Monday 12 October 2009

My new/old cardigan

From a 1964 Stitchcraft pattern, using wool I found at a secondhand shop.

Another shot, just to emphasize the extreme sparkliness of it all, and the perfectly shiny buttons.

The pattern, and the wool. You'll understand why I didn't try to recreate the photo. I left out the bobbles on the sleeves and the fronts - even I thought that might be just a bit too much!

The wool, just for the sceptics out there. It really is wool.

I finally came up with a good rationalisation for not blocking things before I sew them together: it's in case I don't like it, and have to make something else from the wool. But I need to wear the garment a little before I can be sure. And then, when I wash it, voila! It's blocked.

18 comments:

Deniz said...

i really like it! its beautiful. and i do block the same way like you do :)... i absolutely agree, i only know if it is perfect when i worn it for a bit! if not, it needs to either get frogged or fixed so i like it :D

Cristina Salgueiro said...

It is GORGEOUS. And i love the color :)
I also started to have the same idea about bloking.

Anairam said...

The cardigan looks magnificent! I especially love the collar and the 3/4 sleeves. I like the shiny thread also - do you only wear it for special at night, or in the day as well? I guess that question dates me - I grew up with a mother who believed anything shiny was meant for evening only, so that even now I look around guiltily when I wear my silver ballet pumps in the daytime, or my black and silver beanie.

e said...

Oh my god! I'm in love! It's stunning! That blue!

Unknown said...

Goegeous! Sp stylish. I love vintage patterns. Usually I cut them up for various reasons. I've never actually made anything from one....but you've inspired me. Maybe a polyester jumpsuit?

Anja said...

I LOVE the bobbles around the collar!! I agree, down the front is a bit too much, but I love alittle something extra around the sleeves! Very cute! Also, wow where did you find the time?!!

Lesley said...

Wow! It looks wonderful.
Was the wool you found the same gauge/tension as the pattern? Or did you adjust? Or did you just not worry about it?

flowerpress said...

Love!

Pinktulip said...

What a fabulous sweater! It seems you can certainly handle a pair of knitting needles very well indeed! Love the colour. And the glitter. This is certainly not wool you can buy locally, so it makes you wonder how it got here?

HomeSweet Jenny said...

Nice! Just one more thing that makes me wish I knew how to knit!

Sarah said...

That wool was made it Keighley which is really near where I grew up! Your cardigan is ace, I have one very similar (with the bobbles an everything!) that was my mum's in the 70s, I love it :)

Billy said...

I love your cardigan! I only block my knitting after sewing because I´m always scared I´ll block one part more "emphatically" than the next one.

(I´d love to see that photo reenacted - I imagine the the hairdo would be the most difficult part!)

painted fish studio said...

how cool! it seems strange that yarn could be left behind and unused for so long...

Francesca said...

oh it's wonderful jesse. how i would love to be able to make something from a pattern. gorgeous colour wool, love the sparkles. perfect.

p.s. the skirt is gorge too!

strikk handknits said...

i'm so impressed! loving your cardigan and what an amazing wool find....i'm inspired by the sparkliness (if there's such a word...) :-)

Jan said...

I love this cardigan!! Would you share more information on the Stitchcraft issue...date, volume #? I'd love to try to track it down. Your sweater is just perfect...and the yarn choice, wonderful!

Megan Hall said...

The weirdest thong of all (apart from reading my way through your blog all the way till 8 years ago) is that I have the twin of the red shweshwe skirt you're wearing in one of the pics. I made it myself. I'd be super proud if I'd made that cardigan by the way. V flattering and just right in every way.

Jesse said...

That is amazing. I've never seen that shweshwe print anywhere else, and I have been looking. The skirt fell apart a few years ago, but it was a favourite I'd love to replace.