I tink, therefore I am.

I thought I was clever coming up with that title, but I Googled it after it popped into my head, and am compelled to admit that someone else thought of it first.   Anyway, yesterday was a day filled with tinking, as I knit, tinked and re-knit Chinese Lace, trying to get it to work for this Mock Wrap Pullover.  Yes, I know I said I would be doing a boat neck pullover with an allover lace pattern, but then I started thinking about how cute and flattering wrap-style tops are, except that they always gap open, and wouldn't it be nice to have a sweater that had the wrap look, but didn't require an underlayer...and so I came up with this:  a pullover in stockinette with lace borders on sleeves and at the "wrap" edges.  I wanted to try knitting the front in one piece, but after several swatch attempts, I had to conclude that the diagonal pull of the border just doesn't work with Chinese Lace (but I'll file this sketch; I'll try again using a different lace, or maybe a cable pattern).

I'm sure that the reason I kept mulling over different styles is that I'm nervous about how raglan decreases--or alternatively, set-in sleeve shaping--will work with the lace pattern.  I don't want the boxy silhouette of a drop sleeve, but I suppose I'll consider it if nothing else seems to work.

IN OTHER NEWS, I'm almost finished with the pattern for Oliver, for sizes 6 months to 6 years, complete with charts and schematic.  Any interest out there?   Ever wonder about the average upper arm circumference of a child at age 4?  Or the average neck circumference of a child at age 2?  Average hand length at age 10?  No?   Well, then you probably haven't tried to design knitwear for children of various ages.  But if you do wonder about these things, then here is a highly informative webpage, a study called "Physical Characteristics of Children" (scroll down the page for the charts, covering ages 2-12).  For the usual measurements (back waist length, sleeve length to underarm, etc.), the Craft Yarn Council's Guidelines are fine, but for those above--and more--this webpage is IT.  Yes, it is disturbingly subtitled "As Related To Death & Injury for Consumer Product Design & Use," but it's not quite as gory as it sounds; the writers designed the study to help manufacturers of cribs, toys, car seats, etc., come up with safe products.   And if it helps a few knitwear patternmakers come up with better-fitting patterns--why not?