Delineate Tank: Outtakes

The long awaited outtakes post, where I embarrass myself with unflattering photos!

There was lots of great discussion on the fit and some amazing tips in the comments for ways to modify it to get improve the fit, so if anyone is thinking of knitting this, I recommend a read through.  Let’s get an establishing shot, shall we?

Delineate Tank Outtakes |knittedbliss.com

Like I said in my last post on this, it’s okay. I think the shape is sort of boxy on me in a boring sort of way. Boxy can work, but I feel like it’s got to be oversized to pull it off. And when I stand up straight and don’t move, you can’t tell that there is excess fabric….. oh, wait, now you can tell:

Delineate Tank Outtakes |knittedbliss.com

Super unflattering pose, am I right? Then I decided I should pose for real. This was an actual attempt at a pose:

Delineate Tank Outtakes |knittedbliss.com

I think there is literally a shaft of sunlight pointing out the wobbly underside of my pasty white thigh. It’s highlighting it, really. As if to say, “Look here! At this bit! This is where the late night snacks are stored!” So since all shame was thoroughly gone, I leaned into the silliness.

Here is my “Onward, fearless explorer!” pose:

Delineate Tank Outtakes |knittedbliss.com

and then there’s my strongwoman pose, still with that shaft of sunlight in the underside of my thigh:

Delineate Tank Outtakes |knittedbliss.com

I hardly ever wear shorts, you can probably tell. I know self tanner exists, but I feel like next summer I’ll manage better to do that sort of thing. I’ve never been that fond of my legs (other then the fact that they work great, and I’m super grateful for that), so I’m a fan of long pants and skirts.  but it was far too hot for pants that day.

I kept saying to Guy, “Don’t show my ugly knees in the photos!” So naturally:

Delineate Tank Outtakes |knittedbliss.com

Ta-da! Good thing we are all friends here. Otherwise I’d be really embarrassed to share all that with you!

Finished Knit: Delineate Tank

Delineate Tank | knittedbliss.com

These are lovely photos, aren’t they? When I edit them, I bump up the contrast and the warmth and suddenly they look so good I forget that I actually don’t like how this top looks on me.

Delineate Tank | knittedbliss.com

But that is a damn fine back of a top, isn’t it?  Ah well. It was a fun knit.

Pattern: Delineate Tank

Yarn: Spirit Trail Fiberworks Sunna in ‘Pink Sands’ 

Mods: Added a split hem approximately 2.5 inches, which I worked in k2 p2 ribbing.

Let’s start with what I love: The yarn. I would knit with this yarn any day of the week, it was really heavenly to knit with. The Sunna base is a merino/cashmere/silk blend, so you know it is crazy soft and makes me want to squeal a bit when I squish it. The pattern was easy to follow, with the charts cleverly designed to change the size of the design as you went on with the knitting. It did mean you had to look at the charts the whole time, but that was fine- the stitch was interesting and I loved watching the design develop. I wasn’t crazy about the way the straps were worked at the shoulder. It involved doing short rows to angle them and provide some shoulder shaping, but for straps I don’t feel it’s necessary and I don’t think did anything to really improve the fit or the way they laid on my shoulders.

I am also really happy with the split hem, it worked out exactly how I wanted it to and I will definitely do this again to a future pullover.

Delineate Tank | knittedbliss.com

So … I’m not crazy about how it looks on me. It’s fine, sure. It’s okay. But I’m not settling for fine and okay these days.  I want to love this tank top. But I don’t. It’s a fit problem, really. To be pretty blunt about my body type, I am ‘curvy’ in that I have a small waist in relation to my bust and hips. For a top to fall loosely around my midsection means the proportions have to be just right, or I look bigger than I really am. I noticed this is particularly true after I’ve had my kids, because my bust is bigger than it used to be, probably because I haven’t ever gone back down to the weight I was BK – ‘Before Kids’. It’s tough to figure out if I will or not. Wow, I’m really oversharing here, aren’t I? It’s hard to have a conversation about fit without getting into the nitty gritty of body type and style preferences.

Delineate Tank | knittedbliss.com

That back shot up at the top? I literally have a handful of this top in my hand in front of my stomach, so that we could take a photo of the back without any of it sagging back there. So now I know- A line tops, not for me. Which is a shame, because this was a lovely knit.  And if you have been looking for a great A-line summer knit that is perfect for wonderfully round tummies that don’t want anything showing where your waist begins or ends, I would highly recommend.

While it’s never fun to frog, I have to admit I’m looking forward to knitting with this yarn again! I had an extra skein I didn’t end up using for this, so I’m going back to Ravelry to shop through the patterns and see how this yarn might be a lovely tee or even a light sweater. Because I really, really want to knit this yarn into a garment I want to wear all the time.

Coming soon- outtakes!

On My Needles: R&R Hoodie and Delineate Tank

R&R Hoodie Progress

I’ve been working on my R&R Hoodie for James from the beautiful Griffon yarn from Biscotte (talked about in this post) and I’m sooooo in love with it. The three colourways have blended beautifully, with the self striping colourway doing the heavy lifting of blending them together.

R & R Hoodie in Progress| knittedbliss.com

Doesn’t it look amazing? I’m so happy with it! The yarn is a dream to work with, incredibly soft and gives amazing stitch definition.  I left off the pockets as I pretty much couldn’t be bothered to work the pockets while I was blending the colours together. I need simplified knitting, because my knitting time is preciously rare these days- and I’m finding it really frustrating. I’m someone who wants to do it all -accomplish ALL THE THINGS- but I just can’t unless I give up sleeping, which I have seriously considered.  Anyway- I think a lot of us struggle with this from time to time, and I try to remind myself that I’m on maternity leave taking care of my little one. And as of Friday, Lila will no longer be in day care and I’ll be taking care of two little ones all day, every day!

So considering that I really want to get this finished up as soon as possible, it’s almost not a big deal that I’ve run out of yarn for the hood.  I think I’m going to rip back to the neckline and add a little ribbed collar, install that zipper and get James into it. I know it seems crazy to knit a cozy hoodie in the summer, but we still get some chilly mornings and evenings; I always have a hoodie in the diaper bag at the ready if the weather changes while we are out on a walk.

Delineate Tank Progress

I haven’t mentioned this knit yet, despite the fact that i work on it every single day! This is the Delineate tank:

Delineate Tank | knittedbliss.com

I seem to be really knocking it out of the park with yarn choices these days, because this is Sunna from Spirit Trail Fiberworks, which is a fingering weight merino/cashmere/silk blend and the fabric is out-of-this-world awesome. I can already see that it is going to have amazing drape, and the back (shown above) has a relatively easy to memorize chart that gives a very cool effect. The front is thankfully stockinette, so I’m making progress; slower than I had hoped, but still progress. I’m just about to separate for the armholes at this point. I did make a modification- I added a split hem. I have been admiring split hems on a variety of sweaters over the last year; it looks like such a great detail that no doubt adds a lot of comfort to the fit.

Delineate Tank | knittedbliss.com

If you are wondering about the book, that is The Folded Clock by Heidi Julavits and I have absolutely loved it. Julavits re-read her childhood diaries and was disappointed with what she found, so she decided to try again now as a forty-something wife and mother. I have been recommending this book to everyone, because it was laugh-out-loud funny in places, achingly honest in others and so damn good that I wish I had written it myself.  And hey, the cover is beautiful. I know it’s a bit shallow and judging books by covers and all that, but isn’t it especially satisfying when a book you really enjoyed looks as good as it reads?

Woodland Pack

*All embroidery is worked with 3 of the 6 strands of embroidery floss, unless otherwise stated*

Need a refresher on what those stitch are? Check out the resources page – all stitches are listed alphabetically, so scroll down until you find what you need.

Rabbit

Using colour #840, fill in the brown fur of the rabbit using long and short stitch. Then fill in the face and stomach with long and short stitch using colour #822, giving careful consideration to fill in all the face first and using the lines as a border, and then working the stomach area in the same stitch separately. This will prevent the head and stomach from blending together, and give the head more shape.

Next, work the French knots for the bunny tail in #822, 2 wraps per French knot.

The grass is stitched with colour #937, in straight stitches, with one overlapping the bunny tail (you could skip this if you don’t want to cover the tail).

The shrub branches are all worked in straight stitch in colour #368.

The inner ear and the nose are both worked in colour #224, and in satin stitch- the nose is very tiny satin stitch!

Then, the eye- one 2-wrap French knot in #310, with a single strand of #822 worked as a small straight stitch in the French knot, to provide eye detail.

Squirrel

*All embroidery is worked with 3 of the 6 strands of embroidery floss, unless otherwise stated*

Stitch the dark brown bark with long and short stitch (longer stitches will make this more bark-like in appearance – so aim to make the stitches bigger) in colour #898.

The leaves are satin stitch #937, and the stems are straight stitch in the same colour.

To stitch the inner stump, use colour #3032 in split stitch in the semi circles to show the tree rings.

In colour #415, fill in the squirrel using long and short stitch, being sure to end stitches where the lines of the squirrels’ body are – this will help make the leg and arms easier to see.

Add a French knot for the eye (2 wraps) in #310. If you don’t feel the leg and arm are separate enough, a couple of straight stitches in #3032 will help delineate the squirrel’s shape. The acorn is stitched in small satin stitch in #898.

Fox

*All embroidery is worked with 3 of the 6 strands of embroidery floss, unless otherwise stated*

In colour #3826, fill in the fox using long and short stitch, being sure to end stitches where the lines of the fox’s body are.

In colour #822 and using long and short stitch again, fill in the white parts of the fox.

With #937, the stems are worked in straight stitch. The flower petals are also worked in straight stitch, in #3821.

In colour #310, Work a 3-wrap French knot for the eye. The ear facing you has the black tips in straight stitch, and the ear turned away in satin stitch. The nose is also satin stitch in the same colour, and the mouth is a small straight stitch.

Inner ear is stitched with satin stitch in #822, and one strand for a small straight stitch for the eye highlight, worked in the eye.

Hedgehog

*All embroidery is worked with 3 of the 6 strands of embroidery floss, unless otherwise stated*

Using colour #320, work the stems of the strawberry plant in straight stitch. In the same colour, you can stitch the strawberry tops in satin stitch. The leaves are also satin stitch, working one side of each leaf then the other, to create the center vein in each leaf.

Using colour #309, fill in the strawberries in satin stitch.

Add seed using small straight stitches in colour #3821.

Using colour #822, fill in the tummy of the hedgehog in long and short stitch. Then work the face shading in colour #840, also in long and short stitch.

In colour #224, stitch the paws in satin stitch.

In colour #310, work a 3 wrap French knot for the eye, and a 2 -wrap French knot for the nose. For the prickles, we’ll be doing a lot of randomly scattered short straight stitches, starting with the darkest colour first, the #310.

In colour #840, work more prickles in straight stitch like you did in colour #310, filling in the spaces in between the black prickles. Then, using colour #822, add more prickles, filling in the shape. Feel free to add more or less prickles to suit your taste.

Robin

*All embroidery is worked with 3 of the 6 strands of embroidery floss, unless otherwise stated*

In colour #898. Fill in the branch using long and short stitch.

In colour #937, outline the stems in backstitch, and fill in the leaves with satin stitch.

In colour #3032, fill in the bird with long and short stitch.

Using colour #840, add darker details with long and short stitch to the edges of the tail feathers and wings. Then outline the tailfeathers and wing feathers with one strand of colour #310. Outline the feet with #310.

Fill in the bird stomach with colour #3826 at the top for the red breast, and colour #822 towards the bottom, all in long and short stitch.

Finish off the robin by stitching the beak with two small satin stitches in colour #3821, and a French knot for the eye in #310, 2 wraps for the French knot.

Mushrooms and Snail

*All embroidery is worked with 3 of the 6 strands of embroidery floss, unless otherwise stated*

 

Photo 1

In colour #368, stitch the flower stems in straight stitch, including the leaves.

In colour #320, you will stitch the ferns. The stems are backstitch, and the leaves are daisy stitch.

Stitch the mushroom stems in colour #822, in satin stitch.

In colour #3032, stitch the underside of the big mushroom cap in satin stitch, and the snail’s body in split stitch.

In colour #840, fill in the mushroom caps in satin stitch. In colour #898, fill in the snail shell in satin stitch, working around the shape of the curve. Then add in stripes on the snail shell with colour #3032, using a single strand.  Grass is worked in straight stitch, in colours #937.

Using colour #224, stitch the flowers in straight stitch, one stitch per petal.

Acorn

*All embroidery is worked with 3 of the 6 strands of embroidery floss, unless otherwise stated*

In colour #840, fill in the base of the acorn in satin stitch.

With colour #898, fill the acorn top with French knots, 2 wraps each.

With colour #937, work the oak leaves in satin stitch, one side and then the other, to create the vein in the center of each leaf.

Asters

*All embroidery is worked with 3 of the 6 strands of embroidery floss, unless otherwise stated*

In colour #937, work the stems in split stitch. Then, in colour #554, fill in the aster flower petals with satin stitch.

In colour #3821, fill in the flower centres with French knots, 3 wraps.

Daisies

*All embroidery is worked with 3 of the 6 strands of embroidery floss, unless otherwise stated*

In colour #368, work one half of each leaf in satin stitch.

In colour #320, stitch the other side of each leaf in satin stitch.

Stitch the stems in backstitch in colour #320, and the daisy floral bases in satin stitch, also in #320.

In colour #822, fill in the daisy petals with satin stitch.

The centers of the daisies are filled with French knots, 2 wraps, in colour #3821.

Toadstool & Laurel

*All embroidery is worked with 3 of the 6 strands of embroidery floss, unless otherwise stated*

In colour #368,  using two strands, work the stems of the laurel in back stitch, and the leaves in daisy stitch.

In colour #822, fill in the toadstool stems and mushroom frills, staying in the lines of the separate sections.

Fill in the toadstool caps in satin stitch with colour #309. Then, with two strands of #822, add French knots, two wraps.

I hope you enjoyed stitching the Woodland pack! If you have any questions about stitching these, feel free to email me – [email protected]

Link Love: My Favourite Things This Week

My Favourite Articles and Links This Week

6 projects to tackle at home, now that you are home a LOT.

Why we need to get rid of our lawns.

Tips for establishing a daily creative practice.

Do you have an office job that is now a work from home job, thanks to COVID-19? Then this bingo is for you!

“You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestation of your own blessings.” – Elizabeth Gilbert

My Favourite Pins This Week

So what kind of recipes are people looking for, now that we are home a lot? I am a fan of ALL THE RICE BOWLS because they are so easy and delicious, no matter what the situation. This BLT rice bowl is delicious because a) it has bacon and I’m a fan of bacon at all times, it’s got veggies that make me feel like it cancels out the bacon, and the lime avocado dressing is delicious. Pinterest link is here, and the full recipe can be found over here.

Okay, these are an indulgent treat, but if you are in social isolation with more than one person, it’ll be fine. Just don’t leave yourself alone with these. Death by Chocolate no bake cheesecake bars are perfect for that really deep chocolate craving that no one chocolate bar is going to fix. These are decadent, rich, and completely amazing. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Pinterest link is here, and the full recipe is here.

I love the idea of giving a handbag a little upgrade with gold foil, and this looks SO easy. Definitely jumping to the top of my quarantine crafting ideas. Pinterest link is here, and the full DIY can be found right over here.

I love these inspiring painted wall ideas, perfect for a home decor project that you might be thinking of tackling. The painted headboard and geometric fun ideas are my faves from this list. Pinterest link is here, and the full post is here.

As someone who is always looking to get more plants in her home, I loved this quick list of 12 houseplants that thrive in low light (and often with a fair bit of neglect). These are all really common ones that you can easily find (or order online), because green spaces definitely feel more relaxing, don’t you think? Pinterest link is here, and the full list can be found here.

Anyone have any found around-the-house projects they are going to be tackling in the near future? I’d love to get more ideas, I feel like I’ll be really tackling my home in the coming weeks! 😉