Jellyfitch
This be the Jellyfish Shrug. And, like the creature it's named after, it's got a little sting. :(
Peeing on my leg won't save this one.
Go on, guess
First, a lowdown on the pattern. It's from the July 2007 issue of the now-defunct Magknits, which can still be found (in text form only) in the Wayback Machine.
Unlike most shrugs, which are basically rectangles with sleeve seams, this one has a rather unique construction to it. Once the sleeve is done, you decrease on the neck side and increase on the back side (hehehehe, back side), which gives it more of a tailored look. That, along with the vine lace on the sleeves, make this a cute, fitted little piece!
Construction? Goood. Instruction? Not so goood.
That being said, the pattern itself could have used some fine-tuning. Overall, it seemed a bit loosely written. For example - it tells you to increase or decrease, but doesn't tell you how or what method to use. I leaned the decreases toward the outside edge, but a pattern really should tell you to ssk or k2tog rather than make you guess, don't you think?
It also has you knit the piece from end to end, which would make the vine lace point a different direction on each sleeve. That might not bother some people, but if you're a symmetrifreak like me, you really want your sweater sleeves to, you know, match and stuff. So I knitted each half separately (reversing the shaping on the second half) and kitchenered them together.
Kitchener - not just for sock toes!
The edging was another issue. The pattern has you increase the number of stitches by a fairly significant amount two times throughout the edging. The result was a flared edge that seemed to fly up in the back. Like a superhero. But without any cool powers that I could use for my own personal gain. Blocking may have laid it down some, but it just didn't appear to mesh well with the rest of the shrug. Tinked it all back and went with 15 rows of 2x2 rib instead. Much better!
Tweedy, whoo hoo! Itchy boo hoo.
I dig how the finished piece turned out (although I think the edging might look a little better in a different color) but sadly, how it looks is a moo point. Why? Lemme tell you...
Yarn thoughts
The yarn is Pear Tree 4-ply, a DKish-weight superfine Australian merino. It's got some unspun bits twisted throughout, which gives the yarn a wicked awesome tweedy look that I was totally into.
You made me rip my clothes off. And not in a good way.
Now for the stingy part. My damn thenthitive skin can't take it! It felt fine while knitting, but the second I put the shrug on, it itched me like a mofo (ooo! *writes down song title in case I ever start a band*). Hence no modeled shots. Couldn't stand to wear it long enough to snap a pic. And why it sadly joins the list of yarns my skin can't seem to bear (which includes Cascade 220, Manos, mohair, angora, and *sob* cashmere).
So, anyone want? I'm happy to gift this to a happy home or swap it for some pretty sock yarn! Laid flat, here are the measurements:
- Length from end to end: 36.5"
- Top to bottom: 11.5"
- Bod opening: 15"
- Sleeve (including the ribbing): 10.25"
Wear it, give it to someone you know, or hell, frog it altogether and use the yarn for something else! Just drop me an email. (There's just about every inch of a 350yd hank in the bod, and half a 175yd hank in the ribbing. I'll include the other half of the 175yd hank that was leftover as well.)
Oh, and here's where the yarn would kick me in the nuts if I had 'em - I have two whole sweaters worth of this same brand in their worsted weight 8-ply. Two sweaters worth! I'm going to stick my head in the sand for another week, then knit up a swatch and see if my skin takes better to the heavier weight pleasepleaseplease. It will royally SUCK if those need to head for the destash, because it feels sooo wonderfully soft in the skein. And did I mention how pretty? Stoopid skin sensitivity.
Wrap it up
So, um, yeah. Unique construction, vague instruction. Soft while knitting, itch while wearing. For every yin, there be a yang. *sigh* Ah well, hopefully this will find itself a happy home and my next sweater can stay and play with me!
Jellyfitch
Pattern: Jellyfish Shrug from the now-defunct Magknits (Wayback machine linky)
Yarn: Pear Tree 4-ply, 350yd hank in Moss + 175yd hank in Moss (yeah, same colorway, vastly different shades, go figure)
Needles: Holz & Stein Rosewood 8, 24" (bod) + Ebony 6, 24" (ribbing)
Mods: Knitted each half separately, reversed shaping on second half, and kitchenered together; 2x2 rib for edging
Peeing on my leg won't save this one.
Go on, guess
First, a lowdown on the pattern. It's from the July 2007 issue of the now-defunct Magknits, which can still be found (in text form only) in the Wayback Machine.
Unlike most shrugs, which are basically rectangles with sleeve seams, this one has a rather unique construction to it. Once the sleeve is done, you decrease on the neck side and increase on the back side (hehehehe, back side), which gives it more of a tailored look. That, along with the vine lace on the sleeves, make this a cute, fitted little piece!
Construction? Goood. Instruction? Not so goood.
That being said, the pattern itself could have used some fine-tuning. Overall, it seemed a bit loosely written. For example - it tells you to increase or decrease, but doesn't tell you how or what method to use. I leaned the decreases toward the outside edge, but a pattern really should tell you to ssk or k2tog rather than make you guess, don't you think?
It also has you knit the piece from end to end, which would make the vine lace point a different direction on each sleeve. That might not bother some people, but if you're a symmetrifreak like me, you really want your sweater sleeves to, you know, match and stuff. So I knitted each half separately (reversing the shaping on the second half) and kitchenered them together.
Kitchener - not just for sock toes!
The edging was another issue. The pattern has you increase the number of stitches by a fairly significant amount two times throughout the edging. The result was a flared edge that seemed to fly up in the back. Like a superhero. But without any cool powers that I could use for my own personal gain. Blocking may have laid it down some, but it just didn't appear to mesh well with the rest of the shrug. Tinked it all back and went with 15 rows of 2x2 rib instead. Much better!
Tweedy, whoo hoo! Itchy boo hoo.
I dig how the finished piece turned out (although I think the edging might look a little better in a different color) but sadly, how it looks is a moo point. Why? Lemme tell you...
Yarn thoughts
The yarn is Pear Tree 4-ply, a DKish-weight superfine Australian merino. It's got some unspun bits twisted throughout, which gives the yarn a wicked awesome tweedy look that I was totally into.
You made me rip my clothes off. And not in a good way.
Now for the stingy part. My damn thenthitive skin can't take it! It felt fine while knitting, but the second I put the shrug on, it itched me like a mofo (ooo! *writes down song title in case I ever start a band*). Hence no modeled shots. Couldn't stand to wear it long enough to snap a pic. And why it sadly joins the list of yarns my skin can't seem to bear (which includes Cascade 220, Manos, mohair, angora, and *sob* cashmere).
So, anyone want? I'm happy to gift this to a happy home or swap it for some pretty sock yarn! Laid flat, here are the measurements:
- Length from end to end: 36.5"
- Top to bottom: 11.5"
- Bod opening: 15"
- Sleeve (including the ribbing): 10.25"
Wear it, give it to someone you know, or hell, frog it altogether and use the yarn for something else! Just drop me an email. (There's just about every inch of a 350yd hank in the bod, and half a 175yd hank in the ribbing. I'll include the other half of the 175yd hank that was leftover as well.)
Oh, and here's where the yarn would kick me in the nuts if I had 'em - I have two whole sweaters worth of this same brand in their worsted weight 8-ply. Two sweaters worth! I'm going to stick my head in the sand for another week, then knit up a swatch and see if my skin takes better to the heavier weight pleasepleaseplease. It will royally SUCK if those need to head for the destash, because it feels sooo wonderfully soft in the skein. And did I mention how pretty? Stoopid skin sensitivity.
Wrap it up
So, um, yeah. Unique construction, vague instruction. Soft while knitting, itch while wearing. For every yin, there be a yang. *sigh* Ah well, hopefully this will find itself a happy home and my next sweater can stay and play with me!
Jellyfitch
Pattern: Jellyfish Shrug from the now-defunct Magknits (Wayback machine linky)
Yarn: Pear Tree 4-ply, 350yd hank in Moss + 175yd hank in Moss (yeah, same colorway, vastly different shades, go figure)
Needles: Holz & Stein Rosewood 8, 24" (bod) + Ebony 6, 24" (ribbing)
Mods: Knitted each half separately, reversed shaping on second half, and kitchenered together; 2x2 rib for edging
posted by weezalana at 7:13 PM
14 Comments:
Aw, damn, sweetie. That sucks. It's nice looking yarn, too, and the shrug is cute. You even braved The Kitchener (which skeers me)!
Man, that's cute! Totally sucks that it itches you. And what a list of yarns you can't wear. Fingers crossed the heavier weight is better!
Oh that would look so good on you too! It's so pretty! Bummed it doesn't play well with yer skin! Hoping the other stash plays along better ;)
Ah man! Stupid jellyfitch! But its sooooo pretty!! Sorry its itchy!! Bummer bummer bummer !!!
Time to go back to the socktopus!
That sucks about the itch factor. But it is quite lovely.
And dude, is that a pie safe? Nice!!!
:-(
I'm so sorry it didn't work out, because it's super cute and you totally have the 'tude to rock it. I hope it finds a good home!
Oh no, I can't believe it itches! It's darn cute, and that Pear Tree seems like such soft stuff.
So I am now mentally digging through my sock yarn stash to come up with something that I could swap you for that pretty thing. Do you think it would fit me? Am I to become a repository for all your unwanted knits?
I'm so sorry it itches. (ooh, better write that down in case I ever start a band!)
If I was your size I'd practice mind meld to get you to keep kniting lovely garments that itch on you but, "why lookee there, it fits meeeeeee"!
It's so beautiful! How sad that you can't wear it!
It's just wrong that you can't wear it. Not even with a long-sleeved shirt? Come to think of it, a long-sleeved shirt probably wouldn't look right. Sadness. I hope you can find it a home.
It's so cute! I love the yarn texture - it sucks so much you can't wear it...
That is terrible that you can't wear it after so much work to knit it up! It is really cute though...
That sucks so much. But I'm sure chemgrl will give it a good home.
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