Hipster Shawl and Burda 105 01 2020 Dress

I have not one, but two FOs today - I knitted a shawl and I sewed a dress. And I think they combine into a cool autumn outfit, so I hurried to take pictures of them today, while it is still autumn, as we are expected to enter into real winter weather next week

The dress is Burda #105 from January 2020 issue. I actually made this dress back in February, but I didn't like the fit and the collar. The pattern comes in the petite size and it was probably the major factor that attracted me, plus the A-line skirt, which is cut on the bias. However, although I believed 18 was my true size, it came too wide at the waist - I mean some 10 or more cm positive ease. Then the bust darts, which are French darts, turned too high for me. The high collar and the long sleeves, combined with the dark color of the fabric, made me look like a nun.

I tried several things to remedy the issues - I shortened the sleeves, which helped a bit; then I took in the waist darts at the back and made a sway back correction. Still, the dress was too wide and frumpy, so I abandoned it for a while. I was planning to cut the neckline and make it with a round neck, but in the end I realized it was not worth it, so I just added an elastic at the waist and called it done for good.

Pattern: Burda # 105 of 01/2020

Size: 18

Fabric:  viscose poplin

Time to make: indefinite

My next make, which I am much more happy with, is my second Hipster shawl. In November 2018 I knitted a chocolate color Hipster shawl, which became an immediate hit. The "problem" was, that Gaby kept borrowing it and when she left for Prague, of all the shawls I've bought and knitted for her, she chose my chocolate Hipster. Of course she could have it, I can always knit myself another one. And so I did!

The yarn was gifted to me and it is one I have used several times before - Zegna Baruffa Kent, 100% merino, Italian bobbin yarn. The original color of the yarn was grey-blue, the same as the cardigan I knitted for Gaby a while ago. When I received the yarn, my first impulse was to make it into a sweater and as i did not want a sweater the same color as the cardigan, I overdyed the yarn forest green. And then decided to make it into a big, squishy warm shawl.

Pattern: Hipster Shawl by Joji Locatelli 

Yarn: Zegna Baruffa Kent, 100% merino, 900 m/ 100 g, in two threads, 220 g

Needle: 4.5 mm

Time to knit: 10 days 

 

As my needles and yarn were smaller than what the pattern calls for and as I wanted the shawl really big, I made an additional repeat of the pattern. Two repeats made it on the small size and as I didn't want to finish the shawl in the middle of the garter stitch section, I made a full third repeat and now my shawl is really big - it measures 61 cm in width and the full wingspread is 235 cm. That is a lot of volume around the neck, when I need it!

Hipster Shawl

Last week I finished my Hipster shawl and I've been wearing it from the moment I put the fringes on it. How did I live without it before?! I'm so happy how it turned out, I love the color and the yarn.

I had 200 g Italian bobbin tweed, 75% virgin wool 25% poly-amide, very thin - 800 m / 100 g, which I overdyed in warm chocolate color. I sampled knitting the yarn with two and three threads held together and liked better the two-thread sample, knitted on 3.75 mm needles. As this made my yarn and needles much smaller than what the pattern calls for, I continued knitting and serendipitously had enough yarn for one full repeat of the pattern. And again serendipitously with this additional repeat my shawl turned exactly the size it is supposed to be according to the pattern. One more reason to love this shawl!

Pattern: Hipster Shawl by Joji Locatelli
Yarn: Toscofilati, Erica 4, 85% virgin wool 25% polyamide, 200 g
Needle: 3.75 mm (US 5)
Time to knit: 18 days