Gosh-- what ever will I do *now*?

[kniteracy]

Today, even though I didn't find a decorative bind-off that I liked, I finished a jumper I've been knitting for ten years. It's the "Aran Update" pattern featured in a Knitter's Magazine from 1995, the semifamous "Celtic" edition. My copy of the magazine is completely dog-eared, but I have kept it all these years, knowing I wanted to finish this particular sweater.

Even if you don't ordinarily read my knitting posts, please look below the cut tag to see photographs of something I'm really proud of. :)


But you've told us the story behind this jumper before, Harper.

Yes, I know I have.

I'll just link to the entry where I told the story again, so if you haven't read it, you can read it, and if you don't want to read it again, you can skip it.

Anyway. That ambitious project, the one that was too complicated for me to knit 10 years ago but I started it anyway, is done.

In these photographs, you can see the scheme I used on the front of the jumper to equalize the dyelots. I now believe that it would have wanted dyeing all along, and when I get back to the UK, I'll make a date with guyelfkin or maybe steveannie, or maybe both of 'em, to teach me how to cold dye something like this so it will be gorgeous and evenly coloured. Until then, here it is.







EDIT: More intensely knit-geekly version, with a slew of comments, available at the advanced knit community post I made about the jumper.

Comments

[gingicat]

It looks fabulous, and so do you.

[telynor.livejournal.com]

*smile*

Thank you, sweetie.

[guyelfkin.livejournal.com]

It's kind of neat with those stripes all the way up.

But, it shows way more here than it did in the other pictures you posted. Overdying it should deal with that.

Glad you finihsed it at last

HUGS

Teddy

[telynor.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's definitely interesting-- but they aren't the same on the back, and horizontal stripes on a fat girl, ew! ;)

[elfen.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous!

And the sweater is lovely too. *grins*

Truly, you both look wonderful. Congratulations on finishing the sweater!

[telynor.livejournal.com]

Talk about your labours of love. :)

Hugs and kisses to you and yours.

[stevieannie.livejournal.com]

I'm probably not the person you want - I've never cold dyed. I just know it can be done. Having said that, I have skeins and skeins of homespun wool which I could do with being something prettier than the browny-gray it currently is...

[telynor.livejournal.com]

I was just thinking of ways to gain your sweet company. =)

[chirosinger.livejournal.com]

It looks wonderful! I LOVE all the textured patterns. I know how wonderful it must feel to finally have it finished. Yay you!!!

[telynor.livejournal.com]

*beam*

Thanks-- I know you understand what it feels like to have finally finished something so ambitious. :)

[roja.livejournal.com]

Gosh - this is wonderful! And looks like a hell lot of work!
But - I always thought it's warm in Singapore....?! :-)

[telynor.livejournal.com]

This jumper is like England insurance. I look at it, and I know that next autumn, I will be venturing out across the park to New Cross Station, walking to Deptford to take care of this or that, running out to the New Cross Gate Sainsbury's-- and I'll be warm and safe in my llama/wool aran.

[persis.livejournal.com]

Beautiful!

I haven't got anything so ambitious, nor that has been sitting around for 10 years, but I *do*
have about 7 UFO's that I need to work on. You are inspiring me!

[dancingwriter.livejournal.com]

That's an impressive piece of knitting, my dear; congrats on finishing it!

And it's also wonderful to see you looking so well!

Yummy!

[callibr8]

The first word that came to mind when I saw the pictures was: YUMMY!

Yummy yarn - I've just recently discovered Montera (and Cascade's Pastaza, which is the same fiber blend)... incredibly yummy pattern ... and delightfully yummy photo of you wearing something that looks SOOO cozy *and* gorgeous, and that you're wearing with such obvious (and well-earned) pride. GO YOU!!!!!

I have a fairly good local source for Montera / Pastaza, at $9.50/US per 100g skein. Let me know if you want me to purchase and ship some on your behalf (which I'm willing to do if reimbursed, esp if reimbursed in *knitting*!)

Re: Yummy!

[telynor.livejournal.com]

Would you believe I overbought and actually have enough Montera in that colour left over for a child's sweater? Not sure what I'm going to do with it. It is lovely to knit with, and now I know where to go to get more. ;)

leftovers?

[callibr8]

Hmmm... how many yards, approximately? The pictures show it as grey but you've described it as olive green, right? Yellowish greens (the mossy/olive shades) are my best friend's very favorite color (they play up her hazel eyes quite gorgeously), so I might be interested in acquiring the "excess", if you're willing to part with it!

Btw - do you have any idea how many HOURS it took you to knit that yummy Aran? I've been teaching myself cables lately and it took me two hours just to do 30 rows (not quite two repeats) of a 23 stitch pattern that I worked using a swatch with 3 extra sts on each side, to "frame" the work. I know you're vastly more experienced than I am with cables, but still, I bet that sweater took tens or even hundreds of hours, to complete.

[mrpsyklops.livejournal.com]

Lovely!

Also,

LITTLE GIRL to the MONSTER: "Flowers are all gone. What will we throw in NOW?"

MONSTER looks at camera, raises eyebrow.

--Young Frankenstein

[folkmew.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Cuddly! Lovely!

I haven't done a lot of dying, unless you count a fair bit of "tie dying" and one thing I did learn doing a fair bit of tie dying is getting good dye is crucial!

I'm sure there are sources in England but I really love Dharma Trading Co. (http://dharmatrading.com/) It's a wonderful catalog, has a lot of nifty inexpensive clothes to dye (even in sizes I can wear!) and the people are really really friendly and helpful.

Good luck! I miss you ooooodles. I can't wait til we are settled and gainfully employed enough to start making real plans for "big trips" so we can visit you guys.

Love and hugs (and we'll try to call one of these days to catch you up on stuff)

[aprilstarchild.livejournal.com]

Very inspiring--I'm currently dragging my way through my first sweater. Only problem is, I haven't bought the second half of the yarn and I had it on hold but the hold was supposed to expire two days ago. They have my phone number....gah!! They can't sell the other half! I'll never match the dyelot!!

*freaking out*

*ahem* In any case, mine is boring ol' stocinette, but I'm not the best knitter so I'll stick with that for now!

[lothie.livejournal.com]

I like the zebra effect but I s'pose it's undesirable. *grin*

Lovely. Sweater's nice too.

[wytchchyld.livejournal.com]

That's lovely. I can see where you'd want to overdye it, though.

That makes me even more envious of people who can wear and work with wool. The colors are always so lovely.

[callibr8]

Have you tried alpaca? It's supposed to be hypoallergenic, and it's softer than wool, but takes dyes beautifully...