Purls of wisdom
Amy Lavelle’s bikini challenge.
Ilike to think I pick up a new skill or at least learn something new each time I start a project, be it how to create a honeycomb pattern or the brilliance of circular needles for certain projects. This time, the lesson I’ve learned is simply never to try on a pair of knitted bottoms before you’ve sewn in elastic.
UNDERGARMENTS GALORE
I’m fairly sure that at some point, every generation has been subjected to some form of woollen undergarment, be it knickers or swimsuits that seem to take ‘waterlogged’ as a positive design feature. I for one had a pair of knitted blue pants that were ostensibly a form of torture and humiliation foisted on anyone who committed the comparatively small sin of forgetting their P.E. skirt. We know the story of the woollen undergarment (often learned at the hands of our own mothers or well-intentioned relatives’ efforts) and it does not end well. It ends with itching, disproportionate warmth and embarrassment. And yet, as summer approaches i find my latest knitting project veering straight into this exact territory with a bikini. The itsy-bitsy, teenie-weenie bikini, to be precise.
PONDERING PRECISION
What initially sounds like a fun and innocuous spring project soon turns out to be a punishing test of skill. A few extra inches on a boxy jumper might hardly matter, but when all that stands between you and an arrest for public indecency are a few triangles of wool sewn together, precision is required. I am way out of my comfort zone. I have to admit that I have not always been the most patient of knitters. my desire for the finished product tends to override any attention to detail. Any knitter worth their salt reading this could be tutting over my sloppiness when it comes to my work and goodness knows, they’d be well within their rights. But this might be the piece that reforms my slovenly ways. A dropped stitch could mean your complete undoing. It forces me to be accurate, careful and to pay attention to my technique. Never before have I had to know my exact measurements so intimately. Casting on becomes an experiment in complex geometry as I work out exactly how much coverage a few stitches in my chosen wool will afford me. Tension has never been so important (and yes, I know it’s always important, no matter what). For all that, I think this might actually make me a better knitter all round.
ELASTICITY IS KEY
After all that work, it’s slightly alarming to hold it up against yourself and see that for all those perfect stitches, that impeccably maintained tension, you’ve somehow managed to make a pair of oversized bloomers and a top that looks like a matching pair of elf hats. Thankfully, that’s before you’ve added the all-important elastic, which brings me back to the main lesson of this project. It turns out that it’s the difference between never stepping outside in anything short of a full wetsuit again, and daring a two-piece. Elastic is absolutely crucial. But once that’s added, everything takes shape (quite literally) and the hard work really does pay off. At long last, you have something resembling an actual bikini! I’ll have to wait for the warmer weather before I can try this out properly (I’ll Ài«!ÀÌ#L>V)®]#LÕÌ#v!À#%!Ü]#*̽Ã#`iw%*Ìi(Þ# an improvement on the navy knickers.