I’ve finished the front of the Silk Vee
or have I? I have sneaking suspicions that this Vee is plotting a revolt. My feelings of unease started last night, when I finished the front and thought…
Doesn’t that vee look a little shallow to you? See the distance from shoulder to armpit? That’s only 7″ and the vee is only 6″. Doesn’t that seem short? (Am I the only one thinking that it’s possible that the thing stopping this from being a vision of elegance may be that your arms turn blue while you wear it, due to the circulation being cut off by the 7″ armholes? Am I the only one worrying that it’s pretty enough that I would wear it anyway?)
The instructions say that you should knit until the whole she-bang measures 20″. I’ve done that. It also says that it will block to 24″ in length when I wash it, which would make it long enough. What are the chances though, that enough of the 4″ will make it into the straps to make them long enough? It seems like an enormous risk…What you think? Can I expect distance? How long should the straps be to avoid amputation?
I haven’t cast off. I await input. Maybe I should wash it before seaming up….
In other news, the sock and I had a great time at Knit Wits (a very charming shop) in Greensburg PA.
We hobnobbed with the local knitters.
We met Harriet
who bought the book at an Air Force Base in TURKEY. (This impressed the sock to no end. Imaging my humble home dwelling book, written in this messy living room (by a knitter who gets lost on the way to the bathroom ) finding it’s way to TURKEY. Who knew?
Remember the underbed storage bins that wouldn’t fit under the bed? Remember how every American told me to go to “Bed, Bath & Beyond” to get mysterious “bed risers” to put under my bed? After receiving your sage council I phoned around. Not only does Canada apparently not have “Bed, Bath & Beyond”, every shop that seemed like it would be like it answered my question about “bed risers” by saying “You want to do what with your bed?” Apparently “bed risers” (even if you call them “bed lifts”) are in short supply in Canada. Imagine the thrill that the sock and I felt then, when we were driving through Pittsburgh and saw this.
I ran through the store like a woman on fire, practically dancing when I set eyes on the fabled “bed risers”. They are mine.
(My apologies to the driver of the car, who clearly felt that anyone who could be excited enough about this store to leap from the car and take a picture of it was likely unhinged, and definitely excitable.) My bed will be higher shortly.
I want a picture of the fabled bins actually under the bed. I take a lot of convincing.
I am first, wow! and you just posted a few minutes ago. I’m not stalking you, really. You just happen to like to post on the blog right when Jack takes his afternoon nap 😉
Here’s a thought re: the shallow vee. Could it be the armholes are just right and that you will be showcasing the cleavage in this top? Looks like that Vee will be a head-turner hehehe
Ok I wasn’t first. Cassie types faster than me.
Deb (ChappysMom) and I have been cruising thru blogland recently, and noting that everyone who has knit something with silk in it has complained/commented of it blocking out bigger. As to whether or not that will translate to better upper extremity circulation is a question that will only be answered by the experimental method. You could do proportional calculations up the wazoo and still have the thing hugging your pits. Your call.
Wash it. Stretch it. Measure it. I think it’s going to be just fine. And where are the “hot guy with sock” photos from this last leg of your tour?
Awhhh I don’t see anyone I know from good ole Greensburg in the picture!! WAHH I should have just packed the youngun’s in the car and trekked out there. I could have parked them with
Grandma or Grandpa for a couple of hours!
Heck.. I was doing a call with my publisher and all she wanted was to check in really quick and let me know my editor left and
I had a new one!! I I have a cel phone for crying out loud!! Ugh.. what was I thinking!!!
Oh well.. did you get to any nice restaurants in G’burg? And yes.. what is this about hunky guys and the sock? Or shall we not post it in fear of Mr. Washie getting jealous??
You know.. is it just me.. or does the right strap look shorter than the left.. ?? after the thumb problem I sure wouldn’t want anything else to go wrong!
My stars, it’s a good thing I took my asthma meds right before reading your post. My lungs on their own aren’t designed for laughing that hard!
Gentlemen. Those of you in the front row of virtually every audience shot Stephanie has posted. They’re sorry. They don’t mean it. They assume you realize that simply by holding knitting you are by definition hot (yes, you.) They simply are talking shorthand for “hot guys WITHOUT knitting” since you are by definition hot. They would never knowingly hurt you (steal your silk with the dpns still in it, maybe. But never hurt you.)
In other news. How the heck long are the shoulder straps/Vneck in last summer’s blue/non-blue cabled beauty? And apparently I’m the only one looking at that pattern photo thinking “Well, yeah, if you have a rack. Now adjust downward for where it would hit me. Not so much.” She of the mango tank, of course, has nothing to fear.
I say wash and block it before you seam it. As for how long the armholes need to be — measure something you have. There is nothing worse than too big armholes on a tank as that leads to concerns about showing off more than you wanted to.
Silk is warm BTW.
I wish I could offer sage advice on the silk…alas, I am too new a knitter. I can only sit here, stare at the beautiful work you’ve accomplished in only 2 days and offer mere idol worship. You rock Harlot!!
If 20″ blocks to 24″, that’s a 20% increase, or an additional 1″ for every 5″. For a 7″ armhole, you’ll end up with about 8 1/2″. The 6″ v will be about 7 1/4″. When I hold up a tape measure up to my shoulder seam (I’m wearing a t-shirt), 7 1/4″ would be about as deep as I’d want to go. And 8 1/2 inches seems to be where my armhole ends. I’m 5’6″. You are not. I think it’ll be enough.
do you think the silk will fit your DD? does she think it will?
and humm…
your bed will be higher shortly…
higher shortly?…i’m trying to imagine that…
well, it’s ok. my matress is on the floor also. too bad for me, no dust bunnies taht i could spin into dust bunny angora.
plus on first glance, the pix of the sox at the meeting, on my monitor at least, looked like an invisable person in white pantz.hehehe
marie in florida
by the way; that is mighty pretty yarn
Well, you know that if you wash your tank top it will turn out to be just right; you really needn’t have washed it at all. But if you don’t wash it, the Yarn Fairies will come in and change the thing and you will have some serious ripping and knitting and grafting and rearranging to do. Yarn gods like the taste of mild detergent. You may as well go ahead and make the sacrifice.
*wonders why Harlot doesn’t just buy shorter bins?*
I wouldn’t make the armholes any larger. I’ve learned from experience that sleevless tops need smaller armholes than the patterns call for. The yarns used tend to stretch and sag some, so don’t worry about strangulation. Nor would I suggest aggressive blocking. The colors are lovely. (If you want to learn about a really good rescue of a former disaster, let me know.)
Elaine in NYC
I say leave it. The knitting fates must owe you one (or 10) from the MSF incident. Besides, if your arms turn purple they’ll match that gorgeous yarn (hey, I’ve heard scarier things done for beauty).
You want shortish armholes on a tank, or your bra will show. Most sweater patternsh ave baggy armholes compared to store bought. I have a raglan weater bought from Ann Taylor with 7.5″ armholes. Your tank will be fine.
Re: armholes…
Having met you last week at the Black Sheep, and having a certain amount of experience with the fickle nature of armscyes, I’m pretty sure an armhole 14″ in the round will be plenty for you. (I’m not a great seamstress, which is why I have lots of experience with armholes and the vagaries thereof– all my medieval tunics have varying under-arm gussets.)
— BunnyJadwiga
Congratulations on finding the bed risers. I, too, would’ve been surprised to see someone that excited about finding a Bed, Bath, & Beyond…
Yarn stretches…I say carry on and give it a good tug if needed once you’re done.
Bed risers are more fun than ill-fitting bins. If they won’t fit under anyone’s bed, just where do you think she can hide them? They’d cut into the stash space.
I would not have been alarmed by your leaping out of the car for Bed, Bath, and Beyond as I would have been two steps behind you only taking precautions to put the car in park and pull out the keys.
And yes, buying bookbookbook in Turkey is impressive. Now they just have to publish bookbookbook in other languages.
I had to try very hard not to laugh at the bit about bed bath and beyond, I get the same way, mostly cause they have “try me!” versions of the products they sell…I can be reduced to a little(er) kid everytime in 10 seconds flat in that store.
P.s. I love your book!
Hm. The armholes on my Tina top are 8.5 inches/21.5 cm. Granted, I have farm-girl’s shoulders and arms, but it’s just-right snug (snug enough to not show bra straps, but not enough to turn my arms blue.) The biggest variable here is stretchy cotton-lycra versus silk…which, in my experience grows like a mothahf*ckah after washing and has no “give”. So….uh….take from that what you will.
I can just picture you going all berserk-like seeing a BB&B. I can also see the driver thinking WTF is wrong with this chick?! I must say, though, big box or not, I am rather fond of my BB&B.
The bed may be higher ‘shortly’ but Steph…you are high on life. Live dangerously…cast off the shoulders;-)
Maybe it’s just me and my bod, but I think that 7″ armholes are fine–there’ll be excellent bra coverage.
If you perhaps hang it to block it (on a hanger… I’m sure it isn’t naughty enough of a knit to merit a noose) it might stretch the straps more than the rest, right?
Also, I’m glad you have discovered the wonders of BB&B. It’s a wonderful place that should be franchised into Canada – why should we Americans hog the goods?
I am almost finished White Lies shapely tank and they said bindoff at shoulders after 8″. So if you do get length it should be great.
I am glad you were able to get your bed lifts.
Psst… …the book didn’t MEAN to go to Turkey. It was looking for the bathroom and, uh, followed a yarn!
(Proof that I am deranged: I took two buses and a ferry from home, en route to a yarn shop for a course on felting. First stop in Seattle? an internet cafe, to check my email and fave blogs. Shoot me *now*. Preferably, up with caffeine…)
a thought, if you wash it and block it and for whatever reason it’s not big enough, can you knit it up again or will that cause another problem?
Isn’t BB&B great? It’s full of things you never knew you needed until you saw them there. It’s addicting.
If you hadn’t found the risers, I was going to suggest looking in college towns. At least down in the states, college bookstores tend to have basic supplies sections, and those bed risers are popular among the 18-22 year old crowd who are trying to shove as much junk as possible under their bed in a pillbox sized dorm room.
I say listen to Rox. That math sounds reasonable to me. Trust the math. The math is your friend. 🙂
What cares the Harlot for “bra coverage”?!
As for bed risers – I’m sorry I didn’t write before and suggest squares of 2×4 lumber or a block of tree-branch. What about an encyclopedia or two?
The last sleeveless thing I knit had 7 inch armholes and it fit just fine. It was cotton.
Though I have a small frame and practically no boobs… so you might want to hold the front up to yourself and see how it looks…
I’m howling with laughter, as I think I know that particular BB&B. It’s faily near the airport in Robinson Towne Centre. Harlot, you were so close to my birthplace (not the airport, but the general area). It brings a tear to my eye.
Have I ever mentioned how much time reading all the comments on this blog takes?
I initially agreed with Denise about the strap length. But I’ve just “counted” the rows – as well as possible on an old monitor. (And I also traced the final row of the body, before the straps begin, to see if they start in the same place.)
Rest easy Denise! The camera is lying.
Now for something nobody seems to have thought about when talking about armholes being too low and showing a bra … remember YH doesn’t wear a bra all that often.
Janey – who doesn’t seem to have enough to do in her life
That’s okay – I get pretty excited about Bed Bath and Beyond too. And I don’t have any excuses! Too bad you didn’t have hours to spend there – you would have discovered all sorts of things you never knew you needed but once you saw knew you HAD to have. It’s that kind of place.
I have a non-knitting question for you. I know that there are home remedies for helping ease contractions. Do you have any ideas to help one conceive? I miscarried a year ago after being pregnant for two months, but I have not been able to get pregnant again. Suggestions?
Interestingly enough (at least for me…) I am just finishing up the front of a shell based on my best-fitting t-shirt, and it has the same armhole and vee measurements as yours. I am making it 21″ long, which is quite long. The t-shirt in question is an Eddie Bauer size large (so, not one of those doll-sized boutique dealies). Now, I’m using alpaca and not silk, which may make a difference in stretchiness. However, I suspect that yours will be all right.
I’m glad you solved your IKEA bin woes. I’m living with unwheeled under-bed boxes myself. I put their unused wheels on a cupboard. Now I have storage bins I can’t access, and a cupboard I can take for a spin around the living room. IKEA never fails to make my life more surreal.
sorry forgot my info on the last post!
ahh, Stephanie. Discovering the joy of Bed, Bath, and Beyond with the sock! I love it. My mother is still stateside and has made comments that Canada might not be a “civilized” country becuase it lacks such stores (particularly Target). I heard a rumour that you ARE coming to Vancouver. Is this true?
Stephanie
I recently finished a tank and the armholes are exactly 7″. The yarn is Solastic, a bit heavy and stretchy. This tank started out as Summer in the City (Knitting Girls Guide), and required single-crochet straps… that version made me look like a cheap hooker (no, make that an old cheap hooker), so I scraped the straps, added a bit to the front and back, and made it a boat neck – a classier look for a flat-chested gal like me.
Nevertheless, cleavage is in so add a row or two if it makes you feel better… you can always hide it in the seam if it is too revealing.
Oh yeah, and I just have to say it drives me nuts when patterns are written with an unknown like this. I know I should trust the designer, but well, it is a leap of faith that somtimes I just can’t make. There it is.
BBB – regularly sends out 20% off coupons that never expire (the staff just ignores the date)… gotta love that!
No Bed Bath and Beyond? I’ve found the one down side of Canada… Ah well. I refuse to give advice on the top as I don’t want to be blamed if I’m wrong lol. It sure looks pretty (except for that possibly not fitting thing). I finally listened to your episode of knitcast today, it was great!
Now you will need steps to get into your higher bed….Congrats on finding the risers.
Kathy in Mpls
First: not having read all of your comments (how do YOU DO IT? I have stuff to do. Like sleep at night and all that) I think you should leave the tank as is. Remember, you don’t need the same ease as you would if you were putting a sleeve in. You want your girls to stay in the tank.
Second: For Pete’s sake, next time you need someting from BB&B would you just let me know. I could have sent them weeks ago. Of course that wouldn’t make for as fun a blog story, but who knows what trouble I could have gotten into for the sake of the story to tell.
I am glad that Pittsburgh–my dwelling spot for the past 10 years–came through for you! I hope your gate at our airport wasn’t close enough to a walkway to drive you bonkers by the annoying voice that reminds you, “Caution, you are nearing the end of the walkway” 40 times a minute… (I always seem to be departing from a gate right under that damn speaker.)
My vote is to block that thing still on the needle holders without even casting off (or maybe on some scrap yarn, if that might stain the pretty silk).
And, yay for the bed risers!
The tank is beautiful! I suggest hanging it and measuring it again. I knit a sweater once that said when measuring, use hanging weight. It actually measured about 2″ longer after hanging overnight. But since Joe says you have such a nice rack, I think it will be fine – however, you may get the same comment…..
I have to let you know that I’ve been KIPing again! This time, I went crabbing with my brother. I don’t know if anyone in Canada crabs or not, but you set crab pots out in the water with bait in them, then you pull the pots out of the water and empty the crabs into boxes to take to market to sell (my brother is a commercial fisherman). Well, he asked me to drive for him since I have a license and he doesn’t, so I went to drive him there and then to the market. We caught 12 boxes of crabs if anyone is interested. Anyway, while he was fishing his pots, I was on the bow playing hood ornament and getting some much needed sun and decided to see if you could knit on a boat while bouncing along on the water. It works!!!!!! My brother thought I had lost my mind, but then he thinks crabs smell like money – so – I don’t really care what he thinks about knitting in public. The few boats that passed us were really checking me out too – maybe because of the knitting, maybe because they hadn’t seen a woman on a crab boat laying in the sun. Go figure. Thought you might enjoy that! Thanks for giving me the courage to knit in public for the world to see.
Well, I’d go on the theory that if you didn’t want the shoulders to stretch longer, they surely would when you washed it…so cast off and give them a little tug when drying. Beautiful tank!
Ok, seriously, how do I get in touch with your publisher? How in the world is the Laughing Planet Stitch ‘n’ Bitch group (Eugene, OR) supposed to plan a road trip to Portland if you haven’t been told your destination yet?!? I know it’s not you, hence me wanting to be able to e-mail or call or somehow contact the person in charge to get him/her on that, because lord knows with pregnancy, grad school, and a week-long trip to Florida to figure out, I need time to plan stuff!
Btw, knit cafe, stash and the weaving works all have websites:
http://www.knitcafe.com/
http://www.stashyarn.com/
http://www.weavingworks.com/contactus.html
I believe the unexplained euphoria at the sight of a B,B & B is the “Beyond” part. We have about 47 of them where I live, so you can have a real hoot if you make it down this way. 🙂
Meanwhile … as a very experienced Southerner … tank tops need to have shallower armpits than vests. The neck vee will come out about to the depth of the vee on a hospital scrub shirt. And don’t forget that silk yarn
G-R-O-W-S. Not as much as cotton but it has excellent wicking properties (moisture transfer) and all that wicking, combined with its own weight, as 100% silk has no elasticity, causes growth. Remember that hot, humid weather affects both silk and cotton like it does people — it makes you feel heavy and it makes you want to sprawl out all over the place.
You can track your book here:
http://www.romej.com/rankforest/detail.php?asin=1580175899
don’t fall out of bed for goodness sakes…i have those bed risers and they could be lethal if you tumble out… they also make my dog work harder to get on my bed
sharon
The required running jump into the bed *is* rather fun… 😉
The silk top is remembering the lesson of the front porch, umm, *enhancing* mango tank….
They don’t sell beds, they don’t sell baths, but I have noticed that they do manage to sell a lot of “beyond.” We’ve pondered that mystery for a while, but I do love the store and its evil twin, Linens N Things. Tell you what on the tank: leave it on the holders, make the back, wash and block *before* seaming up, and see how the darn thing fits. Then mess with it if necessary. Enjoy your time at home in your new tall bed!
Oooooooo… the Vee Neck Tank… I was at Lettuce Knit today (!!) and was seriously coveting one of those kits. I think I may just have to send for one. I can’t wait to see how yours turns out! I think the straps shoud be ok. The narrower bits tend to gain more length I find…
‘Course, while I was there (breathless, I’ll have you know) I did get myself some beautiful green and gold Country Silk and the Lotus Blossom Shawl pattern, so I think I filled my yarn quota for the day. Well, month! I wish I had more time in TO today, I would have called to say hi. Next time!
I know how you feel. I have heard so many people talk about Hobby Lobby and always wanted to go. I didn’t think there was one anywhere near me. I decided to search online. To my great surprise, there was one opened here in my city a few months ago. I was very excited. Now if I could just get to go, that would be even better.
I am so glad you will get to use all that new yarn storage. Another excuse to go buy stuff to fill it!
🙂
I think a 14 inch armhole is plenty, especially after seeing you in person, as you are a wee thing…
Stephanie, Had a lovely evening with you at Knit Wits, and was happy to meet you. You had a shawl on and told me that the pattern was fiddlesticks, but forgot the pattern name. I guess it is an age thing, you will find this out. I got on the site, but couldn’t remember. Would like to send for it. Thanks Eileen
I say wash and block the tank before seeming up. It could definitely stretch. Tell us if you decide the bed risers look goofy. They seem pretty popular but interested to hear how they turn out – of course, the sheer fact that this will allow you to use that high-dollar real estate called “under the bed” for your stash may compensate for anything….
If the armholes aren’t long enough, instead of frogging anything, when you’re done knitting the back and attaching it all, just make a small rectangle, and attach it to the front and the back of the sleves…you’ll end up with kind of a raglan seam line on the shoulders, which should be attractive, especially if you can make it collarbone-length.
Not that I’ve ever made the straps for a tank too short and had to do that myself. Nope nope nope. All my projects are perfect the first time I do them.
I second the person who reports one shoulder looks slightly shorter than the other. I hate when that happens. I haven’t knit a tank yet so I can’t advise you on the armholes.
Congrats on the bed risers. We’ve all been there with the under the bed storage.
I just wanted to let you know that your book has turned up not only in Turkey, but Germany as well. I finally found my copy on at Ramstein Air Force Base. It’s certainly a well-travelled book!
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