cotton gima cardi modeled

Here it is - a front and back view of the cotton gima cardi modeled.

I'm a more at peace with it than I was last week however I wouldn't consider it an overwhelming success. 

The Coats Opera cotton is really made for crochet and when you knit with it without another supporting yarn it drifts. 

You can see on the left side the sweater turns in on the Opera cotton part and no amount of blocking will fix this.  What you can't see so easily is that on the right side the lower edge is longer than the left side and the sweater also turns in on itself in a tendril reminiscent of the Shippo Tail Scarf. 

I've finished the body in a few rows of garter stitch and a picot edge.  The sleeves end in 4 rows of loose seed stitch and a picot edge. 

I think adding the Coats Opera cotton changed the look of the sweater from modern and clean to something that looks like a bed jacket.  My preference would have been to knit the whole thing in the cotton gima but as mentioned already far too many times I didn't have enough for this.

Another alternative which I didn't consider until last week was to use the 900 yards of cotton gima for a lightweight wrap.

Anyway the sweater feels like a dream on, so I'm glad I didn't frog it.  I guess sweater designing is like painting - it doesn't often end up looking like the picture you had in your head. 

Now it's your turn.  Let me know what you think and don't worry about sparing my feelings. 

Look for a post later this week on the next up knit. 

Comments

[Luisa]

I see your point. but it looks very modern and trendy to me. And the colour and material combination is gorgeous! Maybe knitting the cotton with a thread of stainless steel & silk ( I don't know if they make it with cotton) would have fixed the problem. And what about overlapping the fronts and fastening them with a brooch?

[gay]

ok i love the look of the body of the sweater where you changed to the coats opera. i love the sleeves too with just a little picot edge of coats opera. i'm thinking a little less coats opera at the bottom edge of the body would be perfect... making it a more cropped cardi which i find more flattering in the behind area. the problem you would have is you are a bit busty so it may be too cropped in the front if you rip all but a picot edge. so how about a compromise and leave a little coats and a picot edge and make it be cropped and perhaps you can move the closure so it can be pulled down a bit in the front making it not so short. as if any of this makes any sense at all huh? and anyway it is the journey that counts!

[Raglana]

Beautiful texture! I like a lot the simple lines and the earthly surface of it. A less contrasting colour combination would make it more stylish. Perhaps the hem relaxes in wear...?

[Rose Red]

You know what, I love this. I love the colour change and I love the asymmetric hem at the front (which you clearly MEANT to do, didn't you!) and I love the 3/4 sleeve with just a little of the coats cotton. And I love how you fastened it at the top with the brooch (?button?). I actually think it looks very modern, very deconstructed.

[amy]

I really like the view from the back. I see what you mean about the front opening--some sort of shaping might have helped, maybe? Honestly, I'd be annoyed by the curling in, too. Is there another closure you could use?

I do like it though, and I think it's a fine example of going with the flow and knitting as you go. I think it's wonderful.

[donna lee]

I don't like the length of the cotton at the bottom. The top is so sleek and clean lined and the bottom is too poofy for me. I love the sleeves- the 3/4 length and the picot edge. I am not a fan of cropped sweaters but maybe if you took some of the gold off?

[bea]

Oooh, I love the sweater! I kind of like the length, it's reminiscent of those 50's-60's cropped jackets, maybe a big button at the top for a closure would be appropriate? I think it's lovely!

[Janet]

I agree with Rose Red - I love the deconstructed look as well.

[Janet]

I agree with Rose Red - I love the deconstructed look as well.