The name of my latest design (almost literally) fell into my lap as I was working with Mum's postcards. While sorting through I found this one among them – a message from then teen-aged Marlene, writing home to her family.
Always on the lookout for a family story to apply to my knits, the irresistible Miss Me Yet became its name even before any of its design details came into view. Then most of these came easily too. And that never happens.
Still swooning over the quince & co. cotton yarn I used for the remake of May, the single skein remaining from that project called to me. I ordered more and Miss Me Yet used up every last bit.
Juliet's Openwork Mitts spawned its lace. The stitch count repeat in multiples of 6 was easily translated to the rib trim variations of its hems, pocket tops, and button lap, and provided elegant hiding places for the invisible shaping of its bodice.
Knit in the round, from the cuffs up, I worked out something entirely new while shaping the sleeves. Increasing only 1 stitch on the round instead of 2 eliminated the visual jog, spiraled nicely, and was an easier story for knitters trying to follow my directions – something I value as much as the design itself.
The stitch pick-up count of a button lap is often more science than art. Too many stitches and it bulges badly, too few and it pulls upward. Aiming at just right I had the additional self-imposed mandates of a count that was divisible by 3 (to match the rhythm of the lace) plus 2 more (for a clean edge), and 4 buttonholes that needed to be spaced evenly from v-neck base to hem. In addition to all of this, but held on the way-back burner for the moment, was my wish that as the 3x3 ribbing joined with the back neckline, its sequence would match the pattern of the stitches that were held there. Too much to ask? Mathematically possible, but in my experience, unlikely – and yet all of this, including the long-shot of the back neckline segue, worked out on my very first try for all 7 sizes.
Serendipity? Sure, but in this case I prefer to employ a bit of magical thinking.
8 glorious test knitters from New Jersey, Texas, Washington, Denmark, Germany, and India are working as I write this to prove out my calculations and check my text. I'll plan to publish in late April once they're done.
I have a good feeling about this one, an angel on my shoulder. And to answer the question posed by its title – yes, Marlene, we surely do.
Update – Miss Me Yet published 4/23/2016.