FO: Silk camisole

In which I show my face for the first time (almost) on this here blog.

Yarn: 5 or so skeins of Plymouth Wildflower DK, color Ocean. This includes the gauge swatch that I knitted (over and over).
Needles: Crystal Palace US4 26" circs.
Gauge: 6 sts per inch
Pattern: Silk Camisole from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Measurements: I made the size 36.
Notes: First let me say that I HATE this yarn. I will not use it again. In fact, I haven't even let the leftovers mingle with the stash yet. They're out in the cold on the couch. I dislike it that much. Yes it's cotton, but it has a good deal of acrylic in it, but that doesn't help in the least with the hand of the yarn. I must say that it looks nice knitted up, but it's a huge pain to work with, and did nothing but cause me physical pain and mental frustration.
About the pattern - Firstly, if you're going to knit this size, be wary of the lace edge. It's a very nice 9 stitch repeat, but she places plain stitches at the dead front and back, to make the top larger. I cannot fathom why anyone would do this, and if they did, why they wouldn't put these stitches on the side. Needless to say, I changed this pattern so that the plain parts would be on the side. If I had realized earlier what was happening, I most certainly would have simply added two lace repeats instead of those 9 plain stitches. So silly.
And secondly - I have two words for the body of this pattern - Waist Shaping. She says that there's no need for shaping, because the lace is nice and the neck is nice, and blah blah blah. Do you SEE how I look in this thing? I mean, I know I'm toting some extra winter weight, but geez, I look like a tree trunk. I can't complain, because it's my first knit and I'm happy that it goes over my head and actually fits, but for all of you knitters who've made a garment before, do some shaping, for the love of Pete. Especially if you knit this out of an unstretchy yarn like I did.
Otherwise it's a nice pattern. I hurt my brain a little trying to figure out how to divide for the v-neck, but after I had my light bulb moment, it made sense. I liked the way that it's all one peice, and that the straps are i-cords. Now I think they will be very sturdy, whereas before I knit them I worried they would stretch to no end. I liked learning to kitchener with only four stitches to work with. It looks a bit like crap, but that might have something to do with trying to learn to graft while ski jumping is on. Over all, I would probably make this again, in Knitpicks Shine or Dale Svale with the changes I stated, and be happy as a clam. Just make sure, if you knit anything from this book that you check the extensive errata.

Here's another shot. Fuzzy picture, though.


Tomorrow (or around there. Things have been crazy at work, and I can't believe it's been 6 days since I posted. I hope to keep up to date in the future, but I have no idea what the future brings around here), I show my first sock. Things might be turning strongly towards socks. I think I'm in love.