Saturday, March 18, 2006

Starsky - It begins ...

You might wonder what this is:

If you guessed that it was a sweater back, done up to the shoulder shaping, you might have been right, except that it is that no longer and instead became the largest swatch I have ever made. The boring twisted rib has been ripped apart, to become a Starsky.

Back when I was in college, I has a Starsky-esque sweater. Not this one, of course, but one similar. Kind of a wrap thingy, with a belt. It was in a patchwork design in all sorts of shades of brown. It was probably hideous by today's fashions, but back then it was tres chic. I remember that it had wide sleeves that dragged in just about everything they could and a belt that I was continually cinching. But I liked it, and I do believe the time has come for another Starsky.

In one evening, the twisted rib metamorphed into: I've altered the rib pattern a bit. I wanted the three-stitch rib dividing the banana plants to flow into the bottom ribbing. As it turned out, I was also able to have the stems flow upwards from a two-stitch rib. I'm happy. For those to whom such things matter, the yarn is Naturally Chunky 14 ply, Shade 557, otherwise known as grey. I've also decided to go with only four inches of ease instead of eight, as this will mostly be an indoor sweater.

Thanks to my FLAK experience, I learned how to cable without a cable needle. These all being two-stitch cables, they flow very nicely sans needle. I'm not 100 per cent sure that I have enough yarn, and if need be I will forgo the belt. I will hold my breath while I do all that ribbing on the fronts. It was a little strange at first doing cable crossings on the wrong side, without the visual clue one gets from the front, but they actually go fairly easily.

I hope to get the "fancy" part done soon, so I can have some plain stockinette to work on while I do my April SMAKs, which involve a bit of patterning. It's rather strange -- now that spring is around the corner, I have two GREY projects on the go. Hmmmm ....

12 people had something to say:

aija said...

Wow, I love the change you made on the ribbing at the bottom. I'm working on Starsky right now, too... I'm too far in to change my ribbing (saying over and over again!) :) but yours is great, I love the flow.

Jerry & Maxy said...

Starsky looks great so far! I look forward to seeing your progress.

Shelley L. MacKenzie said...

The Starsky is looking great!

lexa said...

Looking good! You and Quickeye are inspiring me to make one! I love grey. :)

Unknown said...

Visiting from the Starsky KAL on Yahoo...

I'm waiting for my yarn to arrive and thus haven't casted on yet. I love the way you changed the ribbing to fit with the pattern. Would you mind telling me how you did it so I don't have to do the maths myself? :)

I love Starsky in grey!

Dave said...

Anna, the exact pattern will change depending on the size you make. I started with the 3-stitch rib at the left of the chart and just worked back towards the right side of the chart. Those 3 stitches are K, then I have 3P, 3K. The 2 stitches immediately to the left of the stalk are P, then 2K, then 2P. I then have 3K and 3P. Continue in 3-stitch rib working towards the right until you get through the SS portion that is knit before the chart. For me, that was 3K, 3P, 3K.

Unknown said...

Thank you, Dave! I think I'll be able to work it out when casting on! Are you going to do the same on the front panels?

Unknown said...

I love the changes you made; it is so much nicer (and probably way more interesting to knit). I don't think I would be that creative. It really looks lovely.
I can't wait to see you work it up!

Anonymous said...

I love it when my knitting brothers chime in!!! Thanks!

Unknown said...

How's it going with your Starsky? Still waiting for my yarn... And I've decided to go with changes like the ones you made for the ribbing. I just have to work out what they will look like on the front panels as well.

Anonymous said...

My goodness, that 'banana plant' motif is SO cool!! Just what I've been looking for in the last few days. I didn't realize that starsky had this cool a pattern on the back and sleeves! How could I not have seen this detail?! I've been designing a sweater in my head and I was looking for something just like this for the sleeves...

Anonymous said...

GAAH! I've done 12" of Starsky back and fronts (I do everything on circs b/c have a morbid fear of seaming) and your photo of your modifications makes me so unhappy with the way my ribbing doesn't flow that I'm going to start over. Oh well, more hours knitting pleasure. Thanks for improving my sweater!