I'm really happy to be presenting this today. Mainly because I've got a stinking cold and this is just what I want to be wearing.
King Cole 3914 in the Bamboo Cotton DK (Damson, Oyster and Navy). How perfect is that for something to just shove on? It is not flattering. It's not horrendous but it's definitely not what you wear when you what to accentuate your assets.... Haha. Not with those pockets where they are. It's what you put on when you want to be relatively presentable without doing any work at all. It is an outfit in itself - this, leggings and flip flops and you too can be as beautiful as me!
Now, the pockets. This brings me to my top tip which is to just follow the bloody pattern when it tells you which contrast you should use to make the pockets. I'll explain why. I made a fabulous dress with the purple yarn (Damson) when the shop had been open about six months or so. I wore it a few times but came to the realisation that it just didn't suit me - and it was too pretty to be one I just shove on to look presentable, it needed styling to look okay. So it got left in the cupboard but I couldn't help but think it was a massive waste of yarn just hanging around with the towels. So, at some point last year I ripped it all out and started looking for an alternative. One fine day this pattern came along and I knew it was the one. I couldn't not cast it on so I started like that minute. You cast on the pockets first and they should have been done in the purple but the Damson was at home and because it had been so long since I knitted the original dress I had no idea how many balls I had at home but I certainly didn't want to start a new ball of purple if I had enough of the Damson back at home. So I started it in the Oyster thinking it wouldn't be that bad. But really, if you want to use the pockets, and I do because what's the point of having pockets if you don't use them, then the pockets are going to sag a little and then the lining shows. So, even if you're trying to recycle and be earth and pocket friendly - don't skimp on your pocket linings.
As it happens, I didn't have enough of the purple yarn and I knew that pretty early on in knitting the back. So about half way through I bought a couple of balls of the Damson and striped it in. Then on the front I did exactly the same thing, I did the same amount of rows in the original colour and then striped up to where the Oyster and Navy come in. I think I also did the same on the sleeves. Now. You can definitely see the difference with the stripes. Definitely. It's obviously a different dye lot being perhaps four years old... but I did wear and wash the original dress a fair bit so the colour had definitely changed anyway. But, because I did the same on the front and the back people either don't notice or they think that it's a design feature. So this comes to another top tip - don't be afraid of mixing dye lots. Definitely be afraid of using one ball of a different dye lot when everything else another one and you're starting half way up a sleeve but there are plenty of ways of including this lonely little dye lot ball in. The general rules are, if it's separated by a seam and it's symmetrical then it's gonna be alright. So you could do the sleeves in a different dye lot to the body as long as you do both sleeves. Or you could do the neckband in a different dye lot. And if you're doing that then you might as well do the welt and sleeve in the different dye lot if it means you can do the body and sleeves in the other one. Yeah? You have options. :)
So, on with the pattern. It's done in pieces and this is a good idea with the Bamboo Cotton. Cotton and bamboo both have a tendency to drop with wear so the stability that a seam creates is necessary (or a necessary evil if you love knitting in the round...). It has a drop sleeve, which means no shaping around the armhole or for the top of the sleeve, and this is good if you have a smaller bust to bum ratio - it creates a bit more interest up top so that's where it draws the eye. Added on to the stripey yokey bit which has the same visual affect and it's all about the small busted ladies out there (or the large bummed like me haha). However, the pockets where they are do mean that it isn't particularly flattering for people with a large stomach (or one that hangs down a little like mine does). I suppose you could move the pockets but I'm not sure where..... much higher and you'd lose your waist any lower and they're not useful. Or you could take them out. BUT WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!!!!?????!?!?!? I will fight for pockets!
As it happens, I didn't have enough of the purple yarn and I knew that pretty early on in knitting the back. So about half way through I bought a couple of balls of the Damson and striped it in. Then on the front I did exactly the same thing, I did the same amount of rows in the original colour and then striped up to where the Oyster and Navy come in. I think I also did the same on the sleeves. Now. You can definitely see the difference with the stripes. Definitely. It's obviously a different dye lot being perhaps four years old... but I did wear and wash the original dress a fair bit so the colour had definitely changed anyway. But, because I did the same on the front and the back people either don't notice or they think that it's a design feature. So this comes to another top tip - don't be afraid of mixing dye lots. Definitely be afraid of using one ball of a different dye lot when everything else another one and you're starting half way up a sleeve but there are plenty of ways of including this lonely little dye lot ball in. The general rules are, if it's separated by a seam and it's symmetrical then it's gonna be alright. So you could do the sleeves in a different dye lot to the body as long as you do both sleeves. Or you could do the neckband in a different dye lot. And if you're doing that then you might as well do the welt and sleeve in the different dye lot if it means you can do the body and sleeves in the other one. Yeah? You have options. :)
So, on with the pattern. It's done in pieces and this is a good idea with the Bamboo Cotton. Cotton and bamboo both have a tendency to drop with wear so the stability that a seam creates is necessary (or a necessary evil if you love knitting in the round...). It has a drop sleeve, which means no shaping around the armhole or for the top of the sleeve, and this is good if you have a smaller bust to bum ratio - it creates a bit more interest up top so that's where it draws the eye. Added on to the stripey yokey bit which has the same visual affect and it's all about the small busted ladies out there (or the large bummed like me haha). However, the pockets where they are do mean that it isn't particularly flattering for people with a large stomach (or one that hangs down a little like mine does). I suppose you could move the pockets but I'm not sure where..... much higher and you'd lose your waist any lower and they're not useful. Or you could take them out. BUT WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!!!!?????!?!?!? I will fight for pockets!
Other than that I will say that it is a lot of knitting. A lot of stocking stitch. I tend to like these projects a couple of times a year or if I'm planning to do something else whilst I'm doing it and I did think about casting another one on for when I'm called onto the tv at short notice - perfect for back and forth and back and forth. But thinking about it, wouldn't this be perfect for holiday knitting? Kids scratting around on the beach at Skeggy? Get a few rows in whilst drinking your dishwater tea on shivering at the sidelines. Eight hour drive to the Scottish Highlands? Perfs. Don't talk to me if you're headed abroad. Me and the hole in my ear don't want to know... ;)
And one more photo for the record:
And a link to the pattern for the google rankings: King Cole 3914.
And, bugger it, a sneaky link to the King Cole Bamboo Cotton DK for the rankings too...
Love Eleanor. xxxxxx
And, bugger it, a sneaky link to the King Cole Bamboo Cotton DK for the rankings too...
Love Eleanor. xxxxxx
P.s. Have you see our vlog about Love Your Local Yarn Shop Day????
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