The Bookish Girl

Ribbing – making room for baby

I am loving this new blog platform. Truly. I can see who you are! Where your websites are, what email you use…It’s fabulous, a dream come true.

Thank you for the compliments on the sewing. Did you see that my Mom even left one? Moms are great. She has a theory that sewing skips a generation. It seems knitting does not as both of my grandmothers knit. Have you all had this experience in your families?

And we are off to my other most recent finished object. I actually finished 98.7% of this many many weeks ago and it sat in the hat box next to my knitting chair. The part that stopped me? The collar. Picking up stitches for the collar. You see, I love to knit until it makes me think. Then it sits. However, picking up stitches for the collar does not truly require thought, just attention and motivation and well, see the alien inside of me uses up my allotted quota.

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This pattern was written by former Beantowntown girl, La Gringa. This is a fabulous pattern. You should be proud Shannon!

I love the drape and fit of this sweater. I modified the neck from turtle to crew. I wanted to be able to wear this on cool summer nights. A turtleneck would have discouraged me. Added bonus? The ribbing at the bottom will expand to fit my new Hostess Cupcake habit! This is, by far, my best sweater yet. Claudia – I think I found my magic number! Hopefully it’s all up hill from here.

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My hope was to use Shannon’s pattern as an opportunity to write up a tutorial on how to use Excel to modify patterns for size and gauge adjustments. I first did this with my Olympic Hourglass sweater and I found it incredibly useful. It allowed me to make changes on the fly, as I knit my “swatches” (known as sleeves to most people). In the end, I am going to have to hold off. I’m not the best teacher and the whole process involves a liberal dose of “fly by the seat of your pants” which, if you’re not comfortable with Excel or numbers, would frustrate you. If you are comfortable with Excel and numbers you could clearly come up with a spreadsheet on your own – it ain’t rocket science.

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Pattern: A Very Necessary Sweater (link opens .pdf) by Shannon Culbertson

Started: 03/06, Finished: 08/06

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease (discontinued), Color:

Needles: Denise Interchangeables, Size 7 for body;, Size 8 for ribbing

Modifications: Modified Size to fit my figure. Modified neck

Notes: This is a well written pattern. I highly recommend it.

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Related posts:

  1. Love Hate Relationship
  2. Man-a-Long Baby!
  3. The Knitting Parade

32 Comments


  1. shannon says:

    Wow — I think you’re the first to make the sweater from the pattern. I’m thrilled that you’re happy with how it turned out, and I’m loving the crew neck. Thank you for making my day!

    PS — Pink, hmm? Thinking girl thoughts, are we? ;)

    Comment - September 6, 2006 : 9:22 pm


  2. Lauren says:

    Beautiful use of strawberry cream Cotton-Ease.

    Comment - September 6, 2006 : 9:31 pm


  3. gringa.org says:

    Wheeeeee!…

    Bookish Wendy made my Very Necessary Sweater! And she likes it! This makes me so happy. Thank you, Wendy!……

    Trackback - September 6, 2006 : 9:33 pm


  4. Vicki says:

    Looks like bubble gum to me! Hostess Cupcakes… too funny. Your little bump is lookin’ so cute.

    Comment - September 6, 2006 : 9:48 pm


  5. Karma says:

    Oooh! Very cute sweater. Yes, a very necessary sweater pattern. Thanks for the link. You’ll need a few transition sweaters like this when you’re obviously changing shape and yet no one can tell that you’re pregnant yet. This one fits the bill *and* looks fabulous on you! :)

    Comment - September 6, 2006 : 9:57 pm


  6. Martha says:

    Sewing skipped a generation in my family, too. Actually, all crafty activities skipped a generation. My mom taught me to knit, but she had stopped knitting in college. After my granny died, my aunt (completely un-crafty) came downstairs with two large, snakeskin-print-paper hatboxes, looked at me and said, “I know exactly who these should go to!” And I looked at her like she had three heads, because why would I need two large, snakeskin-print-paper hatboxes? Turns out they held my granny’s “stash” (a couple of skeins by that point) and sewing/knitting materials. I still have them, and keep part of my stash (and all my needles) in them.

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 1:59 am


  7. melanie says:

    excellent work my girl!!

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 4:19 am


  8. jenn says:

    the sweater looks great! your bump is also absolutely adorable. hope you’re feeling well.

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 4:31 am


  9. Johanna says:

    Great job. A cotton ease sweater… I think you’ll get a TON of use out of it… and look at your little bell-bell! Believe me, it’s awesome once it really starts to pop and people have a visual for why you feel whatever you are feeling at the moment (hungry, gassy, impatient, tired). Hope you are feeling better and are done with the exhaustion.

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 4:40 am


  10. Kathy says:

    It looks excellent, Wendy. Fits beautifully. You are positively glowing (trite, but true).

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 4:43 am


  11. maryse says:

    yay you!

    you have to show me your excel spreadsheet. i’m quite adept at flying at the seat of pants and i do love an excel spreadsheet.

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 5:07 am


  12. Julie says:

    WOW – beautiful sweater! It looks so soft. I just might have to make myself one of those.

    Love the cute “baby belly” ;)

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 6:13 am


  13. grumperina says:

    That came out very cute and comfy! Enjoy wearing it!

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 6:15 am


  14. Kathleen says:

    Very cute and lovely color mama!

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 6:37 am


  15. Bertha says:

    That looks so great on you! I wanted to knit a sweater to wear this winter that would have room for my growing belly, but I figured by the time I finished it the baby would already be here and who knows if I’d wear it again…but I can see from your sweater here that RIBBING would be the perfect solution! It would still fit after the baby was born! Fabulous shade of pink too!

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 6:54 am


  16. Liz K says:

    Well, sheesh! Now that your blogging platform can see me, I might as well emerge from lurkdom and tell you how great that sweater is. Your baby bump looks simply darling.

    I’ve really been enjoying the baby posts lately, as I have been wistfully remembering my baby days as I put my first kid on the bus to kindergarten this week. It goes by so fast. Congratulations on beginning the most wonderfully wrought journey — with a great sweater to boot!

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 6:55 am


  17. Cheryl says:

    Love love love it. The crewneck makes all the difference. And you look fantastic in it!

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 7:49 am


  18. Monica says:

    Cute sweater and bump! I also think crafting skips a generation. My grandmother could do about anything. My mom fiddles a bit on the sewing machine, but her forte is the kitchen.

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 8:05 am


  19. meg says:

    wow, i love it. it looks so fabulous on you and the color is great.

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 8:39 am


  20. Laura says:

    lovely job! It looks like the sleeves are long enough to tuck your hands in (but the ribbing keeps them up. I love when they’re like that.

    I always prefered the Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Creme Pies to the cupcakes myself…. :)

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 9:33 am


  21. Carole says:

    It’s wonderful, Wendy. And so are you and the growing babeee!

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 9:47 am


  22. anne says:

    welcome to the wonderful world of wordpress! a step up, eh? love the sweater – especially the deep ribbing. Might have to try this one out, I’ve got some orange wool marinating in the mini-stash …

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 10:37 am


  23. Lisa Dusseault says:

    My mom, too, has the theory that sewing skips a generation. I don’t know about ability skipping her by, she did two really cute quilts for me and my sister when we were babies, but it’s true she hasn’t done any significant sewing since then. Maybe she thinks that the interest or commitment to crafty stuff skips a generation. (I do know that interest in gardening has skipped *me* completely even though my mom and grandma are fabulous dedicated gardeners).

    Beautiful sweater!

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 11:54 am


  24. Sarah says:

    Oh I love it! And especially on you, that pink is delightful! I downloaded the pattern, this will be a definite to make!

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 4:17 pm


  25. Kathy says:

    Lovely sweater! And cute lil tummy there, too :-)

    Comment - September 7, 2006 : 8:32 pm


  26. Wanda says:

    Your sweater looks great! I love it! And that’s so nice that it works for your growing baby needs right now!

    Comment - September 8, 2006 : 6:59 am


  27. Kirsten says:

    Lovely sweater! I’m off to check out the pattern right now! Thanks!

    Comment - September 9, 2006 : 6:28 am


  28. Darcy says:

    Adorable! Pink is a very good color on you. Looks very comfy, too. How many balls of the Cotton Ease did you use? I’ve got some stashed away still, too. :)

    Comment - September 9, 2006 : 6:54 am


  29. Jody says:

    You’ve got the cuttest little baby belly! Oh and the sweater is fab too! Love the color!

    Comment - September 9, 2006 : 6:08 pm


  30. Judy says:

    Who is that in the picture. Sob ! Is that really you ? Great sweater.

    Comment - September 12, 2006 : 12:30 pm


  31. Kel says:

    Beautiful sweater and fabulous baby bump! :o )

    Comment - September 18, 2006 : 6:48 pm


  32. chloe says:

    Hi:
    I do so enjoy reading your blog. Not only is it informative but it is also always a good read.
    I wonder if you would share with me just how I go about converting the “Very Necessary Sweater” from a turtle neck to a crew neck.
    Being an inexperienced knitter, I have no idea and really would like to knit this pattern as a crew neck such as you did. I would be eternally grateful.
    chloe eholc77ataoldotcom

    Comment - November 6, 2006 : 5:55 pm

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