it's a velvet kind of morning

I have been wanting to knit with Classic Elite's Portland Tweed since bringing it in to the shop almost three years ago. I can't believe it took this long, but I knew it needed to be just the right project. When I saw this in the Winter Knitty, I knew I had "the one".

• Pattern: Velvet Morning by Julie Crawford, from Winter Knitty bis 2011
• Yarn: Classic Elite Portland Tweed, 13 balls Tidal Foam, 1 each Best Teal, Amarinth, & Gull Gray
• Needles: US 7 (4.5mm)
• Mods: top-down sleeves knitted in the round

I really, really loved knitting this. So much so that I am making another one. {gasp!} I never, ever, hardly ever make anything twice. In fact, I've already casted on (see below). The only mod I made was to three needle bind off the shoulders, then pick up the sleeve stitches around the armhole and knit the sleeve from the top-down in the round, using the short-row set-in sleeve method. Why sew if you don't have to, right?

BUT! There's always a but. I do have a problem with the architecture of this piece: the lack of neck opening. When I first realized that the shoulders and back were going to have no neck shaping, I thought it was a mistake. But then I took a closer look at the pictures on the Knitty pattern page and realized this was indeed the intent of the design. So I went with it. See?

I find the result to be quite awkward to wear. I know the design is meant to be a "slouchy" sweater, but without a neck opening you can see how the shoulder seams are forced to hang way back on the shoulders. It's just not for me.

So on Round 2 I am going to add a wee bit 'o neck shaping to the fronts and the back so that the whole piece will sit more squarely at the top of my shoulders. I think the rest of the design still gives off enough of that "so comfy and slouchy you'll wear it every day" vibe. :)

Here's a sneak peek of Round 2:

Comments

[Erin Kate]

Hmm that is interesting but I think it looks lovely nonetheless!

[Heidi]

Oooh - I'm going to like Round 2 even better than Round 1. The colors are lovely! :-)

[Sharon G., Ore.]

Round 2 is really a good choice of colors.