Waistcoat, vest, tank top, slipover, pullover, jerkin

I grew up calling any sleeveless garment worn over a shirt a waistcoat, but for most of the English speaking world that is a much more specific term for the formal kind with buttons. Nowadays I usually resort to vest for clarity with most people I talk with, it’s understood by most knitters, but it makes me cringe. A vest is underwear. So are pants. There are lot of words for a sleeveless knitted garment, but they all seem to mean a garment with sleeves to some people. Other than Jerkin. It’s an utterly ridiculous word, which makes me kind of love it. Whatever name we use, ‘m currently obsessed with them.

Embarrassingly I did not knit my lovely jerkin pictured here — it’s a souvenir from a few days spent in Shetland last month. I bought if from the Jamieson’s mill. It’s machine knitted, and although they do sell some patterns alongside their handknitting yarn I couldn’t find one similar to this. My search mostly turned up much more elaborate patterns, and what I like about this is the simple bands (and not remotely subtle palette). If you’re interested in a pattern that’s fairly similar and in learning the techniques involved in a stranded colourwork vest Mary Jane Mucklestonedoes have an online class for this one.

I decided that the matching cardigan was a little over the obsessed knitter line. I’m happy just knowing that one could dress like this, if one wished.  

You can read more about my Shetland adventures on the Fancy Tiger blog.Besides being excellent travel companions they are much better bloggers than I am. I’m itching to go back, perhaps with my bicycle, and to see more of these

and of these

My other souvenir from the trip (aside from yarn) was this amazing bright pink knitting belt, I’m not usually that into pink, but there was something very appealing about this. I bought it from Jamieson and Smith and it was handmade locally. I have another one, but this one is much softer, and not so big and bulky, it feels much closer to the well-broken in ones I’ve envied. Can’t eat much cake though, they only had the kid’s size in pink, and I preferred the smaller size of the pad part. 

Last night I pulled out the project I’m working on above and was pleased to discover that it was further along than I’d thought — that never happens! I think I tucked it away on a flight when I hit a point of change and didn’t want to think about it. Just a few short rows for the shoulders, steeks, and neck and armhole bands and I’ll have another whatdoyoucallit.