Retakes
I’ve found that it’s particularly easy to soften your husband towards the idea of cafes au lait, brioches, and canelets if he’s spent the early hours of the morning helping you clean the house prior to the arrival of your entire family. He hardly even blinked when I suggested that the camera might accompany us for some retakes of Brigitte. So off we all went to St. Honore, which was hopping. Finally there was a hiccup in the stream of salivating customers, so we took these:
Brigitte, née Bergere de France Pull Ouvert, for the Tour de France Knit-along
Yarn: Bergereine, 50% wool, 50% cotton, 9+ skeins créole and 2 skeins gomme; The Fiber Co. Savannah, merino, cotton, and other natural goodies, 1 skein crimson
Needles: US #4 and #6
8-29 July 2007. . . a new land-speed record for sweater knitting by yours truly.
Modifications: Translated from the French, front cross reverse engineered from the (excellent) pattern photos after the written directions went up in smoke, back shaping altered to accommodate a full collar, new yarn substituted for the originally intended “curry” to make the sweater more wearable outside hunting season.
Impressions: I’m glad I gave this intriguing pattern a shot. It wore me out and my hands were sore for a week after I finished because I logged so many hours trying to make my end-of-Tour deadline. This sweater was a lot of work and probably would have taken me months to complete without the knitalong, but it seems to be pretty wearable. The bulk of the fabric and the torque of the zig-zag pattern made for rather hefty shoulders; I almost feel as if I ought to pad them out, 1940’s style. If I sort of tug and pat them into place, they’re not too bad. As much as the torsades (cables) were a pain with the interlocking yarns, I love the way they look.
I also love the effect of the twisted rib — too bad it’s such tortuous knitting for us throwers. Mr. G’s Fishtrap Aran was also essentially a whole mess of twisted rib. It seems I’m drawn to those snug, natty stitch columns, no matter how long it takes me to work them.
Speaking of tortuous knitting, next time I’ll reveal the big wedding stole plans. I think you’ll be impressed. Heck, I’ll be awfully impressed with myself if I can pull this one off by next May.
Posted: August 11th, 2007 at 11:51 pm
Um. Where do you get your hair cut again? Gorgeous! (And so is the sweater.) I love St. Honore! Have you had their beet salad?
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 12:02 am
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Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 3:02 am
i love it! great photos
i didn’t realize that twisted rib was torture to throwers. kaitlyn said that she didn’t like the twisted rib on charades and now i know why!
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 4:37 am
I’m in awe. And in love! That’s a gorgeous, gorgeous sweater. If you ever wish to share your english translation notes (incomplete, error prone is perfectly fine with me, as long as I can see the original too), I’d love to check it out.
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 6:09 am
oh, wow, gorgeous!!!
and the sweater look ok, too.
hee hee. kidding, naturally. another wonderful display of your mad knitting skillz. 
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 6:25 am
Amazing, as always. Congrats on setting your very own land-speed record!
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 6:53 am
lovely, lovely, lovely. and you can do the stole! just figure out how many rows per day/week you need to get done, then give yourself some wiggle room, and set a goal. (this from the woman who never did cast on the shawl for her wedding, lol)
i have faith!
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 7:17 am
It looks amazing. When I first saw the pattern on your blog, I was a little confused by it but you really did wonders with it. It’s great. Congratulations!
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 8:46 am
Brigitte is lovely! nice work.
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Brigitte is gorgeous on you!! Congrats on making the deadline. So nice of hubby to be okay taking photos of you and brigitte at the bakery
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 9:47 am
It really is beautiful and flattering on you! Love the shots in the bakery!
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 9:50 am
Wow! You’d never know it feels bulky to you – it looks gorgeous on you! And the background is quite appropriate, too – looks like a fun place to go (Yum – I love breads of all kinds).
I’d be frightened to even try that knit (especially after the warning that twisted ribbing is torture for us throwers…uh oh). Congratulations on finishing so quickly!
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
So beautiful. The colors work well together and the shape looks fantastic on you. I know you think the shoulders look a little “hefty”, but on your slender frame they work very well. Let us know what you think of (knitting with and wearing) 50/50 wool/cotton, please!
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Lovely! Well done! Amazing that you were able to knit it so quickly as it is so complicated. Excellent colors.
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Thanks to you and Mr G for going through the trials and tribulations of yet another trip to St Honore so that we may see these gorgeous photos!
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
I’m afraid someone at Knit-Purl let me in on your secret. I promise I won’t tell – just get yourself tons of hand lotion;)
Posted: August 12th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Vraiment belle!! I love the colours you ended up using. I hope you get lots of wear out of it as the cooler weather approaches.
Posted: August 13th, 2007 at 3:36 am
Beautiful!!!! I too am always drawn to the twisted rib. I too am a thrower. Sigh….
Posted: August 13th, 2007 at 6:57 am
it’s really, truly stunning. i’m blown away. and the photos are a dream. i’d be too shy to take photos in a coffee shop, but it’s totally worth it.
Posted: August 13th, 2007 at 7:18 am
So cute! And the boulangerie setting is perfect.
Posted: August 13th, 2007 at 7:56 am
I’m a thrower, not a picker, and I’m confused as to why twisted stitches would be more difficult… To me, they seem as easy as non-twisted stitches! Am I missing something?
And to add to my confusion: I’ve never heard of a canelet! I had to google it to find that it’s a specialty of Bordeaux, in the south west, and I come from the north east of France.
But here’s one thing I’m not confused about: Brigitte is lovely! Congrats
Posted: August 13th, 2007 at 9:06 am
Gorgeous!
and now I want a pastry.
Posted: August 13th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Hurray! What gorgeous pictures. Brigitte looks great on you! The color fits the pattern very well.
Posted: August 13th, 2007 at 11:03 am
Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous!
Posted: August 13th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Wow, that is a stunning Brigitte! The colors are perfect, and you did a great job! And congrats on the new record, that’s a pretty fast knit! Good thing your arms didn’t fall off, cause then you wouldn’t be able to wear your lovely sweater jacket
Posted: August 13th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
It looks even more gorgeous — I can see why you are drawn to it! I love the overlapping cable in the front.
Please start a support group for knitters drawn to torturous knits. I will join in minute! Can’t wait to see your wedding stole plans…
Posted: August 14th, 2007 at 5:52 am
That is one stunning piece of knitting! Bravo!
Posted: August 14th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Those pictures are cute as punch! Great sweater!
Looking forward to seeing your wedding stole plans… I’m currently spinning the yarn for a wrap that I plan to design and knit before my wedding next July… I alternate between being really excited and freaked out about it.
Posted: August 14th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Wow, what a beautiful intricate piece! Love the photos too.
Posted: August 15th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
you are so completely audrey hepburn. the sweater suits you very well and is some pretty knitting.
Posted: August 16th, 2007 at 1:37 am
Hi,
love your blog and your knits. I tagged you – just have a look on my website. It is in German, but I think you will easily understand
Andrea
Posted: August 16th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Wow. Thanks for the extra photos, I love seeing your work. Mr. Garter always makes it look lovely.
Posted: August 16th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
It’s fabulous! It looks amazing, you did a wonderful job.
Posted: August 24th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
I have to say that is a really beautiful sweater and looks wonderful on you too. Great color and lovely pattern.
Posted: August 30th, 2007 at 6:07 am
wow! this looks like it was quite the translation project! it definitely paid off – your sweater is lovely and just damned interesting. and will you PLEASE stop posting photos that make everyone want to move to portland?
hope you’re well.
Posted: October 1st, 2007 at 2:11 am
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