cooler than the street

I did finish my cowl neck top. That 'hopeful, getting it done mode' actually got me through the majority of the reknitting quickly. Then something more urgent distracted me and it sat around again with just a few rows to go. It didn't seem to matter any more as it was getting colder and I was originally hoping this would work as a summer top, though I always knew it might need a layer underneath.

I have worn it out in the world once - like this, with the grey 3/4 sleeved t shirt underneath. I'm not sure I will be able to wear it without a top underneath - freshly washed it's ok with the right bra, but the fabric stretches pretty quickly with wear and I think ends up sagging too much under the arms.

I don't love how high it sits on the neck at the sides/back - it feels a little tight there and I would prefer for it to overlap the t-shirt rather than leaving that gap.



So, I have some thoughts on the pattern. It's an unusual design - it's actually almost a straight tube with two holes in the back.

When you put it on the extra fabric from the back of the tube falls forward and adds to what's at the front, making the cowl. I suspect this simple formula works on some bodies better than others, and perhaps relies on certain ratios of body dimensions. I made a small size (adjusted for the different gauge) based on my small bust, and I think the cowl worked out quite well - though I really couldn't have it drooping any lower. However, further down the body I had to do some short rows across the back, as it was clearly coming out much shorter than the front (and it still is, a little, though it's hitched up slightly on my belt in the above picture).

As I described in the previous post, it never needed any waist shaping and I had to increase madly to avoid it being too clingy. I put this down to having a small bust relative to the rest of me, my chest and shoulders are not especially narrow, which might also explain the back riding up.

Another modification (this one planned from the start) was to make the back t-strap a few stitches wider, partly because I thought it would look better and also for better bra coverage.

Oh yeah, and what about the flashing (ziz zag patterns) that the variegated Cleckheaton bamboo is doing? I don't mind it. I wouldn't have thought I would go for that on a top, but I think in these muted colours it looks ok and the photo might exaggerate the effect a bit.