A vest moves off the needles
If only it was sweater weather
I can’t believe that I have knit a Fair Isle vest. I know that I was there for every stitch, and yet I am still floored when I look at this.
Honestly, it went a lot faster than I expected. Maybe that is because I expected it to take 3 years? And I didn’t expect that I would be skilled enough to knit one for at least another decade.
Maybe because we watched more shows this summer - hot evenings when we hunkered down in our one room with air conditioning. In the winter I wouldn’t have managed to knit colorwork while watching a show, but then in the winter we watch a show about 3 hours after the sun went down, while in the summer the room is still bright with great lighting.
Or maybe it was because the pattern repeats gave me tiny goals to reach? I felt so victorious every time I got to the end of the pattern section - there is a brief moment when I got to knit a row that was only green, or only white yarn, and that felt so satisfying. And then I dive back in to the counting.
It’s 90 degrees Fahrenheit today, so pardon me if I am not modeling this for you. But, I am certainly petting its squishy fabric, excited for a cold morning when this feels just right.
I have been reading about Fair Isle knitting from the Shetland Islands, and only now am I seeing the OXO pattern which is a signature motif for the region - can you see it?
Now I am searching Ravelry for “allover” colorwork patterns… this one is calling to me, but there is also the Dot and these mittens. I really want to find something that reminds me of Victorian wallpaper - though once I find that pattern, will I actually want to knit it? Not sure.
But I am not jumping into any of them now - I still have my Rhinebeck sweater to finish. And I am waiting for the email to arrive to tell me when I can pick up our homestead yarn, currently being milled at Green Mountain Spinnery!
This vest is the Carriag Fhada by Kate Davies Designs. I used Cascade 220 Sport.
Just a reminder that the Snail’s Guide to Wandering (beta) is still enrolling for one more week. Join us for a mix of live/recorded calls, and a lively online conversation around being a creative person in a society of toxic productivity.
Is knitting a creative hobby for you? I knit when I need something soothing and methodical to work on, but it’s not usually my avenue for creative play. This curiosity about Victorian wallpaper… well, that sounds like fun and I don’t know where it goes, but I am excited to follow that for a little while.
Begins Sept 7th and runs for 4 weeks. Zoom calls on Wednesdays at 8pm (they will be recorded) and on-going online conversation that you can join as your time allows.