I am not a knitter who revels in making clothing.
I prefer small and simple (or small and complicated) to those hulking projects that take a pile of skeins of the same colors, hours and hours of work, and then only to have a finished product that you have no interest in wearing, ever. I would rather spend my money on a cheap sweater from the thrift shop. Now, that is to say, I do my fair sharing of drooling over many patterns. People are talented and creative and have made some incredible things out there.
And even if I am driven to making and article of clothing, I always grab yarn I have on hand. And after that I hardly even gauge. Then I knit the first three and a half inches of one by one rib, get bored, give up and frog the yarn for some other project.
I also have recently moved to a much warmer climate and knitted clothing of any sort is not something you want to be thinking about. Yes, even in winter, or your air conditioned apartment.
So, I was ever so surprised when I stumbled upon this pattern. I could just imagine myself doing everything the designer imagined... laying in a hammock, sipping lemonade, relaxing, and feeling ever so breezy in this top.
It was time for me to venture back into the clothing area!
I popped into my tiny yarn stash, found two and a half skeins of green cotton yarn and started needling away.
Here is the outcome:
A very strange belly shirt.
I of course did not photograph myself wearing it, as my mid-drift is not something I want on the internet. Though it does look rather flattering when worn.
I still like the thing a lot, and it will be really nice to wear over a bathing suit.
I also hope to make another one and actually purchase the correct amount of yarn.
Oh look, a shot of me wearing it...
(I don't have a camera right now, I just use my husbands iPhone.
So, please excuse the artsy fartsy instagram photos)
I wish I had some better pictures, because the colors are very nice.
A light and dark green heather from one of Knit Picks long expired yarn lines. 100% cotton and it does just the right amount of "breathing".
Yup.
All in all, not the worst job I have done on knitting a larger piece.
I suggest that if you have the patience and the desire, make one for yourself, the pattern is really easy.
All the mistakes are obviously my own laziness. But if you can find some nice light yarn, this is an awesome article of clothing to have on hand for the summer.
So go out and enjoy, all you crazy knitters!
