
Blend all ingredients except soda and orange slice in a blender until smooth. Pour into a chilled glass and garnish with a slice of orange.

OOPS - that's the recipe for a Ramos Fizz - Holly and my favorite morning eye opener!

Well, have one and then try this:

Audrey's Dart

Abbreviations:
K2TOG: knit 2 together
SSK: slip slip knit
pm: place marker
sm: slip marker
M1R: make one leanining right
M1L: make one leaning left

Choose the two knit columns (2 knit stitches) that will form the darts. You wil be making two darts on the front and two darts on the back. Use the pattern numbers to estimate the placement, making sure the two columns are the same distance from the middle of the piece, front or back.

Establishing row (RS): work stitches as they appear (knit the knit stitches, purl the purl stitches) up to the first two knit stitches that form a dart, K1, pm, K1, continue to next column, K1, pm, K1.

(WS) all rows: Work all stitches as they appear.

Decrease Row (RS): work stitches as they appear up to the first two knit stitches that form a dart, K2TOG, slip marker, SSK, continue to next dart, K2TOG, slip marker, SSK, finish row.

Repeat the DEC row every 8th row, 3 more times.

Work even for 9 rows, ending with a WS row.

Increase Row (RS): work stitches as they appear up to the first two knit stitches that form a dart, M1R, K1, sm, K1, M1L, continue to next dart, M1R, K1, sm, K1, M1L, finish row.

Repeat the INC row every 8th row, 3 more times, working the added stitches into the rib pattern.

HINT #1: you can control the shape of your sweater by choosing the number of rows between decreases or increases. More rows, more gradual shaping; less rows, compressed shaping. If you have a longer torso, lengthen your dart, by working more rows between the top set of increases. If you are petite, work less rows between the bottom set of decreases.

HINT #2: if you don't like the look of the centered double decrease dart, work one set of dec/incs on the knit stitch of the column chosen for the dart that faces the side of the sweater and one set of dec/incs on a column right next to the side of the sweater corresponding to the column.

This is: one knit stitch from the Right Dart and one knit stitch on the outside of a Right Side column. Do this on the Left side of the sweater as well.

This makes the double decrease needed with a more sublte look since one decrease is done in a place that falls under the arm.

Why, oh Tiffany, did you not give us the chart like YOU PROMISED? Well, kittens, it would've taken more time explaining the chart then writing the instructions.

And I need my beauty rest - pass me my window shades, darling, the sun is hurting my eyes...

Audrey's Field Trip

Audrey’s Field Trip

Yesterday, while spending a marvelous day with my knitting girlfriends, we hit our favorite yarn shop here in Houston and I discovered that Audrey is famous! I was just sitting on the floor picking out my Rowan for my next Roman Holiday project (Arabella) when I heard someone behind me say, “Audrey? Shelby’s knitting Audrey!” Then Wendy (my favorite LYS owner) replies, “Oh, that’s right, Shelby’s doing the Audrey along”. Soon the entire store was all atwitter about Audrey!
“How do you like the Calmer?”
“What color is your Audrey?”
“That is such a cool site”
“It looks like such fun”
It was fabulous! Then a little later, as I was checking out Wendy says with a slightly forlorn look, “I just wish you had brought Audrey with you, I would love to see her.” To which I replied, “Actually, she’s out in the car.”
“Oooh, can you bring her in?”
And so she waltzed in, paraded around, did a little twirl and was basically adored by all.
After such a full day, she needed to come home and unwind, drink a tall cool something and have another couple of rows knitted.

Swatch Finished

JOY arrived in the mail today, courtesy of Rob & Matt at Threadbear; I was able to achieve gauge with my first try on size 8's - aluminum straight needles. I am truly loving knitting with this and I think the color will be awesome; perhaps there are TWO Audreys in my future.

Updated: As a color comparison, here's a photo of the yarn from the Rowan site:

Well, darlings, looks like it's Dinner with Tiffany tonight - hope you don't mind...

Since I'm waiting for my Calmer to arrive, I thought I'd jump in with a spare skein I found lying about the flat, and give those DREADED DECREASES a once over.

TSK, tsssk, I read the pattern and looked at the pictures and don't think the given dart solution is as elegant as it could be.

A dart on a retro fitted garment such as Audrey exists to enhance your feminine charm. Since the fabric knitted with this yarn is so spongy and springy, it provides needed definition to the waist and blooms back up toward the bust area to provide ease and shape to the sweater.

Here's what I came up with...

What is happening here is a Double Decrease formed by a K2TOG followed immediately by a SSK on a pair of knit stitches. To start, you take one purl stitch from each side of a knit column and decrease it with a knit stitch.

The purl stitches dissappear under the knit stitches and then the last knit stitches follow under for a double decrease.

I didn't show the total number of decreases the pattern calls for - AND - in this version, the bottom decreases are exactly mirrored on the top increases, which lean left or right in the proper direction to give a very smooth flow.

Be sure to join me for a Happy Hour in the next couple of days - I'll post a chart to illustrate how to cha-cha your way right through this...

TA TA - off to the races...

aussie audrey

well .... the supplier was out of coral, so now my Audrey will be red (I could'nt decide between the two colours anyway so fate has stepped in). It came today with a note from the sales lady telling me not to knit this yarn too tightly.

I have swatched (already) on 5mm, but got 22sts and 30rows. This could be fine, but I'm going up to 5.5mm just to see what happens. Just to be patriotic I'm using the Swallow Ivore Needles, which are made just a few suburbs away from where I live - and Calmer and natural casein are getting along fine!
Judy

Finished Audrey Sighting

For anyone interested, Marney of "The World According to Marney" has finished her Audrey in the (discontinued) "Zeal" colorway.

The very fabulous Marney did the sweater with the darts and there's a picture of her modeling it to help you see how it works out.

Hooray for both Marney and Audrey!

Be sure to check through her archives to see the sweater coming to life!

I'm doing a frenzied dance by the mail box waiting in anticipation of the arrival of MY Calmer. Some nice and squooshy coffee bean for me. Keeping fingers crossed for arrival time of Wednesday, but won't be surprised if it stretches out to Thursday. The USPS does that to me sometimes.

I'm watching the discussion of the bodice shaping carefully since I didn't think the front darts were particularly objectionable. But I don't have as much experience as other knitters with darts, so I guess I will have to hold out final judgement until I see how they look in person. I definitely want the garment to be shaped, as that is one of the characteristics of the sweater that attracted me in the first place. I think it will be nice with a little cling.

I've already swatched some Calmer and got gauge using one size smaller than recommended needles, but will probably swatch again when my yarn gets here. Can't wait to join in the knitting frenzy.

A Toast to Audrey

Audrey, you are my new best friend. You have invited me in out of the rain and offered me a warm bath. Today was a pretty bad day, but in the end you have made it all better. My laptop crashed and I spent over two hours on the phone recovering my lost data with a lovely lady tech person whom I will think of as Audrey2, even though her real name was Caryl. Most tech persons are -- well, tech persons, but she was motherly and patient and wonderful. And after it was all over, I thought the whole day was lost. And I feel like I'm coming down with a cold on top of it all, and I got bad news about my work for tomorrow. But you still have the power to soothe: My Calmer came in the mail today, as did my Rowan 35. Instantly I felt warm and calm and in control. In the first few seconds I wasn't sure about the color, but it grows on me exponentially every minute. And it should. Its name is Laurel. And the Rowan 35 is the most awesome pattern issue ever -- at least for today. ;-) And thank you, all you other Audrey friends. Today I needed you, and you came through.

I feel pretty, oh so pretty...

I've done my homework! But before go any further, I must say that:

1) This swatch was NOT done in the color I chose for Audrey. This is leftover Calmer from a project I did last year. My Audrey is going to be deep RED. Oh la la!

2) Ain't the swatch horrific in all its rugged "let's experiment with shaping in a haphazard manner" state? Believe me: I will do everything in my knitter's power to ensure that Audrey does not look like that.

So...why the swatch? I already know what my tension is when knitting Calmer (again, my project last year), so this swatch was not for gauge-checking purposes. It was done exclusively to try out all sorts of shaping. I do that often with swatches, only I rarely show the swatches on my site because practicing shaping like this on a swatch uglifies it to the point of scaring anybody off a project. But, I thought you might like to see it. Plus, Theresa asked for it.

In the swatch above, you see double decreases done via all sorts of wacky methods [don't ask; really...don't ask], symmetrical increases, spontaneous increases when I found I was running out of stitches, and (most importantly) what would be a mini bust dart achieved via short row shaping at the top of the swatch. See how the top part of the swatch curves slightly outward? That's an invisible bust dart, and it is what I was thinking about doing with my Audrey. And, I think I will.

However, the decreases will not be included in my sweater. I tried the decreases as stated in the pattern on another swatch, and I've decided that even though I love visible darts on other projects I've done, I don't want visible darts on the front of this particular sweater. Something about the 2x2 ribbing...

Tiffany, are you out there?

En-Gauged

Theresa, you smashing enabler, you!

I was attacked by the gauge monkeys over the weekend. I first swatched on metal US 8s and got 22 stitches and 32 rows. Hmm, I thought, it's not horribly off, I could do the math and make it work, but let's go up a needle size and see what happens. So I pull out the US 9s. All I have is bamboo needles in that size, so on the stitches go.

Ack! Brow furrowed! Stupid needle, give me my stitches! It's like prying a bottle from a baby. After an hour of fighting with my needles, I knew that there was no way those bamboos were getting near my Calmer again. (Clearly, I'm in the minority here. Or maybe I have defective bamboos.) For kicks, I measured.

22 stitches and 34 rows.

HUH?? I went up a needle size and gained rows? I blame the needles. Now, lacking metal (or Addi) US 9s, and not wanting to go out and buy more "just to see," I'm going to go whole hog and get the Denises. Those I know I'll use more than once, and really, I've just been looking for the right excuse. What's that dahling? Your Denises worked? Oh heck, I guess I'll just have to get some to see for myself! Oh yarn store....

I'm digitally disabled for now, so no photos. But as for my color, I'm doing mine in Peacock, a rich, smoky teal that none of the online color cards do justice. I'm an auburn-haired Irish gal, and I hardly ever wear anything in the teal family (preferring strict blues or greens, no mixing). But on a recent shopping trip, I picked up a shirt that color and the boyfriend's eyes went ga-zooooom-ba, like they do in the cartoons. I didn't buy that shirt, so I figure this is the least I could do.

Swatching

When I first got my Calmer, I started looking at the Audrey instructions for the tension information.

21 stitches and 30 rows over 4" on 5.0 mm (US 8) needles.

Cool, I thought, big needles, reasonable gauge. I'll whip out this swatch and be on my way to a sweater. So I got out my trusty 5.0 mm AddiTurbos (definitely the work horses of my needle collection), cast on and got going. It was a little slow going, but tolerable. And my tension?

20 stitches and 30 rows over 4"

First I thought this would be just fine. Then I realized that that would add an extra stitch every four inches... which meant adding almost an inch more width to my sexy little sweater. I really do want this sweater to emphasize my curves (I'm a little minimalist on top), so extra fabric didn't seem like a good idea. Okay. Out came the 4.5 mm Addis.

20 stitches and 32 rows over 4"

Hmmm... this was not an improvement at all. Now both my stitch and row gauge were off. So I looked at the pattern and decided that I would go with the 5.0 mm needles and just cast on the number of stitches for the extra small and use the length of the small size. This wouldn't disrupt the armholes, but would keep the sweater the width I wanted it to be. I'm woman enough to remodel a pattern to suit my needs.

And then I started playing around with the decreases. And because my 5.0 mm Addis were finishing up something else, I cast on to my 5.0 mm Denise needle. After all, I was just going to mess around so the gauge didn't matter all that much.

This actually turned out to be a very fortuitous bit of messing around. My Calmer really liked these needles a lot better. There was a lot less resistance and my stitches seemed to be a lot neater. So, I figured what the heck. I hadn't started Audrey yet. Could it hurt to make a third swatch on the 5.0 mm Denise needles?

21 stitchees and 30 rows over 4"

I guess the third time's the charm.

The Difference Needle Composition Can Make

Not only did I get gauge, but I think the fabric of the third swatch is much nicer than my original two attempts on my Addis. Notice how well behaved the stitches look in the swatch on the bottom, as compared to the two on the top that look like they have a little bit of gapping between the V's?

One thing it took me a little while to figure out in my knitting life is that not all needles are created equal for every fiber experience. While I will always reach for my AddiTurbos before I reach for almost any other needle, there are some cases where they aren't the best surface for the job. I've found this to be particularly true of yarn that contains some acrylic or microfibre. It has a lot of resistance (at least for me) over metal surfaces (I'm sure there's some lesson in electrostatic physics here, but I'm a biologist and avoided physics whenever possible). And if I am fighting my yarn and my needles, I don't really love the knitting process, and often I don't like the finished garment when I am done. I guess the addage is right: plastic does love plastic. Because when I switch it onto my plastic needles, the Calmer practically knits itself.

And I think that's the way this lovely little sweater should knit. Who wants to fight with their knitting needles on the road to creating the perfect summer top?

So the next little assignment, for those playing along, is to show off your swatch. Getting gauge is most definitely glam.

P.S. to those who don't have your yarn yet... you can do this whenever you want -- we'll wait, and we'll enjoy the rainbow of colors that show up.

I'm Losing My Calm!

I know, I know, I'm being too impatient. After all, this *Along only began last Thursday, but blast! I want my YARN, already. I thought it would be here today, since the place I ordered it is ONLY in Massachusetts (I'm in Vermont). But it's not here. Darn, darn, darn, and I don't mean your socks. So slow down, you show-offs who've already begun. Don't leave us too far behind. But come to think of it, I guess we late starters will definitely benefit from your collective experience and wisdom, so knit and write on! Oh, yes, and you Southerners, stop gloating about how WARM it is where you are and stop moaning that you won't be able to wear that sweater much longer......we got 3 inches of SNOW last night, so how does THAT grab ya? Spring? In Vermont we have five seasons: Fall, Winter, Mud, Winter Again, and the 4th of July. Could be the delivery truck got stuck in the mud, then slid on the ice, got whited out by the snow, and then got stuck again in the slush on the way up here. Maybe I'll have it by the 4th of July.

Manic Monday

Just another Manic Monday ...

It is the start of the work week, and already you feel behind. Behind on what you ask? Well, knitting time of course. You go to your job, school, or even just down the stairs of your home and realize that while the weekend is over, it also means that so is your precious knitting time. What do you do? Well there are many options:

1) Say 'Ahh what the hell, I'm just going to ignore everything, take the phone off the hook and knit'

2) Look longingly at your just begun Audrey (or balls of Calmer, or if you have been industrious the back piece already) and sigh with longing because you know that you need to get some work done

3) Have a friend or significant other hide your project so you can't find it anywhere and can not be tempted by the call of Audrey

Just what would you do?

I am a bad bad person. I know what I would do. It certainly would not be number 3. Allow non knitting hands to touch my work? *gasping* NEVER. Even if it is just an excuse to keep my knitting strewn around my knitting chair.

As for number 2. This is something that I do often. Yet with audrey. Well she deserves to be adored, loved and never neglected.

So I would of course have to say #1. I just would not be able to put her down. I would have to love her, and cuddle with the Calmer. There is just no way that I could cheat on her with other projects (or could i? that is yet to be seen). Perhaps that is why (bashful blush inserted here) I have yet to start my audrey. Travelling as I am, well it just wasn't a feasible option. Yet today, I broke down and went to the LYS where I am staying and fondled .. yes fondled, the Calmer. So tempted to swatch. So tempted. But I was saved by the ring of the alarm on my cell phone telling me that i have to get back to work. That the real non knitting world was interfering with my knitting time.

Those pesky decreases

Apologies for posting twice in one day but as I have received a few queries about the decreases on the body of Audrey, I thought I might add a few hints which I hope will be of help. I will also post some pictures on my blog .

1. All the decreases are worked on the RIGHT side of the work only. If you find yourself decreasing on the wrong side, you have made a mistake.

(When I say left hand or right hand side, I mean the left or right hand side as you look at the knitting.)

2. The stitch which you are told to mark is ALWAYS worked as a simple purl stitch. It never forms part of the decrease which either comes before it (right hand side) or after it (left hand side).

3. After the first decrease, on the right side of the work above the decrease you should find yourself either:

Knitting two stitches, purling one stitch and then knitting one stitch. (right hand side) or
Knitting one stitch, purling one stitch and then knitting two stitches until you reach the next decrease row. (left hand side)

On the wrong side, you should knit the stitches as they present themselves.

Hope this is not too confusing.

Couple of thoughts...

Morning my Fellow Fashionista's!
Is it just me, or is this sweater more addictive than most? I spent a decadent afternoon yesterday swatching with a kitten sleeping in my lap (the only way any knitting happens around our kitten is if she is asleep). Then I just couldn't resist any longer and started casting on! This morning I barely managed to fit in breakfast before I had to pick it up; this yarn is so yummy, who needs breakfast! I am feeling lucky/indulgent/glutinous today because I am supposed to take it easy. Taking it easy means lots of knitting, right? Maybe I could pop in Roman Holiday for some extra inspiration.

By the way, is anyone else planning on knitting in the round? I can't stand seaming and couldn't foresee a reason why not to, but if any of you more experienced knitters are avoiding it please share your reasons.

Now where did that kitten get off to...

Hello from England!

This is my first proper knit-along and I've been enjoying the various discussions. My chosen colour for Audrey is Blush, one of my favourite shades of pink, which goes really well with a pair of pedal-pushers (cropped pants) I bought recently for the summer.

I've made good progress with the first body piece. Calmer knits up beautifully and the work moves really quickly especially on bamboo needles. The decreases and increases look alright to me and blend very cleverly into the rib pattern. The decreases on the right-hand side lean towards the right and ones on the left lean leftwards.

Greetings from Finland

Hello, one more from Europe! I'm from Finland, and this is my first knit-along, and the first time I'm blogging. Not the first sweater this year, it's in fact the third.

I'm knitting Audrey in Coral, and I have found this talk about colour very interesting. I have started, and had been knitting about 20 cm when I realised that I was making the decreases on the wrong side of the knitting! No wonder they looked awful! I frogged it, and have now one piece completed. I think the darts will be good, they will accenturate the curves in your body. I have never knit with calmer before, and I find it a wondderful yarn to work with.

And Rachel, I looove your Vespa!

Me and Audrey on the Angry Weedeater

The pattern namers/marketers/photographers at Rowan clearly know what they are doing. I mean, would I seriously have considered knitting this project had it not been named "Audrey" and had the model sporting said sweater not been perched jauntily on a Vespa? To be perfectly honest, probably not. I am clearly captivated with this endearing machine, named the "Angry Weedeater" by my husband--a fan of burlier Harley-Davidsons--and pictured below:

This is me, two years, six inches of hair, and 25 pounds ago, on my 2001 Vespa ET4 in Drago Rosso ("Red Dragon"). Vespa actually means "wasp," which it kind of looks like from the front with its antennae-like rearview mirrors, if you squint. Hard. Okay so mine's not vintage, but it's much more reliable, and was purchased because it reminds me of my semester in Rome when I was nearly run down by them on a daily basis and once even had my butt grabbed as one carrying two laughing ragazzi sped by. Now it's my turn to terrorize. Mwu-ha-ha-ha. And I will do so fashionably wearing Audrey. In Amour. One day. In the not-so-distant-future, I hope.

In the meantime, when I complete the seaming of Elfin, I shall don that frilly cardigan that has become my knitting albatross and commence with my errand-running about town on the Vespa. When I receive the Audrey yarn this week, I'll try driving around with it in the glove compartment just to see if I feel any different, maybe even take more recent pictures. I'll let ya know how it goes.

No Mean Reds!

Well, darlings, all this color talk has my head spinning! I ran into Carson K. last night over cocktails at Table 50 and he actually told me he was TIRED of my little black dress.

[LOSE THE HANGOVER CHIC, DARLING]

It's enough to give me the Mean Reds, you know, what is Hubert going to think???

Apparently, Carson thinks he's got more chic than Givenchy, he certainly has more opinions. When I told him I was going to make my AUDREY out of Onyx Calmer, he almost fainted, but it could've been that 3rd Cosmo...

I just wagged my fingers in his face and dropped my color card in his lap and VOILA!

He said, no problem, darling, whether you're cool or hot hot hot, here's THE cha-cha colors for Spring 2004:

Hmm - I think that Blush might just be glamorous ENOUGH for even me - I was going to use Jewel but it's a little too dark for spring! And that fuschia will look so smart with my green eyes and dark hair! But then again, the 463 Calmer would be soooo smooooth...

The sophisticated slightly aqua tone looks fabulous on either cool or warm skin tones.

Hmmm, darlings, Carson says these colors have enough High Life to go from day to night!

l. to r: Blush, Calmer, Flamingo, Onyx, Coral

And, darlings, you know the BLACK just had to go back in...

Calmer by the Charles

I'm peering out from behind my knitting outside Boston to say hello and I'm really pleased to be a part of this great group! This Audrey-along is full of firsts for me--my first knitalong, first post to a blog, and my first sweater of 2004. I already have Calmer in hand--Coral. Of the available (mostly discontinued) colors at my LYS, everyone said I had to buy this color. I was leaning toward the dark purple, but I was vetoed. How could I not cave after all the compliments? Unfortunately, I don't think the sweater will look as good on me as on that skinny model, but I'm going to wear it proudly once it's done. I really look forward to the lively discussion and technical knowledge that I'm sure to gain from this experience. Thanks so much to our hosts!

Trying to Remain Calm...

I am so envious of reading about everyone with their Calmer, already at work on Audrey! Mine has been on order for over a week, but I am still waiting... I am starting to find it agonizing, too! It sounds like it knits up rather quickly, though, which will be a good thing. I have two colors on order (one of them is backordered, which is the cause for the long wait), so I will have to decide which one will be perfect for me once they arrive. Then I will knit like a fiend!

I have very fair skin (blue undertones) with strawberry-blond hair and blue-green eyes, although my hair is currently more red than usual because I was in the mood for a change! I look best in the warm, earth-toned family of colors, but I like to branch out every so often with a clear teal or dark neutral that shows off my pale skin, so that is the mood I am in and the way I will go with Audrey. I am going to be deciding between the discontinued Calmer colors Pool and Squirrel (dark grey, I think) once they get to me. I am leaning towards Pool since it seems more summery and will show the stitch definition around the neck better, but the Squirrel might look quite sophisticated as well. It's a hard decision, but I think I will love them both. I don't expect disappointment!

I must say that I loved reading AmyR's comment entry about our field trip to Chicago on Friday - it was truly an Audrey day! I hope everyone else at this knit-a-long has similar happy Audrey experiences throughout the duration of our time together on this project. Happy knitting!

It's on order

I'm going to be in catch up mode along with some others. I just ordered Calmer from my LYS yesterday; it should only be about a week before I have it in my hot little hands.

I'm knitting this sweater with three potential wearers in mind. If I were knitting it only for myself, I would use Amour -- I love that color, it looks good on me, and I think the sweater would be stunning! It is not a color that my two red-headed daughters could wear, though. At least one of them will wear pink, and the the shade my LYS had was perfect, but it's not for me and the other won't wear pink.

I ended up choosing Laurel, a color that all three of us look good in. If we love, love, love it when finished, perhaps I'll knit another in Amour. And maybe another in pink... I can't wait to get started!

audrey down under

hi knitterpeople

just ordered Rowan Calmer in Coral shade. I am a bronzey haired fair skinned girl, and this colour sits well with me.

By the way, I'm knittingalong from Melbourne Australia and we're in the Autumnal time of year now so Audrey should suit the season.

Looking forward to being part of this ...
Judy

Heads UP!

Heads UP, People! There are a few selections of Rowan Calmer up for auction on eBay. One for Night Sky is ending in about 12 hours-ish. Some lucky person may be able to get their Calmer for a bargain price there. I'm sort of sorry I already ordered mine, although the colors available on eBay are not really for me anyway. Good luck!

Calmer Calmer

Hi everybody! I just ordered my Calmer, in shade "Calmer". Yes, perhaps boring. But Amy R. bought "Calm" so I don't feel too silly. THANKS for the color ideas...

This is where I ordered it from: Showers of Flowers

This blog is great and I'm excited to join. This is my first knit-a-long, and I guess so far it is a "knit-behind", but i'll catch up. ;-)

Jenny W.

I'm feeling Calmer, now...

Hey all!
I am so excited, I just got home from buying my Calmer! I decided to be a rebel and get Calm...it is a beige color that will look quite romantic with that beautiful neckline. I am a hazel-eyed redhead, so I tend to wear muted earth tones. Do redheads have different color rules? I feel I can wear some warm tones and cool tones.
Happy knitting!

AmyR

Amour

Theresa's post about color is fascinating. Before now, I hadn't given much thought about why certain colors appear in my wardrobe time after time and why I avoid others like the plague (you will never see me wearing beige, for instance). Like Pamela, I also have very fair skin with yellowish undertones, so I tend to look better in colors with red in them. Of all the Calmer shades, I believe Joy, Blush, Amour and Slosh would look nicest on me. Flamingo might also be a flattering color, but I tend to be drawn to deep, jewel-like colors rather than pastels. Because my eyes are green with amber flecks in them, Laurel is another possibility. While it may not be as flattering next to my complexion, I think it would draw attention to my eyes.

It was really difficult to select a color with so many wonderful choices available, but I finally "fell in love with" Amour. Red seems so inherently glamorous, you know?

Hmmm, color.

Well, I have to be honest. The Calmer palette offers too many pastels for me. That is one reason I was initially looking for a substitution. I tend to avoid pastels in general. I'm occasionally drawn to certain shades of light pink, but Flamingo is not it. Initially I thought Amour would work for me. But I've made SO MANY red things recently, I thought I should try to branch out. I liked Joy and Slosh, but honestly they really aren't my favorite shades of blue. I've been knitting a skirt in black hemp, so although the idea of Onyx sounds okay, I didn't really want to knit Onyx. But Coffee Bean appealed, and I don't have too many brown things. I always get compliments when I wear warm browns, so that is the color I'm leaning towards now.

Full steam ahead

I have to admit that I started Audrey 2 days early on March 30. I swear I was only going to swatch for gauge, but I couldn't help myself! Now I'm feeling absolutely driven finish. I even have a date, er, event that I'd like to wear her to Easter weekend. Can I do it? I'll admit I'm having doubts, but we'll see. So far I've finished one of the body pieces and am about half done with the second. This weekend should be relatively cleared for some good one-on-one time with her. I've forged ahead with the dart shapings as written, and I really don't think they're so bad. I have a small waist that I think the shaping will accentuate. I'm also hoping the darts might play up what little bust I have. (wishful thinking?) I've chosen amour as my color. This red has enough blue undertones to work well with my skin. Good luck to all, hope you're having as much fun with the Calmer and Audrey as I am!

Color

I too am using Jewel. I have very fair skin and deep blue eyes. (think brand new blue jeans - not the ones you buy that look like they have been dragged behind a dump truck for 5 years) I learned a lot from the color post, thanks! This is my first knit a-long and my first blog entry! *blush* gosh, can a girl handle so many firsts in one day? Glad you are all here to hold my hand!

I'm so excited!

Hi everybody! Like Ursula, who wrote here yesterday, I am from Europe and I am excited to knit along with you.
I have myself a knitblog, but I think writing here with you is fun.

My stash is huge and I was thinking about using another yarn than Rowan calmer, which is very expensive (at least here in Europe). Thogh my husband convinced me that it would be a pity risking to get not such a goog result using something else... so I got weak and I ordered Calmer today. I chose the original color, CORAL. Now I hope to receive it in time before I travel to Italy next week (family visit).

I can't wait to start!

Color Poll

Well, obviously great minds think alike since I have been wondering what colors everyone was choosing. Or maybe it's just that color is the next choice to make, nah, definately a sign of genius. It might be fun to take a poll and find out if there are any colors that have been chosen more than others. Typically I would have gone for the coral, amore or flamingo (I love pink and red), but I decided to mix it up a little bit and go for pool.

[MEOW] [BUZZ] [MEOW] [BUZZ]

MMM.

[BUZZ]

[BUZZ]

[BUZZ]

TRUMAN!!! Truman, kitty, get the door will you -

OH, for [CAT SCREECHES]

Poor old cat. Poor slob. We don't belong to each other. We just took up one day.

Poor slob - with a name like Truman, I'd be screaming like Aunt Gigi too...

SORRY TO WAKE YOU.

That's quite alright.

I HATE TO BOTHER YOU, BUT IF I COULD ASK ONE MORE FAVOR...

Sure.

THOSE CHICKS OVER AT HOLLY'S - THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE SUITABILITY OF LESS ELASTIC YARNS FOR THAT THING THEY'RE MAKING...

Huh? Oh, you mean you want me to get up - oh my - it's not even noon yet!

Oh well - alright... [YAWN]. Hmmm... [STRETCH].

Hmmm... well, I think the stretch is well in the stretch. Oh, what I mean is - that with ribbing, you have a lot more natural stretch built right into the fabric.

If you take some regular cotton and rib stitch it, like in the top of socks, it becomes much more stretchy than if you just knit it. AND, if you take a yarn like Calmer, very nice by the way, which has a lot of stretch naturally in the twist - I love to TWIST, don't you? Last night I stayed up until 4am dancing the night away with Paul - you're going to end up with some cool stretchy stuff.

Hmmm. What's more important is weight. You know what they say - you can never be too rich or too thin [HAHAHAHAHAHA]... What I mean is, for Audrey, you need a yarn that is light, airy and maybe even bubbly. What - you don't drink champagne before Breakfast? Scandalous, my dear.

You need to pick something that won't drag the body down. Worsted yarns made with cotton or wool AND a microfiber or poly content really are fabulous for Audrey- pick up the ball in your hand and if it feels like nothing - that's IT!

I'd also think about Wool/Cotton or even Cable Twist (!) Merino! They'd be delicious...

[YAWN]

Is it Friday? Oh, that's just too gruesome... Gotta go...

Color Me Excited

I had class last night so I didn't get home until fairly late, but even my fatigue could not keep me from swatching for Audrey. I am so excited to get started on this, and the excitement is made even greater by the little community that has been established here for us. To join in on the color conversation, I have selected Pool (summer 2003) as my color of choice. Like Theresa, I am a blue girl. Most of my clothes are either blue or purple, with a bit of pink and red added in there occasionally. When it arrived, it was a bit more teal than I thought it was on the color card, but the more I looked at it the more I liked it. Here is my swatch, which I think is a fairly accurate portrayal of the color...

I do have a question, though. I am looking at the pattern to see what size I should make. I haven't made too many fitted garments (my only sweater has been a hoodie and then I've made two shells), so I'm not sure which size to choose. I am right at a 36 inch bust, so does that mean I should make the medium (36 in.) since it's fitted or the large (38 in.) so that it's not too fitted? Any advice is greatly appreciated! Looking forward to knitting along with each of you! Now, where's that chocolate?

Let's get right to it...

Look at me, creating my very first blog post! This is cool and, like the rest of you, I am also very excited about this project. I'll also be knitting Audrey in Jewel which is such a gorgeous color - I was pleasantly surprised at how soft it was! It's so neat to be connected to the rest of you all over the world (I'm in Canada), I feel like I'm in the company of friends even though I've never met any of you!

Although I didn't have time to cast on last night, I decided to at least confirm the size I would be making. I'm not sure I really got too far since the first thing that stumped me was length. I know that the finished length measurements shown in the pattern are not all the way from the top of the shoulder because of the lacy neckline, but in comparing it to some of my other fitted tops, I thought it might end up an awkward length. Is anyone else thinking of lengthening the front and back? I think I'll be adding a couple of inches before the darts but I just wanted to see what everyone else thought.

The other question I had was on how this yarn will stretch once knitted. If it's true that it is going to give quite a bit then that will have an impact on the size I choose as well (I'm assuming the finished measurement that Rowan shows in the pattern is only slightly stretched). If anyone has already knit something ribbed with this yarn, and can offer an opinion, that would be great!

FINALLY, has anyone resolved the ugly dart shaping issue?

Sorry for all of the questions so early but I'm excited to get started and want to do it right! Maybe they will result in some good discussions. Looking forward to hearing about everyone's adventure. Thanks for inviting me!

Yin and Yang

Theresa and I sound like Yin and Yang! I'm so glad to see the color discussions this morning, and feel so on top of things because I went through exactly this analysis before ordering my Laurel! I'm the one with the pale, almost transparent skin with the pink and blue undertones -- the one who can and SHOULD wear the Shreky green and the tomato red. They used to turn me off on the hanger, but they do light up my face, so now I know right where to go! In the color range of Calmer, the best colors for me would be the Laurel, the coral, the peacock, or the coffee bean. I'm already working on a sweater that is salmon pink or close to coral, so I put that off my list. To go for the evening glam, one might think black, and therefore my closest choice would be the dark brown. However, I thought that would, as Becky points out, downplay the lovely lace at the collar. I wasn't sure if the red was a blue-red or an orange-red, so therefore did not dare to order it. I'm so glad to see the color cards that Theresa posted, because it seems to confirm that it's more of a blue-red and therefore would have been horrid on me. There is one more color that supposedly "everyone" can wear -- but I've found that it's a hard color to define, or to get people to agree on what it is -- periwinkle. I actually don't see anything that's quite "periwinkle" in the Calmer color range, but I thought I'd mention it in case it helps anyone decide. So............I'll "calmerly" await my Laurel. And what's up with them discontinuing that beautiful Night Sky color, anyway?!

Going grayscale...

Theresa has made some great points re color. I myself had a hard time choosing which color to pick, and ended up going with the RED. I've noticed that among the clothes I own, the ones that snag me the most compliments when I wear them are the ones that are deep red. Besides, deep red makes me feel glam. Oh la laaaaaa!

If there's one thing I like about browsing vintage magazines, is that nearly everything is grayscale. Vintage mags would resort to describing the knits with flowery adjectives re the colors, so that readers would better visualize what the knits look like as the pictures were not giving them much of a clue as regards color. I think that those who are still undecided about a color for Audrey should look at the grayscale picture of Audrey in the mag, and visualize the sweater in different colors while asking only this: Will the color I like look good on me? And if there is a color that you think would look good on you, but you don't have anything in your wardrobe that would "go with it", don't let that stop you from getting it. Invest in something that WILL! It could be part of the knitting fun. Lots of things I knit don't go with what's in my wardrobe, so I'll buy something to wear especially with the garment I knit. Diversification, bay-bee!

The only thing I would suggest is this: Whatever color you pick, make sure it's not a color that won't downplay the lacy color or texture of the ribbing. A lot of the charm of Audrey, in my opinion, is that lacy collar and fitted look thanks to the 2x2 ribbing...

... anybody started already ?

Here comes my entry .. I'm so excited, I never blogged before and neither joined a Knit-Along, so this is really it ! I'm Ursula from Germany, are there any other knit-alongers from outside the US ?

About the color of MY Audrey: I selected "Jewel", one of the Summer 2003 colors. This is a rich color, a deep purple-burgundy shade. After reading the colorstory below (thanks, Theresa !) I now know why: my skein must have a yellowish undertone because sadly I look really awful in yellow and orange shades ! I love to wear red, but it has to have a blue-purple tone in it, otherwise I look like I had a few nights with no sleep !

I cheated just a little: I started with my Calmer on March 31 and intended to do a gauge swatch (honestly, I did). But instead I started right away with a sleeve and - the gauge is just right ! The yarn feels wonderful and soft, a pleasure to knit with. So the first sleeve is well on it's way.

We're going on a skiing vacation for one week starting tomorrow, so sadly I will not be able to follow everybody else get started, but I'll be back online right after Easter and hopefully there will be lots of pics from Audreys in Progress !

Everybody have a great week and happy holidays.
Greetings from Germany, Ursula

Color

I thought I would kick off this party with a post about color. After all, besides the yarn itself, that's the first thing you have to decide on. What color will suit you and give you just the look you want. Here's some pics of Calmer color cards to show what's available in this yarn line -- and to use as reference when someone introduces their color of choice for their Audrey.

Summer 2003 Calmer
Summer 2004 Calmer

I will leave it to others to talk about colors appropriate to the 50's Glam Woman, and instead share some information that I learned from one of my favorite knitting books -- Maggi Righetti's Sweater Design in Plain English. Even if you never want to design a sweater of your own, this book gives you lots of hints about how to make sure that you get the garment that's right for you. And whether in the 50's or in the 00's part of what makes a garment look excellent and glamorous is having it fit you in the right way.

One of my favorite parts of her book is how to select color. She explains that there are basically two types of skin -- skin with yellowish undertones and skin with redish or pink undertones. It's those undertones in your skin that determine how good certain colors will look next to them. To quote from her book directly:

"We usually look our best -- most vibrant and alive -- wearing the color that is OPPOSITE our underlying skin tone. If the underlying skin tone is sallow (yellowish), choose colors that have red in them. If the underlying skin tone is ruddy (red or pink), choose colors that have yellow in them."

When I read this passage in the book, I suddenly realized that I have yellowish undertones in my skin. Put something yellow next to my face and I will not look healthy and happy.

She also makes another point that I think is very interesting:

"It is interesting to note that almost everyone looks good in aqua-turquoise (a blue-green-white blend) and apricot-coral ( a red-yellow-white blend). If you do not know the underlying skin tone of the intended wearer, you can hardly go wrong with those two colors. Another intriguing fact is that few people look good in khaki and camel, both of which are devoid of red and yellow."

Finally, she also discusses the effect of warm and cool colors. Warm colors are in the earth tone range -- browns and reds and yellows and oranges and golds. Cool colors are sky tones -- blues and purples, reds tinted with blue, aqua. Warm and cool colors have different effects on your eyes. When you look at them, warm colors seem to expand, while cool colors seem to shrink. (If you want to try an interesting experiment, put different colors in similar size areas on a sheet of paper and see which ones look bigger to you).

And she provides two basic rules for the use of warm and cool colors:

"If you want to look larger, wear warm colors. If you want to look smaller, wear cool colors."

Of course, this is not an exhaustive discussion of color. Other things play into it -- your hair color, eye color, etc, all play a role.

I believe being glam very much means looking our most vibrant an alive. It also means accentuating our best features and minimizing those that we are less pleased with.

So knit-a-longers... here's your first assignment. You don't need yarn or needles to do it. Tell us what you think your ideal Audrey color would be. There's no right answer and you don't have to pick a color out of the Calmer range. You don't even have to pick a color that you actually bought for the garment. Just use your personal experience and visualize.

To get things rolling... here's mine:

I'm definitely a yellow undertone sort of girl. In spite of my wishes, I have never been able to wear yellow, orange, tomato reds or Shreky green. The colors that make me happiest, that I gravitate too while shopping are blues and purples and bluey greens. But blue makes me happiest. I love blue things, could live in Denim. I'm not quite an hourglass. I've got the hips, but not the bust for it. And I like to minimize my hips so that I can have a more balanced look. More support for a cool color. And the big kicker -- my eyes. I've got big blue ones. I think they're one of the nicest gifts my Dad ever gave me. And the right blue makes them shine. I'm definitely a cool blue girl. So it should come as no surprise that I'm making my Audrey in NightSky -- a deep cool denimy blue that Rowan discontinued for 2004.

Have a great weekend folks! And don't forget to do your homework!

Wa-Hoo!

Yippee-dippee-doo! Who's afraid of a little late-winter blues when you've got a new "club" to join and a reason to buy new yarn and salivate over new patterns? I just ordered my Calmer in "Laurel." It was a tough choice, but after I clicked "send" I remembered that I have some new peridot jewelry that will look mahhhhvelous with the completed item. Bonus. Also, that green is a color that always gets me compliments. I figured with my perimenopausal neck showing loud and clear with Audrey, all the color enhancement I can get will be welcome! Can't wait to get started and get to know you all better.

What fun!

Hi girls, and thanks for inviting me over to play! What a cool place to host a party. Love the decor. I see the guest list is getting longer. We're gonna have such fun! Don't mind me. I'll just unpack my bags over here. A little more yarn here, and there. That should do it.

I'm so anxious to start my sweater but my Calmer is on back order right now. (Wringing hands in mock angst.) Hopefully I'll be seeing it sometime in the next few weeks. If I don't, I may have to find a substitution and jump right in. The only problem with that, would be ending up with two Audreys. Two Audreys? "Life should be so rich!" a voice was heard to say. Hey, did that Audrey graphic speak to me?

Oh well, might as well make myself at home. "Is there any chocolate in here?" I asked walking over to the frig. Of course there is, this is Audrey's house! Come back and see us again real soon, okay?

Welcome to the Audrey-A-Long

Wow. As I am writing here, I feel like I am wandering around a new house. It's a beautiful clear morning and sun is streaming in through the windows. A fresh breeze flutters the curtains. Everything smells clean and new and the walls are painted with all my favorite colors. The movers have been here, too, and it's a place filled with comfortable furniture. In the kitchen, my espresso machine is waiting for me and the cupboards and fridge are filled with goodies.

To make it complete, all my new house needs is to be filled with the happy voices of guests.

It is actually sort of hard for me to believe that the house building process just started exactly one month ago. I had just received my Calmer and was all ready to start Audrey. When I mentioned my new arrival and it's purpose, the subject of a knit-a-long popped up in my comments, and it seemed like a pretty good idea. In fact, it led me to Elisabeth and Morgan, who had already had the same idea and had a knit-a-long already in the planning for the start of April. And they were both kind enough to let me get in on the fun of hosting the project.

All of us wanted to do something to make this knit-along a little different. But initially, none of us were quite how to do it.

Then, on the very first day of March, I was doing my usual perusal of my favorite web blogs and I came across Becky talking about setting up a blog for a group of French knitters. How cool, I thought. Maybe people would enjoy blogging-a-long in addition to knitting-a-long. Certainly I have the webspace and the bandwidth to spare....

I posted a little comment to thank Becky for the inspiration. And then I got an email from her asking if I would like help setting up the blog.

How could I resist an offer like that?

Now, a month later, that idea has become reality and we're all ready to share our new home with anyone who wants to join us on a 50's Glam Adventure...

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So, knitters, do you think you have what it takes to join the Audrey knitalong? What does it take, you ask, other than a few skeins of Rowan Calmer (or an appropriate substitute) to join this knit-a- long? Well, here goes!! It takes VISION, a sense of STYLE, and a DESIRE to put some feminine fifties glamour into your wardrobe!!

Visualize it!! Can you see yourself wearing this sweater? The ribbing in this sweater can either be a friend or foe depending on your figure, so it is important to visualize how your figure would look in it before you make a commitment to knitting it. Speaking as a woman with an hour glass figure, I think this sweater will show off my curves nicely. Best of all, the beautiful neckline will elongate my neck and frame upper body beautifully.

A sense of style!! Of course you have a sense of style!! You will be stylin’ around town in this sweater regardless of whether it is paired with slim slacks, jeans, or skirt. It’s a versatile sweater and can be dressed up or dressed down, depending on your mood!

A desire for fifties glamour!! Audrey Hepburn is the embodiment of fifties glamour and everyone needs a little fifties glamour in their wardrobe right, don’t you think? This sweater will make you feel not only feminine and glamorous, but also sassy enough to ride a Vespa! You know, sugar and spice and everything nice!! How much sugar and how much spice are completely up to you!!

Now, your knit-a-long hosts Theresa, Becky, Morgan, and Elisabeth thought that a special sweater such as Audrey called for a special knit-a-long. So, our sweet, yet sexy Audrey will have a blog all of her own!! At this blog, you will be free to carry on about the current state of your project, as well as share photographs of your progress!! Better still, throughout the life of the knit-a-long there will be challengers that knit-a-longers will be presented with. Knit-a-longers who accept the challenge and complete it will get a reward (Yes, a REWARD!!) -- we hope you’ll play along, but there’s no pressure to do anything other than enjoy knitting your sweater.

And we have a few special surprises planned for everyone!

(credit for the description goes to my fabulous co-hostess, Elisabeth!)

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To anyone who contacted Elisabeth, Morgan or me, you should have an email describing the adventure about to begin. If you're interested, just reply to the email and I'll get you set up with an account and help you get started. (If you didn't get an email, just send one of us a friendly reminder!)

And there's always room for more people who want to have fun and knit this sweater! Just send an email to theresa AT keyboardbiologist DOT net (replace the AT and the DOT with their symbols to get a real email address), or any of the other hostesses, tell us who you are (and if you have a blog, send us the link) and we'll send get you the rules and get you hooked in!