Dr. Robot Head or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Intarsia
But the intarsia, she doesnÂ’t love me.
I had the best of intentions for this little sweater vest. The sweater that lived in my head looked so damn cute on Thumper and all of you were going to want to buy the pattern and knit one, too. See, look at the sketch:
Cute.
And then I knit it up, and it wasnÂ’t so cute. But I thought that a good blocking would smooth things out and produce some kind of blocking miracleÂ… You know the one we hope forÂ… That somehow a mediocre knit will be magically transformed by the addition of water? Yeah, not so much:
Okay, what has she dressed me in now?
If I turn sideways and play with this toy, maybe no one will notice the lame robot head on my vest.
Quick! Save yourselves! Run, before she intarsias again!
The full-frontal, complete with baby drool spots.
I mean, itÂ’s cute. Kind of cute. But the robot head doesnÂ’t really read as a robot head, does it? The sketch just didnÂ’t translate well into stitches. It doesnÂ’t look as crisp as it would need to. Maybe if IÂ’d knit it in a much smaller gauge yarnÂ… Except that IÂ’m not in favor of intarsia on teensy tiny needles for someone whoÂ’s growing as fast as babies and toddlers insist on growing.
I was going to offer the pattern in a wide range of sizes, from 6 months to 4 years and provide a separate chart for each size. If youÂ’re going to pay me for a pattern, I want you to get a well-written one, you know? But thatÂ’s an awful lot of work for something that I donÂ’t think was entirely successful.
I donÂ’t knowÂ… I think IÂ’ll be chalking this one up to experience. ItÂ’s cute enough for Thumper to wear but not really cute enough to sell.
I love these colors together, so I have something else planned in this same yarn that I think will come together much more successfully. Meaning, no intarsia.
I had such high hopes for this little vest. I was insanely pleased with the little sketch. I think I tried to get a little too clever with it, though.
Ah well. ItÂ’s the process, yeah?
I am always so grossly disappointed in intarsia.
The colors are great, and the vest idea is fantastic – some all over pattern. I’d buy it. 🙂 In my humble opinion, vests are way better for kids. All the warmth, none of the bulk in the always moving arms.
Posted by: Holly Jo
Ok, I figured out the problem. Look at your sketch. See the shocked ‘o’ on the robot’s face? That totally would’ve made it.
Who am I kidding? Intarsia hates me too, no matter how hard I try. I taught myself how to knit stranded patterns because I thought they looked pretty (this was in my pre-interknitting days) but intarsia + gauge = pas possible pour moi.
Posted by: Dani B
I agree – the “shock” mouth in the sketch would take it from blandly cute to quirky and funny. Though I wouldn’t knit intarsia if it were custom designed for me by Mr. Fassett himself – but that’s just me.
Posted by: Ruth
umm, if you size it up to 4 I’ll buy it with bells on! I just want a good, simple, knit vest that I can whip up for the little guy, so I would leave out the intarsia (even though i think the idea is cute), use a varieagated yarn (or do stripes) with plain co-ordinating bands and Bob’s your uncle. If you won’t sell it to the masses can you just do a deal with me, lol!! (seriously!!)
Posted by: Kellie
umm, if you size it up to 4 I’ll buy it with bells on! I just want a good, simple, knit vest that I can whip up for the little guy, so I would leave out the intarsia (even though i think the idea is cute), use a varieagated yarn (or do stripes) with plain co-ordinating bands and Bob’s your uncle. If you won’t sell it to the masses can you just do a deal with me, lol!! (seriously!!)
Posted by: Kellie
It sucks when the picture in your head doesn’t match what comes off your needles! Happens to me all the time . . . the joy of designing!
I think it looks cute but I wouldn’t have known it was a robot if you hadn’t said so. I thought it was cookie monster. =)
Posted by: ivete
That kid is just so darned cute.
Posted by: Amy
I think it’s great! It’s cute and I love the vest for practical reasons. I think you should write it up and post it… buyer beware LOL
Posted by: liz
I am always so grossly disappointed in intarsia.
The colors are great, and the vest idea is fantastic – some all over pattern. I’d buy it. 🙂 In my humble opinion, vests are way better for kids. All the warmth, none of the bulk in the always moving arms.
Posted by: Holly Jo
Ok, I figured out the problem. Look at your sketch. See the shocked ‘o’ on the robot’s face? That totally would’ve made it.
Who am I kidding? Intarsia hates me too, no matter how hard I try. I taught myself how to knit stranded patterns because I thought they looked pretty (this was in my pre-interknitting days) but intarsia + gauge = pas possible pour moi.
Posted by: Dani B
I agree – the “shock” mouth in the sketch would take it from blandly cute to quirky and funny. Though I wouldn’t knit intarsia if it were custom designed for me by Mr. Fassett himself – but that’s just me.
Posted by: Ruth
umm, if you size it up to 4 I’ll buy it with bells on! I just want a good, simple, knit vest that I can whip up for the little guy, so I would leave out the intarsia (even though i think the idea is cute), use a varieagated yarn (or do stripes) with plain co-ordinating bands and Bob’s your uncle. If you won’t sell it to the masses can you just do a deal with me, lol!! (seriously!!)
Posted by: Kellie
umm, if you size it up to 4 I’ll buy it with bells on! I just want a good, simple, knit vest that I can whip up for the little guy, so I would leave out the intarsia (even though i think the idea is cute), use a varieagated yarn (or do stripes) with plain co-ordinating bands and Bob’s your uncle. If you won’t sell it to the masses can you just do a deal with me, lol!! (seriously!!)
Posted by: Kellie
It sucks when the picture in your head doesn’t match what comes off your needles! Happens to me all the time . . . the joy of designing!
I think it looks cute but I wouldn’t have known it was a robot if you hadn’t said so. I thought it was cookie monster. =)
Posted by: ivete
That kid is just so darned cute.
Posted by: Amy
I think it’s great! It’s cute and I love the vest for practical reasons. I think you should write it up and post it… buyer beware LOL
Posted by: liz
I can’t answer this. Copious quantities of ’80’s knitting resulted in Post Traumatic Intarsia Disorder.
Posted by: claudia
It IS cute, but I agree with your judgment – is it cute enough? There’s something about the fact that the robot head is the same size as your child’s head, and one is positioned directly above the other…. I’m not sure. Maybe if the robot head was offset to one side a bit and, as someone else said, the mouth were an O? The robot’s slash mouth is a little bit grim?
Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport
It’s really cute, lady. I think the robot head does actually read well.
Posted by: jenn
i’m with jenn. i don’t see the problem. looks like a robot from here.
but i am not your target audience: i don’t knit for kids.
Posted by: carolyn
I get what you’re saying but I’m with jenn and carolyn–it definitely reads like a robot head to me. as for the cuteness factor, i guess it’s all in the eye of the beholder, really.
Posted by: Michelle
I agree with someone above you market it as a plain vest and the robot vest thereby killing two birds with one stone.
I think it reads well as a robot. Although your stetch had a different mouth and a dark defining line between the the shades of blue.
Posted by: Jean-Anne
I think it’s totally adorable and would buy the pattern knit it for my son. I love robots and, whether the mouth is an “O” or not, I think it looks good. This vest just might entice me enough to try the feared intarsia.
Posted by: Christine
I tend to agree with Jenn, Carolyn and Em: the vest looks very cute. I have to confess, though: Thumper could wear burlap and mud and I would still be utterly dazzled.
Posted by: regina
I agree with the comment about offsetting the robot to the left or right. The sketch is really cute, but maybe the robot’s head is too big when you translate it to stitches?
You get an A+ for effort, at lesast. (And the use of color looks great, too!) 🙂
Posted by: TheSteph
I think it’s adorable!
Posted by: Chantelle
The mouth shape was cuter in the sketch, just as everyone has pointed out. But also, the eyeballs in the sketch are triangles. That gives a lot of expression too. I think if you had left those features the cuteness of the sketch might have come across.
You could use duplicate stitch to rework the features….
Posted by: LaurieM
Change the blues to greens and I think you’ve got Shrek. (Not sure about copyright issues on that, though.)
The robot head is such a great idea…worth not giving up on, methinks.
No matter what, though, Thumper has an adorable new vest!
Posted by: Jean
Soooo cute!
Posted by: yaiAnn
I personally think it is the most adorable little sweater vest ever. I absolutely would buy it!
Posted by: Amber
Perhaps if the robot’s shoulders ended a few stitches before the side seam (from the picture… maybe 8 or so stitches on eac side?) then the idea of “robot” would be more clearly defined. Of course that adds another level of complexity… I agree with the other commentors that the “oh” mouth would also be a great addition. And I’m with you in that the colors are damn cute!
Posted by: Gry
I agree: triangle eyes, “o” mouth, offset head. Also, in your sketch, there is no dark blue trim around the neck and arms. Maybe trimming in matching blue would look more modern? or something?
Posted by: Michele
If the Robot head had a neck it would be slightly more defined. Also, if the vest’s neck and armhole edging was the same light blue as the background, I think it would work better as well. Maybe try some mini-samples of the vest front to test different expressions, facial feature shapes, robot neck shaping, etc. This will give you an idea of what will work.
Posted by: Kim in TO
I think it’s quite cute, actually, but you’re right a smaller gauge might make it pop more. Also, if you add some more contrast red on the robot head – maybe at the sides for bolts at the ears or something like that – it might translate to “robot” more. But still, very cute. I agree with you. I have real problems with intarsia – tension ugh – and my stitches where the color changes are always puckering or too loose! Frustration!
Posted by: connie
I think its cute. How about a more defined neck to square off his head? Also, what about a darker yarn for Mr. Robot himself. I like the two blues together but the colors merge a little where you may want more contrast.
Posted by: LizD
I can’t answer this. Copious quantities of ’80’s knitting resulted in Post Traumatic Intarsia Disorder.
Posted by: claudia
It IS cute, but I agree with your judgment – is it cute enough? There’s something about the fact that the robot head is the same size as your child’s head, and one is positioned directly above the other…. I’m not sure. Maybe if the robot head was offset to one side a bit and, as someone else said, the mouth were an O? The robot’s slash mouth is a little bit grim?
Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport
It’s really cute, lady. I think the robot head does actually read well.
Posted by: jenn
i’m with jenn. i don’t see the problem. looks like a robot from here.
but i am not your target audience: i don’t knit for kids.
Posted by: carolyn
I get what you’re saying but I’m with jenn and carolyn–it definitely reads like a robot head to me. as for the cuteness factor, i guess it’s all in the eye of the beholder, really.
Posted by: Michelle
I agree with someone above you market it as a plain vest and the robot vest thereby killing two birds with one stone.
I think it reads well as a robot. Although your stetch had a different mouth and a dark defining line between the the shades of blue.
Posted by: Jean-Anne
I think it’s totally adorable and would buy the pattern knit it for my son. I love robots and, whether the mouth is an “O” or not, I think it looks good. This vest just might entice me enough to try the feared intarsia.
Posted by: Christine
I tend to agree with Jenn, Carolyn and Em: the vest looks very cute. I have to confess, though: Thumper could wear burlap and mud and I would still be utterly dazzled.
Posted by: regina
I agree with the comment about offsetting the robot to the left or right. The sketch is really cute, but maybe the robot’s head is too big when you translate it to stitches?
You get an A+ for effort, at lesast. (And the use of color looks great, too!) 🙂
Posted by: TheSteph
I think it’s adorable!
Posted by: Chantelle
The mouth shape was cuter in the sketch, just as everyone has pointed out. But also, the eyeballs in the sketch are triangles. That gives a lot of expression too. I think if you had left those features the cuteness of the sketch might have come across.
You could use duplicate stitch to rework the features….
Posted by: LaurieM
Change the blues to greens and I think you’ve got Shrek. (Not sure about copyright issues on that, though.)
The robot head is such a great idea…worth not giving up on, methinks.
No matter what, though, Thumper has an adorable new vest!
Posted by: Jean
Soooo cute!
Posted by: yaiAnn
I personally think it is the most adorable little sweater vest ever. I absolutely would buy it!
Posted by: Amber
Perhaps if the robot’s shoulders ended a few stitches before the side seam (from the picture… maybe 8 or so stitches on eac side?) then the idea of “robot” would be more clearly defined. Of course that adds another level of complexity… I agree with the other commentors that the “oh” mouth would also be a great addition. And I’m with you in that the colors are damn cute!
Posted by: Gry
I agree: triangle eyes, “o” mouth, offset head. Also, in your sketch, there is no dark blue trim around the neck and arms. Maybe trimming in matching blue would look more modern? or something?
Posted by: Michele
If the Robot head had a neck it would be slightly more defined. Also, if the vest’s neck and armhole edging was the same light blue as the background, I think it would work better as well. Maybe try some mini-samples of the vest front to test different expressions, facial feature shapes, robot neck shaping, etc. This will give you an idea of what will work.
Posted by: Kim in TO
I think it’s quite cute, actually, but you’re right a smaller gauge might make it pop more. Also, if you add some more contrast red on the robot head – maybe at the sides for bolts at the ears or something like that – it might translate to “robot” more. But still, very cute. I agree with you. I have real problems with intarsia – tension ugh – and my stitches where the color changes are always puckering or too loose! Frustration!
Posted by: connie
I think its cute. How about a more defined neck to square off his head? Also, what about a darker yarn for Mr. Robot himself. I like the two blues together but the colors merge a little where you may want more contrast.
Posted by: LizD
I think it’s really cute, especially on Thumper.
Posted by: Oiyi
I think it’s because in the sketch, there is black between the two blues. If you outlined in black (either in intarsia or afterwards with embroidery floss or maybe duplicate stitch), I think the robot would pop a lot more. (Just a theory)
Posted by: aimeedewar
If you added red bolt ears, a neck and maybe a tiny red light on the top of his noggin… I’d brave intarsia to knit it for any one of my three nephews and neice.
Posted by: fluffy geek
Maybe if you used some black to outline the robot? You could use duplicate stitch and make the knobs stand out more. It’s a really cool idea/
Posted by: Laura
I knew it was a robot when I saw it the other day! A cute robot, even. And robots are so popular for kid stuff right now.
Posted by: Laura
I think it’s cute. After reading your concerns, the first thing I thought was, maybe if it had a neck she’d like it better? Hmm.
Posted by: Collette
I’m thinking it would look more roboty if you omitted the little topknot (so the top of the head was…16 stitches across). That’s kind of how you had it in the sketch, anyway.
I’m glad you posted this. I was disconcerted about the disappearance of the original post.
Posted by: keli
Intarsia is overrated. I mean it. The sweater is cute. Don’t be too disappointed. Thumper’s probably out grown it already anyway!
Posted by: Juliette
It is cute. You know what it is, though? It’s the head of an evil Cyberman from Dr. Who.
Posted by: Sharla Smith
It is cute. You know what it is, though? It’s the head of an evil Cyberman from Dr. Who.
Posted by: Sharla Smith
Hm. I think that it could be saved, if you want to try. The change in the orientation of the robot’s mouth made a big difference to me, from the sketch, and I think two more changes might help a lot: Move the robot down on the vest, so that we get less of his body and more “white” space above his head, and also I’d lose the bump on top of the robot’s head. The curve the v-neck adds into the fabric makes the head read more human and less robot to me.
…But if you don’t feel like putting in the work, it’s a totally adorable learning experience. (And I still owe you an email about road-tripping with baby!)
Posted by: Amy
I’m afraid of intarsia. There, I said it. You know what, though? If you designed a great vest, people could use it and knit any ole design they wanted on it. Your robot has great potential. And Thumper is just so adorable. xo
Posted by: Karma
I would totally wear that. Because I am twelve.
Seriously, if I saw a kid in that I would freak out, cause it’s cute.
Posted by: Lala
I think some duplicate stith outlining to differentiate the robot from the background might make it pop more. I love it though. Just the way it is.
Posted by: Heather
I think it’s really cute, especially on Thumper.
Posted by: Oiyi
I think it’s because in the sketch, there is black between the two blues. If you outlined in black (either in intarsia or afterwards with embroidery floss or maybe duplicate stitch), I think the robot would pop a lot more. (Just a theory)
Posted by: aimeedewar
If you added red bolt ears, a neck and maybe a tiny red light on the top of his noggin… I’d brave intarsia to knit it for any one of my three nephews and neice.
Posted by: fluffy geek
Maybe if you used some black to outline the robot? You could use duplicate stitch and make the knobs stand out more. It’s a really cool idea/
Posted by: Laura
I knew it was a robot when I saw it the other day! A cute robot, even. And robots are so popular for kid stuff right now.
Posted by: Laura
I think it’s cute. After reading your concerns, the first thing I thought was, maybe if it had a neck she’d like it better? Hmm.
Posted by: Collette
I’m thinking it would look more roboty if you omitted the little topknot (so the top of the head was…16 stitches across). That’s kind of how you had it in the sketch, anyway.
I’m glad you posted this. I was disconcerted about the disappearance of the original post.
Posted by: keli
Intarsia is overrated. I mean it. The sweater is cute. Don’t be too disappointed. Thumper’s probably out grown it already anyway!
Posted by: Juliette
It is cute. You know what it is, though? It’s the head of an evil Cyberman from Dr. Who.
Posted by: Sharla Smith
It is cute. You know what it is, though? It’s the head of an evil Cyberman from Dr. Who.
Posted by: Sharla Smith
Hm. I think that it could be saved, if you want to try. The change in the orientation of the robot’s mouth made a big difference to me, from the sketch, and I think two more changes might help a lot: Move the robot down on the vest, so that we get less of his body and more “white” space above his head, and also I’d lose the bump on top of the robot’s head. The curve the v-neck adds into the fabric makes the head read more human and less robot to me.
…But if you don’t feel like putting in the work, it’s a totally adorable learning experience. (And I still owe you an email about road-tripping with baby!)
Posted by: Amy
I’m afraid of intarsia. There, I said it. You know what, though? If you designed a great vest, people could use it and knit any ole design they wanted on it. Your robot has great potential. And Thumper is just so adorable. xo
Posted by: Karma
I would totally wear that. Because I am twelve.
Seriously, if I saw a kid in that I would freak out, cause it’s cute.
Posted by: Lala
I think some duplicate stith outlining to differentiate the robot from the background might make it pop more. I love it though. Just the way it is.
Posted by: Heather