Unruffled
After a full Saturday of knitting, investigating the Fry's Electronics (geek Mecca) and some more knitting while taking in Spiderman 2 (cast on in a dark movie theatre? no problem!), Sunday morning, this is what awaited me:
Chai Top Pieces
By midnight Monday morning, this is what had resulted:
Chai Top Unruffled
By relatively early this evening, I had the sleeves attached and the side seams sewn up. Victory! I thought. All I have to do now is steam out that ruffle. Before I headed on to my steaming adventure, I tried on the top and showed it to my chief photographer and fashion critic. A raised eyebrow, a wrinkled nose and an "I'm not sure about that, Therese" later, I found myself back on the floor of our basement, ripping out that ruffle. There's no pictures of the intermediate stage. After a second look in the mirror, I knew I needed to rip and rip fast to keep my momentum.
The rest of the evening was spent ripping out the ruffle (thank goodness that it was knit down from an invisible cast on), picking up stitches and knitting a few rows in the round from the waist down -- without the ruffle, the bottom of the top comes to just above the top of my pants and I'd like it to be a little bit longer than that.
But now I find myself in a little bit of a quandry. How to finish the bottom? I don't want to just knit down in stockinette and then cast off -- I want something that will lay flat, not roll. I could do K1P1 ribbing (similar to the neckline) but I really don't want ribbing around my hips.
This has left me with 3 options: 1 ) stockinette to desired length and 1" of garter stitch, 2) stockinette to desired lenght and 1" of seed stitch or 3) stockinette to desired length followed by a crochet edging, maybe a slightly scalloped decorative edging that I would also use on the sleeves.
I'm leaning towards the 3rd option because it would give me some of the feminine look I was trying to go for with the ruffle and it wouldn't clash with the neckline ribbing, nor require that I add the garter stitch or seed stitch borders to the sleeves (important because I probably don't have enough yarn to do anything too elaborate since I wasn't able to reclaim all the yarn from the ruffle ripping).
Any opinions as to which option I should pick or other possible finishing options? For the record, Chai is an irregularly spun tussah silk yarn with a very nice drape and relatively little elasticity.
How about an edging like the one from Julia's Knitty pattern 'Honeymoon cami' (Spring 2004 Knitty). The twisted rib eyelet border is very pretty and would be similar enough to the ribbing at the neck but a little bit more feminine...
Otherwise I think your option 3 of doing some crochet would be nice.
Hi Theresa! The chai top is lovely! Instead of that large ruffle how about a tiny lettuce egde ruffle? You'd still have the feminine accent you wanted but not the huge flounce at your hips! Hope this helps.
Option 3 or if you did the stockinette you could put sew some ribbon as Bonne Marie has done to keep it from curling.
Crochet, yay! To quote Carrie.
No seed, no garter. Maybe a few rows of ribbing done in the same needle size as the top so that it doesn't pull in, but yet won't curl?
do stockinette to the length you would like, purl one row, then stockinette the same length again, fold under at the purl row and sew/hem. hemmed edges don't curl.
I like the scalloped crochet edging idea, with matching sleeve edging. Whatever you decide, I'm sure it will look great!
I was going to suggest what Carolyn suggested, the hem. I also like your idea #3, I think that would look really nice with the sweater which looks very nice.
Yeah - I was going to suggest the hemming as well. That's what I'd do!
I like idea #3 also. It would still be enough of a touch of the feminine factor, but not too much!
Hemming (the Carolyn option) or a simple crochet. You are not a frilly girl (I'm not either, so I know whereof I speak). Don't fight your classic look - go for it!
You could also do a picot edge and that would still give you the hem...but #3 sounds like the best idea as you could do some on the sleeve edge to match!!
I think option #3 is a good one or the st st stitch with ribbon backing. I've had horrible luck with hemming (which shouldn't necessarily discourage you), so although I think it could look nice I hesitate to cast my vote that way. If you do hem, please document!
ARE the sleeves finished? Echo for design integrity--its a beautiful yarn and classic sweater. Will the yarn be amenable to a crochet hook?