Mirage Pullover

I saw Mirage in More Big Girl Knits and immediately fell in love. While in Singapore, I did the work to go about sizing it down for me, and I couldn’t be happier with the result.

366.214 • mirage (by mintyfreshflavor)

I wore the sweater for my journey home from Singapore—those planes are so cold. On my way out, actually, the man sitting next to me put an extra blanket over me because I looked so cold huddled under my single blanket (and I was wearing a cardigan). Wow, the sweater kept me so comfy warm, I only needed one blanket on each leg. It was uncomfortably warm in the airports, in fact. In all, this sweater has seen Singapore, Korea, Vancouver, and New York.

mirage from the side (by mintyfreshflavor)

I used a thinner yarn on purpose, hoping that I could just knit one of the existing sizes and not have to actually redo all the math. (I’m not afraid of math, but if I don’t have to do it . . .) Happily, it worked out to knit the smallest size in the book. But I actually used the principles and lessons imparted in the Big Girl books to think about whether the motif needed to be sized down further as well. I wanted it to be in proportion—and the tighter gauge accomplished that—but I decided that it needed to be still smaller. However, I swatched the “cable” part (which isn’t really a cable, it’s just an increase on one side and a decrease on the other) at different widths and preferred it the way the pattern indicated. The part I changed was the eyelet panel, which felt too wide as it was. So I dropped it down to just 4 eyelets, instead of 6. The additional stitches were transferred to the stockinette panels.

in line to board in Korea (by mintyfreshflavor)

Mirage (my ravelry page)
Pattern: Mirage Pullover (rav link), from More Big Girl Knits
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, which softened upon blocking and wearing
Skeins: 6
Started: Sunday, July 13
Finished: Saturday, July 26
Needles: Addi Turbo US 5
Notes: I’d figured that there was risk of the sweater falling off my shoulders (and other knitters reported such), so I’d planned to work the yoke further than called for. Because I transferred the stitches taken out of the eyelet panel to the stockinette panels, this meant that I already worked the yoke further in order to decrease until the stockinette section had disappeared on the arms. It was perfect with just that change—probably about 1 additional inch.

sleeve (by mintyfreshflavor)

On the sleeve (above) I didn’t do the increases the way they said—between the purls and the stockinette section—because it produces a distinct jog; instead I did M1s one stitch in on each side. Adds some elegance, to my eyes.

Other mods were to not make yos in the “cable” panel but to do M1Rs and M1Ls. This was no big deal until I got to the short rows at the neck, when working the M1s backward was too much for my brain to handle. I’m not even really sure what I did, but it’s not noticeable so it’s fine.

bottom hem (by mintyfreshflavor)

I think I made the sweater overall too long (that’s the hem above), but I’m not going to change it. I knit until I got to a length I liked—which turned out to be the length given in the pattern—but in the wearing I think it could be about one inch shorter. It doesn’t grow or anything, it just feels too long.

Over the years, I’ve knit far too few sweaters (being a product knitter I tend to love the quick, fast knits), but I want more, more, more—and this was a great first step.

49 Responses to Mirage Pullover

  1. Molly says:

    I’m almost as impressed that you took photos in the airport without being arrested as I am with the sweater itself! Great job on both. ;)

  2. Liz K says:

    That pumpkin color is great on you. Is it me, or do you look kinda sad in the first picture? I’m sure it was hard leaving the folks behind in Singapore.

    Welcome back.

  3. ann says:

    WOW! I love a bunch of the sweaters in that book but it never occured to me to use thinner yarn to down-size. so very clever.

    The fit looks great! Also, the color! Love!!

  4. Saralyn says:

    It’s perfect for you. What a great pattern adaptation. Makes me think about looking more closely at some of the sweaters in that book. Thanks for sharing with us.

  5. LEO says:

    This sweater really turned out great! You wear what could be a problematic color really well, too. I think I agree with you about the length, but I didn’t really notice until you pointed it out and I gave the photos a closer inspection, btw.

    Also, where is all your stuff?!?! How can you survive such long flights with just that one little bag!

  6. Mia says:

    I love the sweater. I love a lot of the sweaters in that book as well. I also need to size down. Thank you for mentioning using a lighter weight yarn to avoid the math.

  7. Kristy says:

    It looks great! It sounds like your mods were well thought out, and the sweater fits you really well. And it’s orange, which I love of course :)

  8. stinkerbell says:

    that sweater looks LOVELY on you… though I think it will be autumn again before you need to wear such a pretty orange in NYC. Just think of the Central Park possibilities! :)

  9. gleek says:

    i love love LOVE it! thanks for explaining all your changes in sizing down. makes perfect sense :) i think that’s the same “cable” that’s on the nutkin socks.

  10. Desiree says:

    It’s really amazing how your free flights take you all over. I would kill myself if I had to fly that many legs and hours to get between here and the US. It’s gotten to the point where I would pay $200 more to save 3.5 hours. I just can’t do it anymore.

  11. Nell says:

    Wait! Can we talk about how you knit a SWEATER in a mere 13 days?!?!?!?!? Wowza. Good job you! Especially since it’s a really cute sweater.

  12. mai says:

    seriously beautiful sweater! i love the color and it fits you perfectly. i know it can be uncomfortable when a sweater feels too long. i tend to prefer longer sweaters, but maybe it’s more that i just don’t like cropped ones :)

  13. whitney says:

    The sweater looks fabulous on you! I like your various mods a whole lot. I’d probably never have even thought to size down a pattern from that book.

  14. Haley says:

    beautiful sweater. just wish it would be easier to replicate. i can’t believe how quickly you churn out sweaters. wish i had time/the skills to do that. oh well. someday. your monkey post is adorable too! why are all the best softies crochet patterns. although sheldon is knit and he’s really cute. have you seen the patterns for pirate sheldon and bikini sheldon–hillarious!

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