Over and Over

I'm calling this piece - which is clearly still in progress - "Up and Over". She's started at the mid-back. Then you knit up the shoulders and down the front, connecting the two parts above the waist and continuing in the round. This top continues my exploration of: 1) different construction options for fit control, knitting ease and just plain fun; 2) front and back proportions.

Have you ever noticed how many patterns split the full bust measurement equally between the front and back? I don't know about other women, but my back doesn't have anything sticking out the way my front does. So, I'm looking at different ways to redistribute. Of course, there is the short row option. It works. But I like to play. So.....

There is no reason you can't put more stitches on the front, adjust the distribution for the waist, then again at the hips (putting more in the rear this time.) By thinking in terms of sections, a knitter can readily adjust the distribution for her body shape. If you're fuller in the front than most, measure your front half and put the appropriate number of stitches up there. If like me, all of your hips are pushing out to the rear, rather than the sides, then put more stitches back there instead of increasing the front and back at the side seams. I'll be be working on how to write up the patterns so that you can simply knit, or you can play with the stitch distribution.

But first, I have to finish the design. I realize that if one wanted to, one could pretty much stop right here and have fine little vesty thing to go over a long sleeve top. But, of course, I had a vision somewhere along the way and this rather Grecian looking girl is going to be more of a tunic. The bottom skirt/peplum/floaty-whatever part will be knit in Karabella Gossamer - with a band of the ribbon hanging down. I'm trying to work out the drape of it. I knit it once, but the waist didn't fit well enough and it was too narrow. You can see through the Gossamer and it looked a little strange to suddenly see your a band of belly. And the Gossamer part didn't lazily sway the way I want it to.

So, though this is the Up & Over, I've just been knitting it over and over.

Onwards and downwards!