Quadrille Details

This door has a secret panel in it . . . but where?

I am quite pleased with the way my Quadrille turned out.  I was 10 stitches short when I finished (wonder where that happened . . . ), but that doesn't seem to have caused a problem.  The fit at the top is exactly what I envisioned.

I changed the bind-off slightly so that the eyelets would be centered under the picots.  The eyelet is formed with a five stitch repeat and the bind-off works two stitches of the previous row for each picot.  I saw that this wasn't going to produce the effect I desired, so I bound off alternating numbers of stitches and the picots came out in little pairs.

I could have made the picots themselves pointier by not knitting the first stitch of each before binding it off.  But I think the little humps are charming and go with the circular cables perfectly.

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I had a good time deciding what I wanted to do with the ribbon.  I tied the front one into little ribbon roses, but nylon ribbon doesn't stay well in roses and I ended up stuffing most of them down the front of the bodice.  I liked the back lacing shown in the book, but it took awhile to figure out how that was done.  

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I tried my Quadrille on the night before I took pictures so I could cut the ribbon to appropriate lengths.  I had my daughter with me to help smooth, tug, and tie, and I missed her terribly when setting up for the photo shoot.  This is not a piece to get dressed in by yourself if you can help it.  Just saying.

My body is not a very good shape for a corset.  I have a naturally small waist and ample hips, but my ribs are prominent and my bust is . . . not.  I can't decide whether or not the circular cables help.  But the piece is lovely and I will wear it proudly as a vest-like contraption as long as I have a willing assistant to smooth, tug, and tie!

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