Different fiber, Different look

I finished the second shrug, and it is perfect.  It seems apparent that there is much to learn in terms of the properties of various fibers, the effects spinning and structure has on the yarn, and how to compare and substitute fibers.

This is exactly the same as the striped shrug in terms of critical measurements.  The gauge is identical, the same pattern was used and the finished objects share the exact same dimensions.

Looking at the photo however, one can see that the alpaca shrug, shown here,  has a much softer hand, it hangs rather than curls and it drapes differently around the body.  I think this is perhaps more flattering, although careful examination of the photos indicates that the differences are slight.

This sweater drapes over the body whereas the striped wool shrug hugs the curves.

Had I perhaps been a little more astute in my observations, I might have discerned the difference the yarn would make.  If you go back to the previous post and look at the two pattern photos, you notice that the striped sweater is appears much closer to the body than red one.  Yet, as I mentioned earlier, the patterns almost the same and have the same dimensions.  The difference must be more in the fiber than in the pattern itself, as the differences in directions would not account for the difference in fit, and I do not believe that this can be described entirely in terms of potential size differences with different models.

Although I am happy that this shrug lived up to my memories and expectations, especially following the initial disappointment with the first shrug, I find I am most intrigued by the difference fiber choice made in the outcome.

I know that fiber makes a difference.  I am well aware of the differences between say silk, and wool and cotton.  But in the past I have tended towards indifference concerning any perceived difference between wool, cashmere, and alpaca for example.  Obviously this attitude is incorrect.  Just as sewing a dress with the same pattern in very different fabrics can give widely differing results, and different issues with fit as well, I can see that these same issues apply to knitting.  I suppose I have always known this intellectually, but have not always made use of this knowledge in any practical away.

In the past knitting is something I did mostly to have something to do with my hands, for relaxation, for sanity, and for the love of knitting.  But I did not really think about what I was making in terms of how I would wear it and how it would work in my wardrobe.  I just knitted something because I needed to knit something, or I wanted to try a pattern or technique.

I want to change all that.  I do want to incorporate my knitting more into my wardrobe, even though a knitted project takes longer than a sewn project (well perhaps except for the truly special garments).  I also need to pay  far more attention to how I actually want to wear my knits and how the choices I make affect the wearability of the finished garment.

Oh dear, that sounds like so much work. 

Quick, give me something mindless to knit.

Comments

[Vicki]

Happy New Year! It sounds like 2008 is going to be a good year :)

[Toby Wollin]

The fiber, even on a microscoptic scale, makes a huge difference. Wool is like a spring with scales on it. Mohair is more like wavy pasta - it's flatter (that is why you get the really rich colors and more light twinkling off it). Plant based fibers, because of the molecular structure (all the cells line up vertically), tend to slump - that's why knitting with cotton and linen is so challenging in terms of getting the sweater to stay in shape. Those sleeves ARE really growing down. I've never seen a photomicrograph if alpaca but I'll bet those fibers "line up" as well, which helps the drape a lot.

[Gina]

It is a good deal of work, but why approach our knitting any differently than you would sewing or shopping. In fact, knitting is most obviously where this sort of work should be done most stridently -- it takes far too long to knit a garment, so it should a delight (not a dud) when finished.