The Simple and Sleeveless Top Catches Some Late Afternoon Rays
This little number just wanted to bask in the sunshine after I finished her. I love the way the colors look under natural sunlight. From this angle, the thickness of the Giotto fabric comes through a bit. This is definitely not a thin little top! But that said, the shaping and the ribbon quality of the yarn makes for a very nice fitting top.
Simple And Sleeveless and Shaped Just Right!
All my angst over sizing and shaping was laid to rest after I tried the top on. It's not completely form fitting, but the fit is definitely close. I think the weight of the fabric helps to give it some hug. This is definitely a support friendly top. The Giotto feels wonderful against my skin. I can see myself wearing this top with both casual and more formal bottoms, but I'd love to find a silk skirt to pair with it. And the fabric does move with you when you move! For proof, you can take a look at this action shot. Only time will tell whether it will hold it's shape or succumb to gravity, but right now, the fabric feels very elastic, so I have high hopes.
So what did I learn from this project?
- I need more Giotto.
- When I am not pathologically lazy, I can convert a pattern to the gauge I want it to be in.
- Ribbon yarns look much better knit up when I am careful about not splitting them with the tips of my needles.
- Alternating skeins of yarn every two rows not only helps keep the colors even, but it helps keep the ribbon yarn from twisting in a terrible, horrible way.
- It's a good idea to subject gauge swatches to water.
I enjoyed this project, both yarn and pattern, a great deal. I can certainly see myself using this pattern as a template for future tops. This project also restored my desire to work with ribbon yarns. I'd done a few scarf projects with ribbons and swore I would never go near them again because the twisting made me crazy. The Giotto still twisted, but by rotating my project counter-clockwise I avoided the worst of it. Done at my gauge, this top took almost all of the three skeins of Giotto that I had. I used my AddiTurbos for this project. For some, this might be a little too slippery to maintain a neat tension, but for me they were perfect (I'm a pretty tight knitter) and they didn't snag the ribbon in any way.
This is my first completed project from Sally Melville's The Purl Stitch, and given my success with this one, you can bet I'll be thinking about some of the other projects in the book. I'd love to find some Koigu that would coordinate with the Giotto so that I could make a pair a of gauntlets to go with it in the winter.
That's a nice looking top! Like the colors and the way the fabric hugs the body. I've never played with such a thick ribbon yarn, but it looks very good.
That's gorgeous.Brilliant fit.The colour really suits you - it would really look fabulous with the right shade of teal silk skirt ;-].
Now I want to make one !!!
What did I learn from this entry? I want to knit like Theresa. AND I need to get my hands on some Giotto.
Beautiful knits, as always. You pick such fabulous schtuff. Can I come over and borrow your clothes sometime? :-)
P.S. I also find that I knit with more even tension when I use my metal addi's with ribbon yarns, especially if it's a cotton ribbon yarn. My tension tends to get too tight when I use bamboos.
Emma: thanks for the inspiration. You were bang on on that Giotto. It's just perfect for me. It even got a thumbs up from the husband. Have you seen any Giotto in Florentina? I think I may need some of that for one of the patterns in the book soon!
Becky: You can dig through my closet anytime (although I am not sure you would be very impressed!). Giotto is marvelous stuff... almost as addictive as Koigu... :-)
Yep ! seen plenty in Florentina.It's lovely & you'd like it a lot !
You want me to get it,or get it yourself ?
Me thinks (seriously) we do have some of the evil K-heroine in a similar color.........