Final Trailer Post for 2012.

This last post from the  trailer – the last post of summer 2012 written with  the lake as my backdrop – but which I am posting from home, shows off  my first, trailer-knit of the summer.  Gemini.  Inspired by Wilma’s  lilac Gemini, started at home and finished at the trailer.  

With Gemini, like some knits before it, I find my opinion of the pattern  at odds with  the opinions of many ravellers.  Most  that  knit this little summer top had positive things to say about  the pattern.  Me, I found it  unnecessarily confusing.   Being all about making things simple for everyone to easily understand, I really get annoyed when instructions go on and on in  a round-a-bout way.   Really, Gemini  is a top down garment. Explaining a typical, top-down, two-row repeat where one row increases  at each of four ‘raglan’ points and  one row is knit plain without increases would have been all the explanation required. 

And that is how I knit my Gemini.  

 Starting with a few rows of ribbing,

after noticing the floppy, top edge  some ravellers complained about, I then knit the lace  as per the   pattern instructions, increasing  in the typical top-down fashion until the under-arm bust measured four!!! inches smaller than my bust.  That much negative ease was recommended by the designer  -  mostly, I think , due to the stretchy nature of the Linen blend yarn she used.  I knit with pure cotton, but  thought – ‘Hey, why not?’  And I like it.  I find it flattering.    

Details.

Yarn – Super 10 -  100% Cotton.  Two full skeins and some of a third.

Needles – 4 mm throughout.

Modifications – Four rows of 2x2 ribbing at the top.  One inch of seed stitch at the bottom.  I knit the seed stitch border for the front and back separately, giving my Gemini  a bit of a tunic split at the sides.   

That split is meant to  accommodate any hip fullness not accounted for in the increases as I knit my way towards  the bottom of the sweater.

I like it.  The good news  - in case Nicki, who thinks I am in a colour rut, is reading - about always knittng in the same colour range - everything matches. 

 

This post is being finished at home and I can tell you that I wore Gemini for the trip home - resulting in excellent gas station service wherever we stopped!  

Must have been  that negative ease!