Diagonal

My Diagonal

Pattern:  Diagonal
Yarn:  Madelinetosh Tosh Sock

Yes, this was another test knit.  I love doing them, they help me stay on task and actually FINISH something instead of becoming bored and getting a case of start-itis.  ;op

This designer was another doll to work with.  She is very enthusiastic, and open to questions and working with you.  The pattern was just too fun an idea to pass up.  I also had a bunch of this yarn from a time when I thought a long sleeved cabled sweater would look great in an entirely BRIGHT almost neon colored yarn.  I ended up frogging that early in, and still have an extra skein of this stuff after knitting this AND giving away one skein... Luckily, I do love the color, and what's wrong with having an extra skein of sock?  :o)

What's not to love about this pattern?  Loose gauge, dropping stitches on purpose, few fun pleats... Well... how about this:

It is utterly shapeless on the other side.  :o/  I was VERY disappointed with this once it was done and tried on.  The designer suggests a decent amount of positive ease to help the pleats fit just right.  While testing she was suggesting 6"+ or so of positive ease, so I jumped right on in.  In the end, it swallows me whole and looks like I'm wearing someone else's piece of clothing.

I haven't worn it once, and not because of weather reasons.  I have positioned it out, and by adding pleats to the front along the collar and closing in some of the large boatneck, and using a belt, it does become a cute top.  I just haven't been enthused about doing more sewing.  The debate now comes for me to decide if I want to try to gift this along or play around with it some more to get it to work for me.  For now, it goes into the "not quite finished, but done with knitting" pile to be dealt with at a later date.

For those of you on the fence about knitting.  The designer now only suggests a 4" positive ease, and it does knit up fairly quickly and was a fun knit (and great "tv" knitting).  So, I'm not trying to dissuade you at all.  I'm only mentioning what happened in my particular case.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, here's a quick peek at the back (yes, there are still some dropped stitch accents on the back too!):