When you're knitting a garment that is steeked up the middle, the neckline, and the armholes, a certain amount of faith that everything is going to turn out OK is involved. And mostly everything did which is rather amazing. There is nothing sweeter than cutting that baby open, trying it on, and realizing that it looks pretty dang close to what I imagined it would look like when I was designing it. The only thing left to do is the covered steek finish on the front opening, which I've already done on the neckline and armholes. Once the front is finished this garment will be reversible. Depending on how I feel I can wear the "right" side or the "wrong" side of the vest with the collar that is laying open showing the other side of the garment. That's right ragazzi, a completely reversible stranded garment!
But, I think it's too short since I would like to be able to wear it with a belt. In the photo I have it pinned with a giant safety pin. As it is, it's not quite short enough to be a cropped garment and not long enough to wear with a belt. So now what? I'm going to try to unravel the garter stitches at the bottom, join it in the round again and knit in the other direction. This seems a little daunting since I will have to tug at some of the reinforcement for the steek that has been cut already, but this wool is so nice and sticky that it just might be doable. Wish me luck!
This a sketch that I drew last summer when I was swatching for this garment. Not too far off, right?
The mother of my high school roommate is Swedish and eventually returned there after a number of years. I haven't seen her in ages but my roomie pointed out my blog to her and she felt moved to send me this cute card and the Swedish stamps that feature knitting. She is really the loveliest lady and it's was so sweet of her to send me the note. I LOVE those stamps! It's nice when a country takes such pride in knitting. I also love that the socks in the big stamp at the top are nothing fancy, just fun, striped socks. Thanks Mommy Rowley! xoxo
23 comments:
Wow. First, your aquarelle skills are amazing. And the knitting! Wow.
That is STUNNING! I love it. I do agree it's a wee bit short and I can't think of a better solution than the one you suggest, but I think the few reinforced stitches affected will be fine.
Ooooo, I have stamp envy.
Your vest is truly stunning! Your talent never ceases to amaze me! Love to stamps too!!!!
What a neat project. I'm sure you'll have no problems lengthening it. That card and stamps are adorable!
I want that vest. It is absolutely gorgeous. Oh man, I wish I could draw like that. You have talent oozing out of your ears. Lol.
Steeking requires such bravery! You have double, to be considering lengthening it too! How is your reverse so neat? Where are all the loose ends? It's fantastic!
I think your proposed fix would work. I would be tempted to do about an inch of an icord bind off on that edge as a temporary measure to keep things where they should be, then just carefully pull it out when you are resteeking!
Love the little chevrons!
Temporary icord bind off, intriguing idea! Where would you put it exactly? Tatiana (tarelkaz on flickr) has suggested knitting a piece in the round and then grafting it on to the existing vest. That sounds like a viable option too.
Vicky, the cool thing about the covered steek is that all the ends are buried inside of it. Beautiful and clean and no weaving in!
Had I not seen the illustration, the vest would have been perfect in my eyes. Actually, it is perfect either way. A work of art.
Beautiful! My fingers are crossed, but I have faith it will all turn out just right.
Your knitting is stupendous! While in high school in the 1960s one of our teachers was married to a Finnish woman who knit in colors. It was trying to learn how to do so myself that I re-learned how to use the needles so I could knit two-color mittens.
Love the stamps!
you know, i actually love how short it is. and while yes it IS too short to wear with a belt, there has to be a proportional accessory that can keep it closed.
i don't know why i feel so strongly that you should leave it short, but i do.
of course, it's totally dependent whether or not you have the right kind of shirt(s) to pull off the shortness.
this is all moot, though, since it seems like you're ready to make it longer (BOO)
PS gorgeous, obviously. you're kind of a color work genius.
I love the idea of this vest! Very clever and I can see the concept applied to a variety of stitch patterns/colorwork techniques. If I were you and in the same situation, I would finish this one as-is and then start another one with a full-on hip length like your sketch . . . but then again I'm nuts like that =) Good luck!
OMG I am blown away by that vest! Agree it should be longer like in your sketch. so gorgeous & reversible! wow! And i have major stamp envy.
Longer with a belt seems so your style, I think you should go for it, although I have no technical advice to offer. I can't believe how lovely the sketch is. Wowser. And I, too, have stamp envy. Sverige!
I'm with Ellen- I kind of love it as is andyou'd wear something longer under it. But then the long belted version if wonderful too. You've outdone yourself with this one - reversible!
Gorgeous sketch - and creation in process - time for your own studio space, oh little black hen
That sketch, that knit, that everything is so very awesome! And oh, if you feel like mailing me anything, I will take the package and those stamps any day. Just saying.
I have no doubt whatsoever that whatever you end up doing, it will bw stunning.
Love the stamps too!
Your illustration is wonderful. You should see the atrocious sketches I pass off in my design submissions. :-)
i love those stamps!! so cool. your knitting project is really pretty, love all the colors and shapes of stitch lines
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