Greetings gentle Unraveler’s and Happy Last Wednesday in May!
It was a good long weekend… especially if one had a focus of finishing something! Yep, there was lots of rain in my area… which was exactly what I needed to get one step closer to the finish line of my ITO Kinu Shakerag Top! I just have to figure out how I want to finish the neckline and determine what, if anything, needs to happen to the arm openings. My initial thoughts for those arm openings is to do nothing. I really don’t mind the rolling edges, but the fabric feels very fragile…
The length is perfect and the drape is perfect!
Which is a feature, imo, not a bug and that makes this shirt perfect for summer. It is light. It is incredibly float-y! Suddenly, I am all in for warm weather… bring. it. on!
But back to the fragility of the sleeve openings… while I don’t mind the curling, I think the shirt would wear better with a bit of reinforcement around the edges… especially at the point where the front and back divides.
A bit of an edge to the neckline with neaten it up a bit.
I took all the photos before I gave it a good soak yesterday (this yarn really needs a spa treatment!) and laid it out to dry, so today I will figure out what I want to do. The pattern calls for picking up stitches around the neckline and arm openings and then binding them all off. On my first Shakerag top (knit out of Holst Garn Coast) I found that a single crochet edging worked looked better and it has stood the “wearing test” well.
I really like how the split hem turned out!
Pattern modifications: As I noted last week, I did a split hem. I divided the cast on stitches in half did garter stitch on three stitches on each side. When I had what I thought was a good length for the split hem (really it was a bit of guess work paired with the length I wish my first Shakerag had) I then joined the halves in the round and when I got to those “side stitches” I laid the front stitches over the back stitches and knit the stitches together (a 3-needle join) and and then knit on in the round. In my next one… and there will be another…I will make one small change to this process. When I do the join in the round bit, I will do it in the middle of the double strand band instead of at the end of one band and the beginning of the single strand band. Why? Well, this area needs to have a bit of sturdiness to it… which I think the double strand knitting section offers. I realized this after I had some good “landscape” of knitting and was not ripping back to redo it. I simply made a note for my next one! Other than that, I knit one size larger than I did last time, giving the top a bit more ease which works well with the fluidity of this yarn.
The reading this week has been sparse, but I am back listening to Dr. Kendi narrate Chain of Ideas. I am about half way in and I am learning so much.
I also picked up Heart be at Peace by Donal Ryan from the library last weekend and plan on settling in with it later today.
What about you? How is May winding down for you?
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
Your Shakerag top looks great, Kat. I so wish I’d done a split hem – or even just added a bit more length – to the one I made a couple of years ago. (Because the pattern, as designed, just doesn’t fall at – ahem – the most flattering “line” on the body. . . ) Anyway. I vote for the do-nothing treatment on the sleeves. Rolling edges really work for this design. BRAVO for a beautiful finish.
It looks great! So light and perfect for summer. Congratulations!
That looks like a top that’s going to get a ton of wear this summer! It doesn’t look to me like the edges are rolling too much, so the simple finish recommended in the pattern might work very well.
Your new Shakerag looks great! Did you like knitting with that yarn? I have been eyeing it for a new one ,my Shakerag is very beat up . It was knit with hemp yarn which has softened to the point of having a deconstructed vibe. (I am not mad about it!)
I love ITO Kinu… it is a fantastic yarn to work with! I think MDK has some new colors of it in stock right now and I am contemplating buying more of it to knit another!
Your Shakerag looks terrific, so good, in fact that it makes me want to knit one (and I don’t knit sweaters)! I’ll be interested in seeing what you decide about the neck and arm openings, and I love the split hem. I will definitely be taking a look at Ito Kinu colors!
wow wow wow!! That is so beautiful!! I like the swoopy neckline.
Love your Shakerag Kat – it’s wonderful. And inspiring for me to hurry up and start mine!! But, I have not picked up needles of any kind in a week and reading has been on the back burner. Life is busy!
Your Shakerag top looks great! I need to get some finished pictures up of mine. I DIDN’T enjoy knitting with the Kinu yarn, but I really like the way the fabric turns out, so in the long run, OK. (I vote for the crochet edging – mostly because I couldn’t get my neckline to turn out using the cast on/cast off method.) I’m listening to Chain of Ideas as well.
What a beautiful summer top. I love the loose flow-y look. This almost makes me want to knit one and I have never knit a summer top. The split hem is a nice modification. Have a good week.
I can’t believe we’re already at the “winding down” part of May!!
Love your Shakerag top, and I think a crochet edging would be perfect for finishing. I especially love the split hem!!
I think the split hem is a brilliant choice! I have a hard time making pattern modifications so I applaud any changes you do.