And now that I have finished the first one here is the progress of the new.....with my modifications...
The original Ballerina is back heavy and as I wear it after a few minutes it starts sliding back. Probably the way it was meant to like Japanese kimono feel to it. The front is short and the back is very full and heavier and as you wear it, it pulls back and this annoys me, I want it to stay put so on the new one I made less panels in the back and made the front longer. I've tried it on and it still looks pretty much the same but feels better.
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AT LAST I'm Finished!
I have now rewritten the instructions and made my modifications, (probably to Hanne's horror)
I'm knitting another sweater. Yes I'm a glutton for punishment!
This time it seems a lot easier. Once I got rid of the silly bottom bit, and replaced it with slip the last bottom edge stitch purlwise and knit the first stitch in the next row in the back "leg". This gives a lovely even edge and I don't have to count each row and pay attention to the bottom as well as the short rows and stripes.
This in my opinion is a good alternative and it looks really nice also it's easier to pick up stitches for the bottom edge if I want to add an extra edge. That bottom bit just complicates the whole pattern that is already complicated and badly written.
I also knitted a potato chip scarf to go with the sweater with black and sage one row edge. It looks just great. I will post pictures.
I didn't think the little bit of black yarn I had left over was enough so I sent an eMail to Hanne I tried to get an extra ball of black yarn, and got firm NEGATIVE. (I think I upset her to even dare to ask.)
She does not sell yarn!
Only the Kit!
So if I want an extra ball of yarn I have to buy a new kit!
It turned out that I had enough yarn left over to do this (it's a very skinny potato chip scarf but looks ok). It was very close though I knitted up almost to the last inch of the yarn. I would have liked a little more yarn...oh well....
(Potato Chip scarf if easy but if you want to have the pattern: http://www.knitpicks.com/projects/Projects_Display_Yarn.aspx?itemid=50355220# )
Thank goodness there are so many other brands of yarn out there!
The Ballerina,
This is what it looked like halfway done!
It's been a long haul a lot of detail to this one. At first I just was not getting the short rowing thing so I knit and then I "frogged" and I knit and then I frogged and I knit some more.
The question has come up if it's difficult, I would say yes! It is a lot of knitting on size 3 needles and a lot of detail to pay attention to.
This is what it supposed to look like when I finish! Well Maybe.....stay tuned....
13 comments:
Ana, it's looking great. I know you've been struggling with it, so I'm glad to see that you're making progress and that it's getting easier.
You are ambitious!
Wow, that looks GREAT! (And like a whole lot of work)
(Thank you, Ana, for helping me out with the posting issue)
Ana, I just saw the updated finished photos - it's lovely. Congrats for sticking with it.
Ana,
Congratulations on finishing this masterpiece! It really didn't take you that long...remember when you'd just started the piece and I saw you struggling at A Mano? I can't wait to see how it looks on you. Love the 'Potato Chip Scarf' too!
Ellen Bloom
Any chance you could send me a copy of your altered instructions? (not the whole thing as I'm sure that Hanne would have a fit - but just your embellishments?) I've been considering doing this one, but have known of some other knitters who were struggling. So I was a bit intimidated. But I have to admit that the results are lovely! You've done an outstanding job there. It's truly gorgeous.
I haven't updated my blog in forever, but I've progressed quite a bit since I did my original scarf monster. I look forward to doing something more challenging.
ana i dove into my ballerina kit last week, so far i am addicted to coiless brass safty pin markers and cross hatched skribbles by the page full! i am so freaked out about the second half where she says mirror image! i am half way through the first sleeve, have bought additional jamison and smith jumper weight in colors i like to substitute cause i never can leave things alone. i loved the way you did the front band, i was thinging to do stripes as well. and the sleeve band as well. love the cork skrew scarf. just go to school house press sight and buy jamison and smith if you want to do anpther scarf. i am a weaver and spinner and harissiville shetland is not quite thin enough unless you knit the entire pattern from it. so how did you do the mirror image second half, i'm freaking out! jill jill........ biting her nails
It's been a while now since I finished these Falkenberg sweaters. I basically left out the center "wedge" in the back, so it's not so full. Still plenty of room but not quite so .... so.. swingy. Also I did not do the bit at the very bottom.
Instead I just slipped the last stitch and knitted that slipped stitch which becomes the first stitch, in the back loop. This way I didn't have to keep track of the bottom as well as all the short rowing.
As far as the second half, mirroring the first half that part was not that hard. By that time I had gotten into the pattern enough to be able to figure it out.
I would have like to have eMailed you directly but I don't have your eMail address.
Happy Knitting,
ana
anna, sorry about the email address , i guess it did not get sent with the coments mail. heartgallery@gmail .com
thank you for the encouragment on the ballerina sweater, i am almost through the 1st sleeve. i have looked ahead and realized that they do not expect you to mirror image it ALL ones self, i can get through that, i hope. i try to do a inch or so a day, slow going, my brain getts numb from gatter stitch, but because i have wanted to knit one for over 8 years now i am very motivated! i love the way yours looks, i will do the swing panel in back though, but may do your cool scarf idea!
jill jill
Ana,
That looks amazing! definitely worth the toiling. Enjoy it!
I love that you've made modifications. For as much as these kits are, you should have exactly what you want when it's done. I (accidently) modified my Mermaid, and discovered that more yarn can be purchased from school house press. She's got over 100 shades of the jumper-weight Shetland you would need. I ordered several of her reds, and found one that was close enough to pass.
Ana thanks for mentioning your blog on the HF blog. I finaly figured out how to get here. I am enjoying your posts.
I was wondering what yarn you are using for your second project? How is the tension working out with this yarn, compared to the first knit?
Love that Potato Chip scarf, think I'll have to make one myself when I finish my Lastrada jacket. Now, I just hope I have enough yarn left.
I used Cashmerino wool (one of the colors was Debbie Bliss and the others some other brand but pretty much the same weight) on size 4 needles and the gauge worked really well. I was worried at first but it all worked out fine. It's a bit heavier in weight than the wool Hanne's kit comes with but a lot softer! A lot softer!
At first I was freaked out that this could only work on the wool that Hanne uses in her kit but not to worry the fine Cashmerino wool worked just great.
I know her wool is supposed to "bloom" but I'm still waiting.
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