Vogue Silver Belle question

Pattern Central
1

I found this pattern, http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Ratherknit/silver-belle and fell in love. Finally decided to start it and want to make changes to some of it.

I love the neckline on the one in the link. The main thing I want to do is to make this as full length as possible. The way the cable pattern is on the peplum I am wondering if it would be better to do something like 3 large diamonds, then med, then small, so I don’t just have the single cable running up the length. Do you think that will work better……

I also figure I will lengthen the bodice so it almost hits my waist, and then on the inside (so I don’t mess with cables or the line of the top) do a simple belt so that it won’t stretch the top out so much with the added length.

Tammy

2

To make this as full length as possible: do you mean you want it to come mid-thigh? mid-calf?

Anyway, yes…repeat the large diamond as many time as you want…but also repeat the mid-size diamonds as well…to maintain the shape. I think it would look odd to repeat the large diamonds only. The pattern looks like the wider diamonds also have greater width, and as you move up the peplum the narrower and narrower cables in the track contribute to the shaping, ever decreasing until they reach the circumference needed to fit just under the bust. The is what give the sweater its name “Silver BELLE”. Its shape resembles a bell. Anyhoo…

Measure the length of one full large diamond, measure the length of one full medium diamond…then do the math:
“X” number of additional large diamonds= “A” additional length.
“X” number of additional med diamonds= “B” additional length.
“A” + “B” = “C” total additional length.

Next task: determining the additional yardage needed.

I have this pattern marked as a ‘to do’ as well.
Just a darling little sweater!! Good luck with your modifications!

Just my opinion: I wouldn’t make it longer than mid-thigh.

NOTE about lengthening the bodice: this should be done before the sleeve increases, as I’m sure you realize. You don’t want to make the sleeve bigger around. Just had to add that 2 cents.

3

Thanks. I was hoping to try and go almost full length, just not sure. That is why I was thinking a belt underneath at the waist line, to keep it from stretching the top half.

I did mean to repeat the diamonds, all sizes), just didn’t type it very clear LOL!

From what I read in the pattern and looking at others, you CO stitches for the bodice after the sleeve, which I started last night. You work sleeve up to arm pit then CO stitiches to either side that form the front and back of that half of the bodice. This blog shows the parts about half way down the page …

http://theraineysisters.com/?cat=49

4

Ohhhh GOTCHA! What an interesting knit!

So I’ll go read the pattern! The website you linked me to is just full of great photographic shots of the construction! Isn’t hers just a beautiful shade of pink/rose? Wow!

I assume the peplum is knitted separately and then attached/seamed to the bodice?

One thing to remember, the longer the peplum… the more weight will stretch it down towards the floor.

I finished GROVE recently, and in the book Elsebeth gave a % of southward stretch due to the weight of either the mid-calf or full-length versions. (I made the mid-calf version)

Another ‘design’ consideration: if the Raineysisters pink Silver Belle was full- or mid-calf length, it could look like a ladie’s bathrobe, being very feminine in color and patterning.

Do take that into consideration.

5

It definately knits up different, including that the graphs run left to right for row 1 and odd, then right to left for 2 and even rows! Confuses ya!

Mine is going to be a medium coral color. I may stop mid calf, I just have wanted a full length for a long time LOL!

6

I prowled through 10 pages on Ravelry…looking at all the Silver Belle’s on those 10 pages! And there are hundreds of pages! :pout: I will definitely look at all of them before casting on. Yes, one of the knitters was ranting and raving about the backwards charts! Yes, the odd numbered rows are usually read from right to left, and the opposite for even number rows. That is the standard.

Anyways, I really love the collarless look of lilly’s. And I saw more than a few. Also saw a number of longer lengths, but none were mid-calf. That will be an interesting project! I hope to see yours soon!

Please keep in touch! Maybe we could ‘friend’ each other over at Rav! Just click the Rav link in my signature.

The coral color will be great! It won’t look bathrobe-y.

7

Yeah I really like the cable type collars better! There is one other error that is it says K3tog for the trinity (berry) stitch, it should be P2tog.

Thanks, put ya in as friend! Mine over there is birdcrazy, LOL! We have 14 rescue parrots LOL!

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Thanks! Is that you with the gorgeous, shiny red hair? Love the photo!

Rescue parrots! Wow! I love birds. Of any type. I used to raise African finches, Australian finches and canaries. We had a pet lovebird and cockatiel. The cockatiel had a mate for a while and they raised babies…but we found a new home (with friends) for Tilly.
(Reason: When Tilly came, Nacho left us (mentally). As soon as Tilly was gone, Nacho our pet, returned. Long story.)

I had an free-fly aviary for all the finches (trees, plants, fountains, etc) and a few other portable, smaller aviaries for some species. The canaries were in cages for breeding purposes. Just works out better.

But we never had the honor welcoming a parrot or a macaw into our home. Just the itty bitty species of birds. The owl finches were my all time favorites. The gouldians and cordon blues were also a fav! Our Java Rice Finches, being a rambunctious lot, had their own quarters! But they were very prolific and quite popular at the pet stores that bought from me.

Yes, I had Society finches, and the ever popular Zebra finches…however, I eventually had to remove them from the main aviary. You won’t believe this! Because owl finches and zebra finches have similar courting dances and songs…I had “Zebrowls” hatched…and my little owl finch managed to woo a Shaftail finch as well. So I had “Shaftowls”, too. In a free fly aviary, you don’t always see what goes on in the very first hour of dawn…which is their favorite time to ‘get it on’. In the daytime, you do see the dancing and singing and hopping about…but I never dreamed there was cross-over going on! After the fact, when the shaftowls and zebrowls emerged from the nest, I did some reading and research. Sure 'nuff…it is because the song and dance is similar…in other words “hey baby, you’re talking my language! let’s go!”

Anyways, I had to give up my aviary when we moved from our large home in 1999. My aviary was built into a sun porch of the old home! And the back sun room housed the other portable aviaries.

But, no room here at our smaller home. And I must say, we are traveling to the wilderness 6 weeks out of the year, and with all of our children married and grown, it is a huge imposition to ask someone to tend to aviaries. Impossible, really.

Well, I’ve gone on much too long!

Hope I didn’t bore ya to tears! :eyebrow:

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LOL! No not all! We love birds, though they can drive me batty at times! LOL! Which picture, but yeah I have red hair LOL! I didn’t remember posting one over there LOL!