What!?

From Amy Singer (of Knitty fame):

Hi, Sally!
This one almost made it in. You're so close! We just ran out of room this issue...

Wait... that pattern was the one that almost made the cut?

The afterthought pattern? The one I'd knit months ago, and submitted to MagKnits with no response whatsoever. (To their credit, I think something must have happened to cause them not to get my submission. Wrong e-mail address? Spam filter? There has to be some reasonable explanation.) The one I whipped up a quick pattern for, took some crappy pictures of (after borrowing one of my "models" during the photo shoot for one of my serious submissions.) The one that got baffled looks from my family.

I got this e-mail this morning. When Amy replied on my other two and not this one, I don't know, I just assumed it had been rejected too. Not deemed worthy of an answer. Maybe it wasn't visible to the human eye, which was why MagKnits never responded.

Maybe if I had put more effort into it, maybe that pattern would have been the slam dunk?

*slaps forehead*

...try, try again...

I love Cast On's knitting merit badges but I feel bad about using this one. Yes, I'm disappointed that the Knitty submissions I turned in back in September were rejected, but I don't have anything against Amy Singer. She gave me some very good feedback, and she doesn't deserve the finger. But I still think I deserve something, and a merit badge will do nicely.

Amy actually suggested self-publication, which is something I was actually considering. In the meantime, I'm trying MagKnits. I feel good about these patterns. I've submitted to MagKnits before, but never a got response. I think I sent it to the wrong e-mail. At any rate, I think it's time to try again.

Fitting and Happy Rejection

Before I do Saturday Blog Bits, I need to catch up on a couple of things.

For starters, is it just me, or does Cherry Bomb not fit as well as it used to?

Last Sunday was the first time I wore it since I washed it, and despite the careful blocking, it seemed...off. Were the short rows in the right place? Did it get stiffer with washing? Did I block it wrong?

I actually took it off, adjusted my bra, and put it back on. (I don't know if these pics were before or after I adjusted my bra.) I know, Big Girl Knits and everyone else is so big on finding a bra that fits. However, any bra that "fits" in the traditional sense is never very comfortable for me. I think I need to knit with my saggy boobs in mind.

Seriously, my breasts have always aged faster than I am. I got the bra in the fifth grade, stretch marks by the sixth grade and now they're drooping at age 27. And Mom will tell me if I didn't rip off my bra the second I got home, or if I had better fitting bras to start with, it wouldn't be happening. But I've accepted my grandma boobs a long time ago.

At any rate, I think adjusting the bra helped some, but maybe I just didn't notice the imperfections before.

And the way it gaps at the armholes seems new. Is it too big? Did I lose weight?...

Nah.

At least the bottom doesn't curl as much.

In other news, I got a very nice rejection letter from Amy Singer at Knitty. And I'm not being sarcastic or sucking up. Maybe it's all in my mind, but I feel like my last design was really in the running. She said she really liked my style and that my pictures have improved. I'm getting closer.

Morrigan Yarn Candidates

I've been obsessing about Rowan Calmer and the Morrigan sweater from "No Sheep For You." I went to HCW on Saturday and the staff was nice enough to make some recommendations (even though I told them I wasn't ready to purchase any.) But I'm still stuck on Calmer. I read the review of Calmer on Knitter's Review and it just seems so perfect. And I want really crisp stitch definition, nothing that will fuzz up.

Glenda from knitting group said there was a sale on Calmer at an eBay shop. (And now that I've posted it, watch it sell out.) But I'm not sure how I feel about the colors, and I don't think I can afford to buy it now (and it may sell out/expire before I can make a purchase.) Also, Nicki pointed out that if I buy it from Webs I'd get 25% off.

I've decided against the multiple dye lots I pondered earlier. I don't want to risk it on a sweater that will require this much work.

So here are the candidates I plan to swatch:

Rowan Calmer - 21 sts per 4 inches
174.978 yards per ball
25 balls = 4,374.45 yards
25 balls at $11.95 a ball = $298.75
25 balls at 25% off = $224.07
25 balls at $6.50 a ball = $162.50 plus shipping from the UK = $190.50

The yarn recommended by the pattern, and they had a hell of a time finding a non-sheep yarn to use. Very comfy.

RYC Cashsoft DK - 22 sts per 4 inches
142 yards per ball
30 balls = 4,260 yards
30 balls at $8.50 = $255
30 balls at 25% off = $191.25

Still pretty pricey, and how will it hold up as far as stitch definition?

Jaeger Extra Fine Merino DK - 22 sts per 4 inches
136 yards per ball
31 balls = 4,216 yards
31 balls at $8.50 = $263.50
31 balls at $4.49 (Webs sale price) = $139.19

It's a good deal at Webs on close out. But again, can I afford it before it sells out, and what about stitch definition.

Karabella Yarns Aurora 4 - 22 sts per 4 inches
197 yards per ball
22 balls = 4,334 yards
22 balls at $8.50 = $187

Again, stitch definition and merino?

Elizabeth Lavold Silky Wool - 22 sts per 4 inches
192 yards per ball
22 balls = 4,224 yards
22 balls at $7 = $154
22 balls at 25% off ($6.95 is the Webs price) = $114.68

Normally I wouldn't have considered this one, but the staff at HCW said someone brought in an FO out of this and they were amazed by the crisp stitch definition. And it's pretty cheap. I still wonder about the texture of the yarn.

Knitpicks Telemark - 24 sts per 4 inches
103 yards per ball
42 balls = 4,326 yards
42 balls at $1.99 = $83.58

Will it be scratchy?

Knitpicks Merino Style - 22 sts per 4 inches
123 yards per ball
35 balls = 4,305 yard
35 balls at $2.49 = $87.15

Again, stitch definition and merino?

Knitpicks Swish DK - 22 sts per 4 inches
123 yards per ball
35 balls = 4,305
35 balls at $3.29 = $115.15

I think the superwash treatment may actually help with the stitch definition, but will it be scratchy, and will it hold up?

Even if I go with the cheaper yarn, I may still go the route of waiting for Christmas and my birthday and ask everyone for gift certificates to fund this sweater.

I decided that 25 balls is a safe number, because I may need to make it a bit longer and larger than the pattern. At HCW we discussed using a larger gauge for a bigger sweater, but I decided against it. I think the small gauge is part of what makes it so impressive.

And honestly, I do want to impress people. That's one of my goals. But most of all, I want to challenge myself. And it is a nice sweater.

I'm still accepting advice, ideas and pictures of anyone who has made Morrigan out of a different yarn. That's why I need Ravelry. I could check this out on there.

Speaking of, Ravelry invited more people since my last post. Only 522 in front of me now.

Musings on Rowan Calmer

So I got No Sheep For You in April and even took Amy Singer's No Sheep class at HCW. I fell in love with several patterns, and while I was initially drawn to the colorwork in Bacardi and Intoxicating, I find myself going back to the tiny, intense cables in Morrigan. (I found a picture on Flickr.)

At the class, Amy said the only non-sheep yarn they could get to work with the pattern was Rowan Calmer.

Rowan Calmer is awesome. And expensive. And for my size it will take 20 balls. At least. (Amy said some people may want to make it a bit longer.)

So I've been trolling e-bay for cheap bags of Rowan. And the closest I've found is 5 balls in a deep purple.

My question is, if I buy a ball or two here and there, on sale, in different dye lots, will anyone really be able to tell the difference? I know when you have different dye lots, you're supposed to alternate them every row two so it's hard to tell. But I really don't want to do that. I can rarely tell the difference between dye lots in commercial yarns, but some claim they can. And for something that will take this much work, I'd hate to ruin it with obvious dye lot differences.

I could also try a sheepish yarn. Something cheaper. If I'm going to buy a lot of calmer, I could use it for one of the designs floating in my head. (And it'd be great for a summer top.) But it would be awesome to make this sweater in Calmer. It's so soft, easy to work with and not itchy.

I'm looking for advice and alternate yarn suggestions and yarn sources. Something with the same "spronginess." Please comment.