Audrey A-Long

Not head of the class, but not a drop out either!

I think I'm the last one to get started on lovely Audrey. This is my very first knit along, and though I just casted on this morning, I have been reading all of your entries and love seeing all of the completed beauties!! When I saw Theresa's post about the special little gift all the participants who have completed Audrey would be getting, I certainly did not want to miss out.

I picked Jewel for my Audrey. I would love to get to wear her this fall, but late winter and early spring would be just fine, too!

Deconstructing Audrey (The Decreases, at least!)

Since I'm one of the Audrey crew that decided to make Ms. Hargreaves' decreases as is, I thought it might be nice to show you all what I did now that the body is complete. Despite the fact that there are several variations available to you through the other Audrey-ettes, if you are new to decreases, or just new to decreases on 2x2 ribbing, this might be a decrease method that you'll want to learn - it's pretty commonly used and I think it gives a nice result. (Though I can't wait to see how Becky's short row alternative works out!)

If you just want to see the decreases, click here. I've lined them up so that you can view the front and reverse sides as you would on the needles. If you want the full deal, read my extended entry. I've spent some time on this, but it's a lot easier to knit than describe, so let me know if you see an error. I'm good, but I'm not infallible!

[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!

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...

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...

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...

[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...