Slipover, vest, tank?
Er whatever you want to call it, I decided that given the frosty weather and my penchant for puffed sleeve blouses that I needed one and my little bird stitch markers needed to be put to use.
This yarn - Louisa Harding Grace - is so beautifully soft, I actually used it for a hat a few weeks ago (that you’ll get to see soon enough) and loved it so much that I went back and bought several more skeins in the exact same colour. These photos are somewhat washed out, but I left them that way partly because I’m lazy and partly so that you can see the details more clearly.
The front neckline looks weird and puckered in this photo, but don’t worry that was entirely intentional. It’s going to be gathered at the bottom when I add the neckband.
The waist shaping is based - sort of - on these diagrams from a 1962 book Odham’s Encyclopedia of Knitting which was the very first knitting book I ever bought. I found it in a charity shop when I was 16 and I remember being struck for the first time by the huge possibilities of this craft.
There is so much information in this but it’s really not a book you can learn to knit from, everything’s arranged alphabetically and is very dense so you need some prior knowledge to have any hope of finding your way. I do think the amount of time I spent forcing myself to figure out what it meant was probably well spent in the long run though and I still use the guide to basic shapes as a reference.
This design began with the roughest of sketches on scrap paper, which is actually more planning than some of my designs have had! The little scrap of crochet is how I’m planning on finishing at least some of the edges but I think I’m going to use a pale blue. The pink was just the closest yarn in the right weight. I’m also planning on using the contrast for the inside facing of a hem rather than the sketched out ribbing. I’m about to hit that point so I’d better go see whether the yarn shop has exactly what I’m envisioning.
Posted: October 19th, 2007 under knitting.
Comments: 20
Comments
Comment from gleek
Time: October 19, 2007, 3:46 pm
ooooh, i simply adore the shaping!! just lovely.
Comment from Wanett
Time: October 19, 2007, 4:30 pm
I love to watch your designs go from page to garment. I think we non-designers take for granted the amount of work it takes. My recent design attempts have left me scratching my head mostly.
Comment from Clare
Time: October 19, 2007, 5:23 pm
This is gorgeous - I am about to unravel a vest I knitted in January as it is too baggy, and there is just nothing worse than that! I love the colour & yarn though, so I am going to reknit it, but your sketch is the first vest that seems to match my mental images! Maybe it is because I, too, have a penchant for the puffy sleeve…Anyway, can’t wait to see what happens!
Comment from Judy
Time: October 19, 2007, 5:40 pm
Beautiful shaping. Thanks for mentioning where to learn about how to make bust darts.
Comment from soknitpicky
Time: October 19, 2007, 6:01 pm
This is going to be so so lovely!
Comment from sarah
Time: October 19, 2007, 6:28 pm
i love this, the shaping ont he neck is funky! you’ll make me poor if you make too many gorgeous patterns girl!!
x
Comment from pins&needles
Time: October 19, 2007, 7:02 pm
Your design is coming out great!
I starting laughing at the front of that book when I saw the needles sticking up instead of down.
Comment from Jessica
Time: October 19, 2007, 11:16 pm
I think the gathering and the scalloped edging will look great!
Comment from em o
Time: October 19, 2007, 11:27 pm
i love the color AND your design idea … looks like it’s going to be a “must knit”!
Comment from Sophia
Time: October 19, 2007, 11:27 pm
Beautiful! I noticed that your knitting reference was written by the famous classic knitticist, James Norbury! How wonderful! You couldn’t have learned from a greater knitter…
Comment from Charlie
Time: October 19, 2007, 11:39 pm
I really hope you’ll publish the pattern for this… I’ve been looking for something like this (with the gathering at the front and the shaping), but I don’t have your design abilities so need someone to do that bit of the work for me!
Comment from projektleiterin
Time: October 19, 2007, 11:44 pm
Your sketches are always so cute. :)
Comment from emily
Time: October 20, 2007, 12:10 am
oh! it is terrribly cute.
Comment from Alice from france
Time: October 20, 2007, 12:58 pm
Gorgeous shaping! I really love all of your work!
Comment from Alexis
Time: October 20, 2007, 4:55 pm
I love the shaping in your vest, and the little front gather (and I normally don’t care for vests at all).
Comment from CanarySanctuary
Time: October 20, 2007, 5:57 pm
I love that yarn too - it’s amazing, isn’t it?
Your pattern looks awesome. Can’t wait to see it done!
Comment from Heather B
Time: October 20, 2007, 6:10 pm
I’m knitting with Grace right now and it really is a wonderful yarn. That looks like the brown color I’m planning on getting next. Can’t wait to see the vest all finished. :)
Comment from Julie
Time: October 20, 2007, 11:33 pm
Looks like it’s going to be gorgeous! I love the finished sketch, looks pretty and very wearable. And I’ve always had a soft spot for brown…..
Comment from casey
Time: October 22, 2007, 2:03 am
Beautiful–I can’t wait to see it completely finished! Your little sketch is so lovely too; I always love seeing those teeny, quick drawings that one does right after inspiration hitting! :)
Comment from Daphne
Time: October 24, 2007, 8:12 pm
I just downloaded all of your available patterns and can’t wait to get started! I hope this becomes available as a pattern soon.
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