In league
The second annual Sarah + Katrin Christmas knitting exchange is only a month away. Last year’s pattern, you may remember, was the February Lady Sweater:
The idea is that we choose a pattern we both want to knit, select the yarn we want to end up wearing, and swap. Then the knitting begins. So last year I got to work with the glorious Luscious Silk Single from Blue Moon Fiber Arts, and I’ve had a whole year of pleasure in wearing my sweater of Blue Moon Twisted.
We kicked around a bunch of ideas for this year’s pattern, but finally settled on Eunny Jang’s Ivy League Vest (Interweave Knits Winter 2007) after discovering that we each had ample stash possibilities for this project. I believe we bought an extra skein each, but that was it! Mine are almost all Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift; Katrin’s are a hodgepodge of Hifa II, Satakieli (which I brought her after I went to Knitting Camp), and Elemental Affects Shetland.
(Imagine a springy chartreuse rather than that dull yellow, will you? The other colors are accurate.) Here it is on Ravelry if you want to keep track of my progress. I am juggling it with three other holiday gift knits, but I’m feeling strong for a timely finish, even given the STEEKING that has to happen and the MANY, MANY ENDS I’ll need to weave in. (Note to self: For the love of Pete, girl, give that spit-splicing method a try.) I’m already at the V-neck shaping, and the armscyes are coming along in just a few rounds.
Mods: Those among you who have already knit this vest will notice there’s an extra large-pattern band in there. K & I thought the version in the magazine looked suspiciously cropped, and we’re both fans of that comfortable overlap of sweater and jeans that prevents cold drafts and peeping eyes from finding one’s upper bum, should one choose to bend over. Thus I’ve lengthened K’s vest by casting on the next-largest size and working an extra peerie and an extra large band, while decreasing at the rate directed down to a stitch count that would give me the desired waist size. Then I was back on track to proceed with the bust increases for the target size.
Posted: November 23rd, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Now that is one fabulous gift exchange! I think you made a good call on the length, too.
Posted: November 23rd, 2009 at 8:23 pm
I agree that it’s a bit too cropped in the magazine. It sounds like you’ve found a good solution!
Posted: November 24th, 2009 at 5:42 am
“Upper bum?” I love it. The vest looks great; I love the idea of the swap!
Posted: November 24th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Gorgeous. I wouldn’t want to wear it if it were a cropped length either!
Posted: November 24th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Lord that is just gorgeous. The thought of steeking something that pretty makes me nervous and I think I’ll go have a half a glass of wine to steady my nerves at the mere thought.
Posted: November 25th, 2009 at 7:13 am
You two are so lucky to have one another to swap with! I love the color combination, and your lengthening trick to avoid any undue exposure : )
Posted: November 25th, 2009 at 11:40 am
What a fun project! If you want certain modifications that K doesn’t, do you specify those before she knits? It looks like your FLS has a different collar, so that’s why I was wondering. Can’t wait to see the finished vests!
Posted: November 28th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Impressive! What an awesome gift exchange idea. 🙂
Posted: November 28th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
That is drop dead beautiful. What a great idea for the swap. I may have to do that with one of my knitter friends, maybe for the spring??