The big sleeve debate

Hi Lulu,

Just to refresh our readers' memories, Kaffe Fassett attended a performance of the ballet, "Romeo & Juliet," and he was quite taken by the enormous sleeves of the dancers' costumes. So the sleeves of his coat are 180 stitches around, on size 10 needles. I knit the first sleeve with 120 stitches, and I omitted some rows (since I'm short).

But then I began to wonder if that sleeve might lack something -- just sit like a barrel on my arm, rather that undulating in an out as the larger sleeve might do. So I knit the second sleeve full size.

I worked till 3 in the morning of "Kaffe Fassett Day" (the day of the workshop and evening slide show), grafting the bodice to the skirt sections, sewing the skirt seams, and sewing in the sleeves. I was on the ferry to Vashon Island bright and early so I wouldn't be late, and was still sewing in sleeves as I sat in the parking lot before class. I was so sure the 180-stitch sleeve would be the final choice, I sewed it in carefully, while I sewed in the 120-stitch sleeve with long, loose basting stitches.

To my surprise, when I asked Brandon and class members their opinions, there was no hesitation or disagreement: the smaller sleeve was better.

And after posing with Kaffe for the photo (see my post, "Kaffe Fassett Comes to Town," October 2010), I pointed out the difference in the sleeves. and asked the Master whether it was acceptable to use the smaller sleeve.

He nodded, "Yes," also without hesitation.

So the HUGE sleeve has been frogged, and I'm knitting a mate to the smaller sleeve. Good friends took photos on a lovely October day so we'd have a permanent record of the two sleeve sizes. What do you think? (The big sleeve is on my left arm.)

Buffy

P.S. My only regret? The bigger sleeve was not only 50% wider than the smaller; I also made it the full length called for in the pattern. It was so long that when I dropped my arm, it drooped down and half-covered the forearm ribbing. Now I wonder whether full circumference but shorter might have worked? Ah well, it's too late now! (Oh...and if you'd taught middle school math, as I did, you'd know that 120 is 33% less than 180, but 180 is 50% greater than 120. :)