scraps - LBT

Here we are, the long awaited LBT follow up, featuring marvelous Japanese short rows. Thanks to all for your nice comments about the top, I'm really happy with the way it turned out (it fits! hurrah!) and now I just need a special occasion to show it off.

Japanese short rows were a new technique for me, and I much preferred this method to the traditional "wrap and turn" method, although the stitches on one side did turn out a little wonky, due to knitter error, I'm sure (and, though I'll go into this in more detail in my next post, I used the traditional short row method on the Lutea Lace-Shoulder Shell, and it turned out much better than my first attempt, no holes).

Here's how the short rows look on the "bad" side (note the 2 wonky stitches):

And the good side (nearly flawless):

If you haven't tried this method, I definitely recommend--you just need a few small safety pins. I noticed several Ravelry posts expressing confusion over the instructions, which state to put the pin on the yarn, not through it. Don't over think it--it just means you close the pin around the strand of yarn; you don't insert the pin into the yarn itself. By closing the pin around the yarn, you mark the small length of yarn you need to pick up later and you create a little "handle" to lift it up with so you can place it on the needle; this won't work if you stick the pin through the yarn.

I also wanted to clarify the mods I made to the tank, since I was so overly-excited to have finished it that I wasn't particularly articulate about the whole process. I cannot take any credit for these mods, I copied LicketyKnit's changes almost to the letter. Working on the smallest size, I added 1 lace pattern repeat (since I'm a little old for crop tops), added a few increase and decreases to create some waist shaping, added 1 inch to the length of the stockinette portion so that the waist would fall under the bustline and not in the middle of it (why it was written so the waistline falls across your boobs, I have no idea--that's not attractive on anyone), and decreased the length of the armholes. Of course, I also added an unintentional mod by finishing the armholes incorrectly, but that doesn't really count, and I don't recommend it.

I fixed up Lutea and she's blocking, so my next post will be another FO! Also, the Windowpane Sock-along starts July 1 (so I'd really better wind the yarn!), so if you've been considering these socks, come join us! I've got, let's see, 2 days to learn two-handed fair isle. Should be a resounding success!