The good news is that Jacqui's wedding was amazing. She looked stunning, the weather was perfect, there were tons of lovely people there, the food was delicious and the venue stunning. It really couldn't have been better.
I gave her the Myrtille Leaf stole and suffice to say that I know that she loved it. But the bad news is that I completely forgot to take a picture of the finished item. I meant to, really I did, but it was all a bit of a rush at the last minute and somehow it completely slipped my mind. Even as I was wrapping it in purple and cream tissue paper, I didn't think to grab my camera (which was on the table next to me). I shall ask if she can get a nice picture of her with it for me some time this week.
Sometimes I am such a muppet, it's untrue.
So I shall make it up to you all by showing you another FO which happened a while back but taking pictures of navy blue is rather difficult. These are the remanents of a very long grafting and seaming session:
This is a close up of one of the areas of ribbing that went through the grafting operation in order to shorten it. I am quite pleased as you really have to look quite close up to see it. I can obviously see it but I do believe that a good blocking might yet work miracles.
Here's the sweater seconds after I sewed the last end in.
And then I modeled it for the husband.
And some more because I was very very proud to have finished it after all that grafting.
And because it's my first bit of real fairisle, here are more pictures than you really need of the yoke.
In situ:
A close up.
And on me.
I promise that's the last you'll see of her :)
Debbie Bliss ski sweater
- The pattern: Ski Sweater from the Cashmerino DK book by Debbie Bliss
- The yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK bought from Get Knitted.
- The needles: 3.25 and 3.75 Addi Turbos.
- Size: Small. Mmm. If I were to make it again (which I really wouldn't), I'd make it a size smaller as it's a tad bit big in the chest and the sleeves were way too long. I shortened the sleeves by about 7cm each (grafting ribbing is now officially my least favourite knitting technique) and the bottom of the sweater by about 10cm.
- Started: I swatched on the 11th of November 2006 and cast on a few days later.
- Finished: In July. I finished way earlier and the realised that the sleeves and bottom needed shortening so the sweater was rolled into a ball and hidden away for a few months. Luckily I got a few weeks off work and that gave me the space to consider grafting, work out how to graft, knit and test my grafting on a swatch and actually do the grafting. There was a lot of procrastination involved.
- Thoughts: I love the sweater but it doesn't fit as well as I would have liked. I wouldn't tell anyone not to knit it but just measure, measure some more and keep an eye on the overall length of the body and sleeves.
Posted by Amelia at August 5, 2007 08:43 AMVERY VERY nice! And looks great on you!
Posted by: mel at August 29, 2007 09:05 PMI'm almost speechless - I don't think I've ever knitted a sweater that looked as stunning on me as that does on you!
Posted by: Wendy P at August 20, 2007 10:15 PMGorgeous Amelia, it looks great on you, well worth all that grafting.
Still in awe...
Sarah
Posted by: Sarah at August 13, 2007 10:31 AMYou did a wonderful job, the sweater really looks so good on you. Your grafting is made absolutely brilliant, and I like the little 'belt' so much, gives the whole sweater a dot on the i. I am nearly tempted to make it, too, but for having never knitted Fair Isle the 'nearly' is pronounced. A very lovely and charming sweater!
And I had to laugh about how you´ve forgotten your camera, this is so very similar to me, I often forget to take mine with me and then always the best shots are missed.
superbe!
Posted by: vivi's mum (Brussels) at August 10, 2007 02:21 PMAmelia, I have to say that is a work of art!! I'm not certain what you mean by grafting to shorten, but I would sure love to hear more. I will be beginning my first fair-isle project just as soon as the yarn arrives and could use some of your obvious expertise!!
Posted by: Maggie at August 8, 2007 05:43 PMBeautiful and I know it will be enhancing those blue eyes of yours:-) Fabulous job!
Posted by: Jacinta at August 7, 2007 11:45 PMIt looks fantastic, Amelia - and grafted ribbing - that ought to qualify you for something - the Nobel prize?
Posted by: Jill at August 6, 2007 08:43 PMit looks beautiful!!!! it fits you so well! yay!!!
Posted by: carolyn at August 6, 2007 08:23 PMStunning! Beautiful work!
Posted by: Carol at August 6, 2007 03:32 PMIt looks beautiful! Definitely worth all the work.
Posted by: Mary at August 6, 2007 02:50 PMWhat a lovely sweater Amelia. It looks great on you and the fit is perfect. Very well done! Jan xxx
Posted by: Jan at August 6, 2007 02:03 PMoh wow amelia! it looks absolutley gorgeous! after all that struggle it was definitely worth it.
Posted by: jacqueline at August 6, 2007 10:20 AMThe sweater is beautiful, that grafting is amazing ... if I have any to do I will pop it in the post to you!!!
Posted by: Lin at August 6, 2007 08:32 AMThe sweater looks fantastic on you - you have done such a beautiful job. In fact, I have the yarn for the same sweater in my stash & just waiting for the right moment to cast on - the fair isle is the stumbling block.
Posted by: Ann at August 6, 2007 01:45 AMAll I can say is WOW... the knitting is beautiful, and I think it looks superb on. I am always in AWE of your skills!
Posted by: willowcaroline at August 5, 2007 11:40 PMYour sweater is lovely! I know you are not satisfied with the fit, but I think it looks really, really beautiful on you. Congratulations on the grafting, too. I haven't had to tackle that one yet.
Posted by: Susan at August 5, 2007 07:02 PMIt's gorgeous - definitely worth all the effort :0) Now all you need is the snow.
Heather x
ps will email you about a trip to London at the beginning of September !
Posted by: Heather at August 5, 2007 06:54 PMOh Amelia, your sweater is super! All your patience and re-work really has paid dividends and you have a sweater to be proud of! Your knitting is such an inspiration! and I love the colours, Well done! it looks fantastic on you;) I'm glad to hear your friend had fabulous weather on her wedding day, after all the rain we've had recently and sounds like it was a super day! Hope to see some modelled pictures of your stole soon;)
Posted by: Tracy at August 5, 2007 06:45 PMThat's one gorgeous sweater! It looks really nice on you.
Posted by: Ria at August 5, 2007 04:56 PMOh, Amelia, it's *lovely*. I'm really sorry it doesn't fit as well as you'd like, because such beautiful work deserves to be shown off!
It's okay about the stole. :) I'm glad she loved it!
Posted by: Amy at August 5, 2007 04:00 PMIt's beautiful! I think it fits perfectly! The grafting is brilliant. But I know what you mean, I would totally procrastinate on something like that!
Posted by: hege at August 5, 2007 03:38 PMI think it looks beautiful! A cashmerino sweater must feel lovely.
Posted by: megan at August 5, 2007 11:46 AMWow. That is stunning. Just beautiful, and you might find it a little big, but it looks fine, and you might want to layer it anyway come winter. I'm just trying my first stranded knitting out, and you have inspired me to try and do well enough to make something of this beauty now :)
Posted by: Bryony at August 5, 2007 11:45 AMFair Isle scares me! But your sweater is gorgeous. I love the colours and they look good on you.
Pleased your friend loved her stole. Ooops at forgetting the photos :p
Posted by: Laura at August 5, 2007 10:44 AMIt's beautiful Amelia, I'm impressed by the grafted ribbing, I know how much concentration this requires!
Posted by: dawn at August 5, 2007 10:16 AMI think it looks gorgeous on you! What a lovely sweater, great colours too!
Posted by: terhi at August 5, 2007 09:50 AMIt looks lovely!
I am definitely going to knit a yoked Fair-Isle this year...sometime...
Posted by: Diane at August 5, 2007 09:36 AMAhhh, the photos of the finished ski sweater very nearly make up for the missing photos of Myrtille! I think the sweater looks brilliant!
Posted by: Meg at August 5, 2007 09:16 AM