Closure
I wanted a perfect ending.
Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme,
and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
-Gilda Radner
Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme,
and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
-Gilda Radner
Let's talk about closure. You all know I'm graduating medical school (in - gasp! - less than three weeks) and gearing up for a big cross-country move. It's the perfect time to re-evaluate past decisions and consciously more forward with deliberate thought. I think it's really important to leave everything tidy and settled. No loose ends.
How great are toggles on Rogue?I'd love you to think that I had a fabulous artistic and creative vision from the beginning, that I was so certain wooden toggles with leather cords would add a perfect complement to the wooly-cabley-goodness of Rogue. A certain je ne sais quai, if you will. That's not quite exactly how it happened, though. What happened is that it was going to take more than three weeks to get my custom 18" double-ended zipper in the perfect shade of red. And in three weeks, I'll be in a car somewhere in that great vast middle of the country. Not the ideal time to face my fears and carefully sew in a zipper, a la Claudia.
So I thought of toggles. And I love them. But you can see the problem, right? They gap. (I do have two other toggles, but when I put them in there, it made the front of the sweater crazy busy.) Maybe I should add them back? I also considered adding a series of hooks and eyes to actually (and invisibly) close it, but that just causes smaller gaps. Any other options you can think of? I love the look of the toggles, and the whole toggle-ness way I can close it, but it's a pretty heavy sweater for wearing mostly open all the time. I could still order the zipper, but I've fallen hard for the look of the toggles instead. My solution for the moment is to wear it closed either at the top or at the middle (but not both at once), and it looks great (photo unavailable due to really bad things going on with my hair). This may be a permanently acceptable solution - it's a jackety-sweater, so I'll always be wearing something under it. But I welcome any and all suggestions (including calling it done) so I can bring some closure to this sweater.ETA: Would an invisible zipper work with the toggles on top of it?
posted by Theresa at 5:05 AM/Permalink
23 Comments:
Hmmm....I don't have any brilliant ideas, but I do like the look of toggles and the idea of keeping it closed with tiny hooks and eyes.
Good luck!
It looks great!
Sorry, but I would go ahead & order the double ended zipper.
Maybe not what you are expecting to hear, but maybe shoy should try putting the top one a little lower? it looks like it may choke you, and if you lower it you could have less gaps.. or at least a smaller one...
If you want to keep the toggles, you'll have to do the hook & eye thing. I might also lower the top one, maybe placing it at the bottom of the cable, so that the neck stays slightly open. As you said, you'll be wearing it like a jacket, so you'll always have something at the neck...The toggles do look great, and Wow! Love your Rogue! It fits wonderfully - I want to knit this but am afraid of it being too bulky on a petite like me. Between you and Claudia, I think I'm going to go for it.
I agree with everyone on adding the invisible zipper along with toggles (or the hook and eye w/ toggles). Also, I didn't think of it at first, but I agree with everyone that maybe the top toggle needs to be moved down a bit. The sweater does look great though!!
I think you should put in a zipper, but leave in the top toggle. Best of both worlds!
Congrats on graduating! Where are you moving? What are you doing for your residency?
(Sorry if this posts multiple times. I'm having difficulty with word verification. They need to better distinguish between what's a g and what's a q!)
Darn it, I was reading your post and thinking, "I've got it! Zipper AND toggles!" but then, oh, I see you've already thought of it.
Anyway, I think that's a solution worth trying. You can order the zipper once you're settled in San Diego, and Rogue will be wearable in the meantime (and unless you're driving to San Diego by way of the tundra, you probably won't be in a situation where you need it fully closed for warmth).
Sorry about taking bad hair photos.
I'd go with one toggle, placed a little lower than currently, as recommended by the previous commenters. You can always add a zipper later, if needed in Southern California.
As far as returning the gloves to the wild, well, they were born in captivity and were imprinted with me as their mother, so I might have to keep them. ;)
I go for the zipper and toggles - best of both.... I think all the hooks and eyes would make it a pain to get in and out of.
It looks great!!, even with what you feel are "closure issues." It's a great color on you.
The color of your Rogue is beautiful and it looks terrific on you!
Congratulations on med school graduation!! : )
I'd still like to see the zipper. I just love Rogue with a zipper. The toggle are cool, though, and you could use them for a different sweater later on.
Congrats on graduating from med school!!!!
I'm going with the toggles and zipper if you really want both, as well as moving the top toggle to the bottom of the cable.
I vote for teeny tiny buttons all down the front, and a button hook for fastening them.
Seriously, it's beautiful. Perfect color, love the cables.
I would go for the zipper and a lone toggle slightly lower than the top one is now.
Congrats on graduating. My dh will finish his second year on Friday and start preparing for the step 1. I am so not looking forward to that!
Well, I'm with the one toggle (maybe at the base of the V) and a zipper gang. -- send the zipper to CA (or order it when you get there). It's a beautiful sweater - Congratulations on finishing med school and your sweater too!
First of all, congratulations on being so sane three weeks away from graduation. I was an absolute basket case. Next, I love the Rogue. And third, for what it is worth, may I point out that yournewcalifornialifestyle is going to take place in a climate where you might not need full closure at all? I would move the top toggle down to the base of the V and keep the middle toggle where it is, and delete the bottom toggle. You don't want to be fussing with little hooks and eyes and toggles and zips every time you wear the thing. Keep it simple. But that's just my 2 cents worth, as a wearer of Rogue in a balmy clime.
Rogue is gorgeous! I agree with the people saying to move the top toggle down to the bottom of the cables. Then if you move the middle one slightly, it might solve some of the gap problems. Congrats on graduation!
To toggle or not to toggle? that is the question. The toggles are very "I'm moving to the Pacific Northwest to catch me a latte-loving, Proust-reading backwoodsman." This, as you know, is my idea of heaven. So I say: huzzah, toggles!
Of course, having no practical notion of how to prevent sweaters from gapping I bow to the superior wisdom of actual knitters. I would say avoid gaps if possible. Having just spent the better part of four months teaching pubescent males, I'm now incredibly conscious of ANYTHING that might be construed as a chestward attention grabber.
How go preparations for the big move to my time zone? :)
I think you need the zipper, but I'd keep the toggles as decoration. I'm a firm believer that there is such a thing as too much accessorizing, but I think the toggles look fantastic, and I can see why you're so attached to them.
Wendy
Terri, Knit something else designed around the toggles and order the zipper. The sweater is too pretty to compromise it with the gaps. You know that you need to do this anyway, right? Love, Aunt Carol
Congrats on finishing the cardi! It looks beautiful. I love toggles as much as the next person, but I would order a zipper. The toggles take people's eyes away from the intricacies of the cardi itself.
Congratulations on finishing medical school. That is a real hurdle. Which residency will you be doing? Enjoy your time in between. It only gets busier.
I think the red sweater is cute. The toggles really add to it. If you were like me and rarely ever zipped up / buttoned cardigans just the toggles would probably be fine. But a zipper would finish it off nicely.
Well anyways, very nice job on the sweater.
Post a Comment
<< Home