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Saturday, February 28, 2015

Aimee's cabled sweater...

Hurrah! It's finally finished-
my lovely sister's Christmas Birthday sweater!
(And, only a few days after her birthday.)
I think she's pleased with it.
At least, she's not telling me if she isn't. ;)
 
 
We've had some more snow & quite cold weather lately.
I'm glad it didn't go *poof* Spring outside so that she can get some good wear out of it,
before packing it away for the season.
I used Wool of the Andes Worsted from Knit Picks in Cobblestone Heather,
and this free pattern by Debbie Bliss from Love Knitting.
 

I just love looking at all the intricate cables.
They really are such fun to knit.
Although, they are time consuming, and brain consuming.
 

 
After all. that. grey.
I was craving some color!
My Cath Kidston Sewing Kit was my color inspiration for this sweater.
I'm using Knit Picks Palette in Rosehip, Wonderland Heather, & Custard.
I just had the yarn in my stash. Knit Picks runs great sales throughout the year,
so I always snag any color I'd like to see in person.
(It's never quite how it looks on my screen!)
Pretty much if it has a cute name I'll like it. =)
 
The pattern is a free WWII era "Your Victory Jumper" from the Victoria & Albert Museam Website.
 
 
Unfortunately, I've run out of my "Wonderland Heather" & I have the sleeves left to knit.
So I'll need to make another yarn order before I can finish. (Tragic I know. I just hate buying yarn.) ;)
 
One of my Aunties has commissioned this fox scarf. So I'll make it in the meantime. :D
Isn't it the cutest thing? It's also a free pattern. (Man, I'm on fire!) :P
I'll be knitting it in Knit Picks' Brava Premium Acrylic.
I've never used it before, because I'm so terribly fond of wool & cotton.
Aunt G. says wool makes her itch so... acrylic it is!
I've never been disappointed with anything I've bought from KP so maybe this will be the start of  a new chapter in my knitting. (But I don't think so.) ;)
Photo Source
I'm glad I squeezed this post in before the end of February.
Tomorrow, being March 1st, is my unofficial First Day of Spring. :D
I've got plenty-o-cotton yarn in the stash to start planning some warm weather knits...

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

THE Miss Lemon Sweater - Part 3 - The Finished Project...

I attended a Midwinter Literary Ball on Saturday,
 hosted by Lily (of Mode de Lis) and her family.
I had such a lovely time!
 Unfortunately, I didn't get "oodles" of photos of my sweater as I had intended.
I did get at least one nice shot with my sister Kelsey.
(She was Eloise!)
 


{Photo Credit my sweet Bro-in-law Jesse}
 
It was a delightful evening of English & Scottish Country Dancing.
I didn't even step on anyone's toes!
(Although Kelsey & I did collide and bounce off each other once.) ;)
 
I worked on my sweater the entire day of the party.
I had finished my knitting the day before and was working on sewing it up.
After I had one sleeve sewn in I tried it on just for kicks.
Much to my chagrin I discovered that the cap of the sleeve was oddly bulky.
It was about two sizes too big on top!
I tried to think of some way to just make it work, but it was clear I'd have to rework the tops.
I pulled out a vintage pattern with the same set in sleeves I was looking for.
They, thankfully, worked out perfectly.
It must have just been some kind of typo in the first pattern I used.
(I made sure to mark some notes on there so this never happens again!) ;)
 
For my hair I attempted some finger waves using a curling iron.
Then I just put my hair up in a low up-do - trying to keep the sides loose and drapey.
I had wanted to try the tiny curls Miss Lemon does on her forehead, but
alas, I didn't have enough time.
 
Here is a close up of the bow.
I'm really pleased with how it turned out!
I had some shiny vintage black buttons in my stash that worked perfectly too.
 
Overall I'm very pleased with my sweater.
Of course my mind has already moved on &
I'm busily dreaming up new vintage knits to keep my fingers flying.
But, first I must finish Aimee's cabled sweater!
Off I go to work on that now.
(And watch some Poirot.)
:)
 

Thursday, February 5, 2015

THE Miss Lemon Sweater - Part 2 - Knitting...


Just a quick post to let you all know I'm still alive.
{Tee hee} ;)
Well, I've been feverishly knitting away at my sweater.
I am absolutely in love with the color of the yarn.
I think it's simply perfect!
(Thank you, Lord!)

 
After I had the back & left front completed
I started to measure the front edge to space the buttonholes evenly on the right front.
I took another look at the pictures to see how many buttons the original had.
I counted 5, but found a problem.
Look at the bottom band - no buttons.
I had read here that this sweater is a pullover made to look like a cardigan.
But, I wanted to make a cardigan.
I can see now that this would just make it harder for me.
So...I ripped back the left front & just made a whole front.
(If only I would think things through in the first place
I would save myself so much time & frustration!)
Oh well! Lesson learned. :)
I think it will be much easier to do the slip-through bow with the band just added to the front.
Rather than trying to finagle it through an opening in the front band of a cardi
using some sort of giant buttonhole.
All I have left to knit is 1/2 a sleeve, the bow, & the band.
I'm just doing plain stockinette stitch so it's moving along nice & quickly.
I plan on using grosgrain ribbon or bias tape to face the neck opening.
Well, it's waiting for me in my comfy knitting chair.
Best get back to it...I only have 2 days.
^_~