Gatsby Girl pullover, IK Fall 2006

[gloriana]

I love Jodi Green's Gatsby Girl pullover in the new issue of Interweave Knits - anyone want to knit along with me?  I splurged on the Rowan Cashsoft DK in "mist":



I think this is the perfect fall sweater - who's with me?

[cnp71201]

I love this sweater! Can't join right at the moment, but I can't wait to see yours. I am so jealous of your yarn choice... I would love to knit it in Cashsoft! Or anything with cashmere in it. I think that pale gray is such a lovely color... I am working on a sweater of my own design in a very similar color.

[olgajazzy]

I am absolutely in love with that sweater, I will join as soon as I get some right yarn for it!
I am thinking about using Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk DK.
I need an advice if it can work.

[cnp71201]

I think I am going to join yall after all! I was going to start the Sideways Spencer I've been dying to make, and wait about this sweater, but since I'm having trouble with it, I think I am going to try this one.

I want to use Cascade 220 superwash in this amazing peacock teal color, but I am worried about getting gauge with it - I know it's a slightly heavier yarn, and it appears this is knit on teeny-tiny needles. What do yall think? I am going to swatch in a few.

[cnp71201]

The pattern doesn't specify (at least I don't think it does), but am I supposed to swatch in pattern or in st. st?

[cnp71201]

Couldn't get gauge with the Cascade 220... figured I wouldn't be able to, but it was worth a shot. The lady at the yarn shop talked me into some Rowan Felted Tweed in a lighter teal color... I was worried it would be too busy for this pattern, but she let me knit up a swatch at the store before buying, to make sure I could get gauge, and the tweedy colors are very, very subtle. I've never used anything with alpaca before and it is really soft. I hope the alpaca content doesn't mess up the look of the sweater any. If I don't like how it looks once I get into the pattern, I will probably try to get some Merino Style from Knitpicks and find another usage for this lovely yarn!

[gloriana]

I actually emailed Jodi Green and asked about the gauge issue - whether you swatch in stockinette stitch or not.  what seems odd to me is that the gauge is 28 sts/4" which is closer to the gauge of Rowan Cashsoft 4-ply rather than Cashsoft DK.  I know it's knit on smaller needles, but I'm just curious what she says...  I'll post again when I hear from her.

[cnp71201]

Oh man, if it is a typo in the pattern, that will suck... because I'm using a DK weight! I don't know whether I can return this yarn if it is not right, and I know I can't return the skein I'm knitting from now!

[Amy_UK]

I'm really interested in this pattern but I don't suit high necks, so I was thinking about a different kind of neckline.  I was wondering if a square-ish or scoop neck would still keep the overall style of the sweater, but suit me better?

Kind of like this:
__               ___
    l              l
    l              l
    l              l
    l              l
    -------------

[cnp71201]

I have no idea, but it sounds interesting. I'm not sure of the high neckline on me either, but I still love the design so much!

[cnp71201]

What do yall think of making it long sleeved? I'm in Louisiana, and while it rarely gets cold enough for a sweater here (so why do I make so many?!), when it does, it's cold enough for long sleeves, too. But I love the look of the sweater and don't want to mess it up at all. I was thinking of doing it long sleeved, using the lace repeat at the bottom of the sleeve, and still ending with the rufflely edging.  Yes/no? I can't decide how it would look.

[gloriana]

Jodi got back to me very quickly - the gauge is measured over stockinette stitch.  I haven't swatched for mine yet (I'm in the last stages of another very small-gauge sweater) - but soon.  I think it would work just fine to make it long sleeved - and a lace section at the bottom of the sleeves sounds lovely.  I say go for it!

[cnp71201]

So the pattern does list the correct yarn? It is supposed to be a DK weight knitted on the small needles?

I'm on the increases for the back. I'm such a slow knitter, but I am really enjoying this knit, and I love working with this yarn. All I've been doing is admiring the yarn the entire time. I do feel it's giving it a more casual look, but I think it will still be lovely. If this sweater turns out nicely and looks good on me, I'll make another in a solid, more elegant color. I don't usually think of knitting a sweater pattern twice, but I think this could be the exception.

I hate knitting the 1x1 rib (I told myself I would not mess with 1x1 rib again for awhile after Rambling Rose!), but I love the braided cable. It's fun to knit. Even the 1x1 rib isn't as bad, because of the breaks you get with the cable. And the needles are a little larger, so it's not quite as bad. I can't wait for the lace!

I'm glad you like the idea of making it long sleeved with the lace. If the front and back turn out as heavy as I think they are going to, I am definitely going that route. Right now, the fabric feels pretty thick and warm. And oh-so-soft and plushy!

[queenfilo]

Oh I loved that sweater the moment i saw it in the preview. I'm looking forward to seeing how it will turn out. I relly love that yarn, I've knitted with it before so I am defininetly waiting until I have the money to buy the cashsoft.
Keep us posted of your progress!

[cnp71201]

I've finished the back of my GG.

Progress shots can be found here:
http://cnp71203.blogspot.com/2006/09/gatsby-girl-progress.html

[gloriana]

cool!  looking good, crystal.  I really like the yarn and color you've chosen.

[cnp71201]

Thanks! I am really excited about this one, but won't have a lot of time to knit for awhile... I've got some rough classes this quarter! :-(

[lisacb]

Cnp--great progress on yours! When doing the decreases did you do p1, p2t? Are you supposed to keep in the rib pattern then afterwards? I didn't think it was looking right so my decreases are looking pretty horrible, I'm debating whether to frog back to that and just trust the instructions?

Gloriana--I love the colour you picked. I'm wishing now I went with Mist, I picked Mirage and it's a lot more blue then I thought it would be.

Regarding gauge, I had a really hard time getting it but I didn't realize it was to be measured over st st, I did it over 1x1 rib. I had to use aluminum needles in the US3 (since they were smaller then my bamboo in the US3) in order to get the 28sts across but my row gauge is off.  I'm going to swatch again with st st and see how much of a difference it's going to make. I just finished the decreases on mine so if I have to frog back then it's not a huge amount of work lost.

[cnp71201]

Thanks. A project I haven't had much trouble with! It's great!

I had to go down in needle size, too. I forgot what my row gauge even was, but I think it was close, if not exact... but my back seems long enough, in fact, I was a little worried that it might come out too long.

For the decreases, I just decreased when she told me to, but ignored the way she told me to do it. Instead, I looked to see what would keep my ribbing in order, and let that decide whether I knit or purled, same with the increases. I'm not sure what difference the p1, p2tog makes, but I like the way mine looks - it flows well, I think. I don't know whether you're supposed to stay in rib pattern, but that's what I did, because to me anything else would have looked weird. I tried a couple of decreases doing it the way the pattern looked, and it looked "bumpy" to me... they might have disappeared or evened out later, but I didn't want to risk it. Also, I did one more decrease, and then later one more increase, than instructed because I wanted it to come in just a bit more. I'm hoping I didn't mess anything up by the changes I made!

[lupinbunny]

can't wait to see more photos. i'm just lurking on this KAL because i love the pattern.

[lisacb]

Is anyone still working on this or finished? I decided to use the yarn for another project and after doing some calculations I restarted using worsted merino at at 20sts/26row gauge. I'm almost done with the cable portion and the lace portion might need some shifting of my numbers but otherwise it's knitting up quite quickly this time around.

[cnp71201]

I'm still working on it... I finished the back, screwed up the cables on the front, decided to fix them without ripping, realized that was taking longer than ripping and reknitting probaby would have, was still too stubborn to rip and reknit, put project down and have been avoiding it like the plague. Haha. I haven't had much time for knitting stuff I have to pay attention to lately anyway, but I reckon I'll get a lot done over Thanksgiving break if not before.

[gloriana]

I've put this project on the back burner for now.  I know that's pretty pathetic, seeing as I started this knitalong, but what can you do.  I'm focusing mainly on gift knitting at the moment, so perhaps I will get to this early next year.  Sorry you're having so many problems with yours, Crystal!  I hope some time away from it will help you feel better about it.

[cnp71201]

It happens, especially when you get cocky and write off a project as "time-consuming but easy." haha. I'm really feeling more warmly towards it of late, with this cold weather we've got (holy crap, this never happens!!). I'm sure once I get those cables fixed, I'll be much more excited about working on it.

[cnp71201]

Woohoo! Happy to report the cables are fixed and I have even knit a couple of rows. I still have little time for knitting, but now I won't be as hesitant to pick this project up when I do have a few spare minutes.

[lomester]

Hi everyone!

I have never posted any of my completed projects here, but wanted to share my Gatsby Girl with you.

I have no idea how to insert pictures here, and am at work so do not have time to play around, but check out my blog

www.lomester.blogsp ot.com

Leave me a comment if you have questions.

Paloma

[cnp71201]

Your GG is beautiful! It looks so lovely and elegant in that color. Thanks for giving me more motivation to work on mine!!

[isabelle_g]

Lomester, that's gorgeous!

[cnp71201]

So am I the only one still working on this?

I'm still on the front, with two sleeves to go. I'm pretty far into the front, but not yet to the lace portion. This has started to feel like the never-ending sweater.

[sharre]

This pattern is sitting pretty high on my knit list, and as soon as I can afford a suitably yummy yarn...

[gloriana]

Lomester, I love your GG.  You did a beautiful job - it's so elegant.

Sadly, despite the fact that I started this knitalong, I don't think I'm going to be knitting this sweater this year.  I actually ended up using the yarn I bought for it for something else (with a larger gauge).  I know that's pretty lame... but I'm checking back to see if anyone else finishes...

[cnp71201]

I will definitely finish... I've put too much work into the sweater not to! I'm not going to be done by the time I wanted, which was before Christmas... actually, at first it was by Thanksgiving, now it's before Christmas... but oh well. Maybe I'll set my new date to be before the New Year, though that's not likely either!

I do hope you still plan to knit this one eventually... it's at a small gauge, but it's still enjoyable. I'm only whining because lately I've had to spend every spare moment knitting boring Christmas gifts.

[cnp71201]

I finally finished the front! This is taking much longer than I'd hoped, but I haven't been working only on it the entire time. I now have the sleeves left, and blocking/finishing, of course, and then I'll be done! I'm going to knit both sleeves at once. Too bad I'm not going to have much time for knitting... :-(

[cnp71201]

Oops, I totally forgot to ask for opinions. I knit the sweater in a 50% wool/25% alpaca/25% rayon blend. I don't know whether it's as warm as, warmer than, or not as warm as, the yarn suggested... but it feels as though the sweater is going to be pretty warm. Because of this, I can't decide whether I should knit the sleeves as directed, or lengthen them to my wrist. Usually, if I'm cold enough for a sweater, I want long sleeves, but then again, the longer sleeves could make this sweater TOO warm. What do yall think?

[cnp71201]

I finally finished! I don't want to double post, so I'm linking to my post on the completed projects board.

See it here:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=161538.0