Fantasy . . . . not entirely

Confession time.  Not every moment of the Fantasy Jacket is a fantasy of yarn-ness.  Even when working 100% cashmere.  Once I figured out the look of the pattern repeats, the making of the back  and fronts was easy.  Not easy peasy.  Only easy.  That is because the pattern lines up in a very repetitive manner - it does not increase or decrease oddly.  Nice rows horizontally and vertically with a predictable offset that results in the peaks and valleys.

Then came the sewing.  Easy turned to advanced.  The past was prologue and somehow decades of experience coalesced into memory.  Seaming loopy crochet into matchy matchy seams take time.  And patience.   And thought.  And a clear head.  And, in this case, a calculator.

A major hurdle was crossed when the fronts and back were seamed prior to creating the edging.  That (along with a private conversation on Ravelry) refreshed my slip stitch skills when the vertical stitches from the front needed to exactly match the vertical stitches from the back and in between was the Solomon's Knot.  Well, except when that center back section required, according to the pattern, to be eased to fit between markers.    Memory was refreshed and I was reminded that patience is a virtue.

The front of the Rowan Fantasy is a couture  detail for sure.   The uniquely pleated and folded front panels  add to the endearing casualness of what otherwise would be a very formal swath of cashmere.  But.  And it is a huge BUT.  Getting the two sides to match drained me to the core.  All told it was about three hours of measuring, calculating, figuring percentages, readjusting markers, pinning, unpinning, trying on two different bodies, and then starting over from the beginning before I was comfortable putting yarn to seam and taking the deep breath of trust. 

The trick that finally worked - caution:  math follows - was to return to the pattern and put the calculator to the row/stitch gauge as written and discover that the front was to fold over to the side and meet at a point approximately one-third up from the lower edge.  Owing either to my stitch gauge or blocking being off, a simple adjustment in the size of the pleat was required.  Voila!  That one-third point was finally made.  Well, give or take a bit of hang stretch.  But the point is that the drape no longer appeared to be a pocket for the female anatomy!   Yeah for math. 

And yes, it pains me to say that.  Math is not my friend, I prefer to go with the flow and strive for the look. 

Here it is.  Two sides that match and drape visually the same.  Even the front-to-back pattern is all lined up.  Beauty.  Sheer beauty.  Now that it is all finished (photo with model to come) I am pleased to report that the fretting was worth it.  You may turn this one inside out and look at my seams.  Go ahead.  It's OK.  Sheer beauty, I tell you.

Rowan has done good.  Just don't go thinking that Fantasy is an easy pattern.  It is advanced - at minimum. 

What Will It Look Like?

I am not much of a lace maker.  A few shawls here and there - the very few I have shared with you.  A bit of lace edging on a sleeve or trim is OK.  Honestly, lace is so time consuming that it either bores me with repetition or I loose interest due to the slowness and thus the time involved.  When I start a project, I want it done.  

So, why did I agree to take on this commission?  Because of the cashmere.  Hey, I'll endure a lot to work with 100% cashmere that I don't have to purchase!  

Pure divinity.   It is hook candy for sure.

This is a wad of crochet lace.  Barely begun lace.  There is much to accomplish.  While the construction of the final piece is fairly simple, the working - or at least the getting started and setting the pattern over the first foundation and eight rows is advanced work for sure. Now, the pattern is set, both in my brain and in the crochet itself.

A crochet friend was looking and drooling near this wad and asked the right question.  "What will it look like?"

Naturally, I set off on a lecture (diatribe?) about the process of  soaking, stretching, pinning and drying.  Otherwise known as basic blocking.  This friend has not yet attempted lace work.  She is more in the camp of making purses, tote bags and useful boxes.  Toss in a washcloth or two and even an occasional gift blanket for my Bert and she is a very happy and accomplished wielder of the hook.  But, as far as I know, she has not ever attempted lace weight and delicate stitch work.

Sensing that my lecture on blocking was a bit over the top, I invited her to help me stretch out the lace so as to simulate the final piece (post blocking).  

Oh La La!  That is going to become one fine piece of work! 

This dry run has excited me so much that now I must finish just to see the final piece upon some lucky lady's body.

Wow!   Even I am going to be impressed.  When it is finished.  Weeks from now. . . . . . sigh.

Lace Makes The Skirt

Finally, a picture of the dull grey skirt of endless ribbing. But see how beautiful the lace makes all that nothing? I am actually farther along with the lace than this photo shows.

It is just that the thrill of anything other than k1p1k1p1k1p1k1p1k1p1.... was worth snapping a pix.

The lace portion will be about the same depth as the upper ribbed modesty portion. Having knitted for so long, and now crocheting with the same yarn, I am reminded how expensive it is to crochet with the good stuff. I am only four rounds into the crochet and already feeling panic about having enough yarn. Mind you the skirt stash still has 600+ yards hiding in the closet. Crochet really eats up the yards quicker than you can pour a glass of pinot.

With visions of the completed skirt dancing about in my imagination, the cost of the Louisa Harding Kashmir DK seemed irrelevant. Not much at all when put as a percentage of the yearly yarn budget. And, by using it up so quickly on the crochet lace, think of all the space that will be available in the yarn closet! I just might be forced to go out foraging for another goodly amount of something yummy just to fill in the blank spot where the grey sat. However, such visions of yarn yet to be acquired must wait for another time. For I must confess that, with hook in hand and a rapidly unwinding ball, I am beginning to feel 'dire panic, as I watch the stash dwindle so quickly.

Perhaps I shall to take myself out to an actually clothing store and price a custom made wool/cashmere skirt.

Now that little excursion will surely put the cost of the skirt yarn back into perspective! And put the sense of pure logic behind my next yarn purchase.