November 8, 2007

Help with kit 89!

Help with kit 89!
Knitting the fabric was easy, but I am having trouble with the construction of the garment! Does anyone have the pattern, and, if so, help me interpret how the shoulder seams are sewn together?
Thanks in advance.......... Barbara

10 comments:

Ruth said...

Hi Barbara,
I have this kit -- in fact, it just came in the mail today! What kind of questions do you have about the shoulders?

Ruth said...

I left a comment on your original post yesterday in which I questioned your interpretation that the front and back ought to be knit the same -- I think the front and back ought to be mirror images, and then you seam one shoulder completely closed and leave the other almost entirely open. Could this be your problem?

Barbara said...

If the front and back are knit as mirror images, then one shoulder seam will be so low, that there is no room for the arm to go through. It would look way too asymetrical, and the one I tried on at the trunk show was not.
btw, please let me know if I am posting my comments in the correct manner!

Ruth said...

You must be right. I was giving my comment more thought earlier today, and I came to the same conclusion -- each side must have a low shoulder and a high shoulder.

So my understanding is that you have two pieces, one front and one back, each with 36 stitches bound off on one shoulder and a long decrease line on the other shoulder that was shaped over 36 rows. For the right shoulder, can you then take the decreased line of the back (36 rows long) and match it up 1 row for 1 bound-off stitch to seam it to the front? Then for the left side, you'd have the bound-off edge on the back and the decrease line on the front. You'd seam only the bottom 4.4" of those two pieces together, and then you'd leave the rest open and make the seven buttonholes as specified in the pattern, sewing the seven buttons onto opposite sides as shown in the diagram.

Yes, you're posting comments right!

Barbara said...

Thanks, Ruth. I think you're right. It's difficult for me to see the bound off stitches as 36 in number, but there must be, since I worked 36 rows doing them. It's going to be a difficult sew (for me). In addition, I have the back 36 stitches on stitch holders. I guess I will bind them off, and then start to sew. I think if I do this pattern again, I will forget the buttons (you can hardly see them anyway)and simply make both shoulders square, like an Issey Miyake pattern. It would be much easier, and probably hang better. Thanks for your help! If you discover anything else while making the pullover, let me know!

Ruth said...

You're welcome, Barbara! I'll look forward to seeing a picture, if you can figure out how to post them.

Barbara said...

For anyone attempting this pattern...... the front and back are mirrored. The hem is slanted, which is difficult to figure out, just looking at the diagram.

Jud said...

Just a general copmment re Habu. I am on my third pattern with Takako. I find her very responsive - one time she returned a call while she was changing planes on her way to CA - but I have also helped her to edit and revise some of the patterns. There are errors, or at least, easily misunderstood instructions. But I so enjoy the whimsy and sort of Comme des Garcons look of the work that I'll try anything from Habu.

Barbara said...

Thanks for the input, Jud. Takako has been great response wise. I too have been emailing her. And the patterns are so much fun! We just need to keep talking among us to straighten a few things out!

Irene M. said...

I recently completed kit 89 and I love it! To make construction easier to visualize, make 2 copies of the diagram and cut them out, use some tape to assemble a 3-D model. You'll see that on the back right side, you'll have a raglan-style seam, on the front right side it'll look like a dropped shoulder. Be sure to leave the button opening on the front left side (raglan), the back left side will look like a dropped shoulder. Also, DON'T mirror the pieces!