I started this project on Monday, as soon as I got my Saco Stripes top sewn together.  For my second TTKAL project I’m making a Driftwood Tee, by Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark.  I’ve been dying to use this Manos Serena yarn (color Boysenberry) for ages now.  It’s 60% alpaca and 40% cotton and it’s heavenly soft.

driftI love this color.  I love working with the deliciously soft yarn.  This top was appealing because I think it will also be appropriate for wearing to work at my upcoming position as a school-based counselor.  As a graduate assistant at the library, I could wear any of my hand knits with jeans, and that was fine workplace attire.  Now I will have to consider knitwear for work that can pair with skirts or nicer pants, so this top got to jump to the front of the queue with about 20 days to go until I start that job.

drift-4I’m making a couple of alterations, because sometimes I just can’t help myself.  First, this top would be waaaay to short for me.  I find many tops have about 12 inches or so between the armpit and the bottom edge, and this just doesn’t work for my freakishly long-waisted figure.  I need at least 14.5 inches before I feel comfortable, and I prefer more like 15.5, so that’s what I’m aiming for here.

Waist shaping is not included in this pattern, but that’s easy enough to add with a few measurements.  When I got to about 5.5 inches from the bottom, I marked off the center 28 sts and I mirrored ssk and k2tog decreases on either side of these markers.  I first held a tape measure up to my body with the 15.5 in mark at my armpit, and determined how many inches from the bottom I wanted my waist decreases to start based on my body’s curves, then noted where increases should start again (about 9″ for me).  Since this pattern has a design element on the side, moving the decreases to the center avoids making any other alterations to the pattern.  I also think that center decreases are rather flattering.

Cocktail(Dress) pics tomorrow!

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