Dear Kay,
I can’t stand an unfinished story, and I crave a happy ending more than just about anything.
I’ve been waiting for the right day to take a proof-of-completion photo of a finished object.
Namely, I was waiting for a snowy day to take a photo of this snowflake sweater, but none ever came! Until Saturday that is, when a blizzard struck, and we were completely snowbound, and we were down to the last Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala. I managed to lift the point-and-shoot, wrap my darling boy’s fingers around it, and crawl outside so he could help me finish this one last task before . . . we had to resort to eating . . . Domino’s.
The last entry about Kate Davies’s amazing Boreal pullover was back in May. Here’s the last gasp on this effort before subtropical heat forced me to store this project for the duration.
In particular, I was all wound up about how warbly the snowflakes looked. So whiny! Sorry! I care.
The mighty and redemptive power of blocking took care of the warbly snowflakes, as usual. Why do I doubt?
Tips on Knitting Boreal
1. Swatching is absolutely crucial here. This thing fits because I aimed. And I took the shocking step of measuring myself. (Not recommended except on the cheerfulest of days.) The bottom part is a size larger than the part from the waist up–the waist shaping is where I transitioned to the smaller size.
2. Work the Fair Isle inside out. I know I repeat this, but it is the ticket here.
3. Beware the sleeves. I knit a whole sleeve before I noticed (D’OH) that it was too narrow. Be ready to use a larger needle. And work the Fair Isle inside out.
4. Working Fair Isle in a worsted weight was trickier for me than I’d expected. A size 3 is the easiest for me, so these size 7 needles felt too big at first. But it started to flow soon enough.
5. Know that this is a warm sweater. I used Tess’ Designer Yarns Grand Manan, and I promise you it is grand indeed. Mohair and merino, double thickness for the Fair Isle parts. I long for Vermont, or a damp moor, now that I have a sweater like this.
6. Enjoy the workmanship of this pattern. Kate Davies is a master at creating easy-to-follow patterns. Her website Kate Davies Designs takes us along, all over the British Isles, on her rambles to beautifully desolate landscapes and villages to covet. If you’re not up for a whole sweater, she has lots of hats and cowls and mittens. She even cooks up video tutorials for a tricky stitch, which means you get to hear her beautiful accent.
I give this beautiful pattern my highest recommendation. Thank you, Kate Davies! You are awesome!
Love,
Ann
That’s some blizzard. Good thing you have a doubly thick wool sweater!
Beautiful job, Ann! and thanks for the tips. I promise to fair isle inside out.
Beautiful job, Ann! and thanks for the tips. I promise to fair isle inside out.
It looks amazing!! And the fit is perfect. I usually only make cardigans, but now I’m inspired to make this pattern. Also, I live in Virginia now where we actually do get snow, but I grew up in SC, so I totally understand the blizzard you are enduring during your photo shoot.
I do believe that’s the most flattering fit I’ve ever seen on a Fair Isle.
The sweater is glorious, and looks perfect on you. Bring on the snow!!!
Gorgeous!
you look mah-vel-ous!
beautiful sweater beautiful!
Wow! Just wow!
Awesome job. I think the next time you should see if any local theater productions are using a snow machine and borrow one though. Be forewarned though, my experience with snow machines were not just fluffy flakes but gobs of snow landing on my head like jaunty berets.
Well, I’d be happy to host you up here in VT… it does get snowy and cold!
BEAUTIFUL!! What lovely colors, too…
gorgeous…hope you have reason to wear!
It’s just beautiful. Bravo! As to the blizzard: you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Such a lovely sweater, Ann – I had actually forgotten about this one til I saw it again! The fit looks perfect, as do the colors.
Please stop in MA on your way to VT. It’s plenty cold here, lots and lots of snow and ice, and the goat paddock has a couple of soggy areas we could call “moor-like” in a pinch.
Someday I’m going to attempt Kate’s tea cozy. Those carousel sheep with their feet hanging down make me smile every time.
I’m with Ellen on the blizzard, but hey!
Sweater looks great, makes me realize that I really should measure myself more often, as I do seem to change size!
The sweater looks great — but it’s the magnolia tree that makes me homesick.
Absolutely glorious.
Really nice !
This sweater is beautiful and worth the wait! Great fit.
Speaking of unfinished stories, we need to hear what Kay is doing with office carpet, salad for lunch and cubicles!
Beautiful – design, fit, and knitting. About measuring yourself – the way to keep yourself honest is to use a ribbon to measure and then measure the ribbon. Melissa Leapman’s brilliant suggestion – it keeps you from fudging the number on yourself. Best to have someone else measure.
Learned about Kate Davies from your early posts on this. Fabulous.
Beautiful – design, fit, and knitting. About measuring yourself – the way to keep yourself honest is to use a ribbon to measure and then measure the ribbon. Melissa Leapman’s brilliant suggestion – it keeps you from fudging the number on yourself. Best to have someone else measure.
Learned about Kate Davies from your early posts on this. Fabulous.
It looks amazing. How wonderful to take photos with real snowflakes.
I love Kate Davies’s designs. You have definitely done justice to this one!
Oh, this is lovely! Would I be tempting fate to wish you a chance to wear it this year? Well, no, because maybe you will have an Icelandic holiday. There, now.
And thanks for the encouragement – I resolve to measure myself, too.
“And I took the shocking step of measuring myself. (Not recommended except on the cheerfulest of days.)” Beautiful writing and knitting.
So, do you advise knitting fair isle inside out?
This is lovely, and deserves to be worn a lot. If you can’t be persuaded to move from Nashville to someplace cold, gray, and heavy-knit friendly, I think that you should start making cold-weather vacation trips on a regular basis. “Gotta use the handknits!”
Also, I completely agree with Quinn about Kate Davies’ sheep carousel tea cozy. I think it might be my favorite knitting design ever!
Love, love the sweaters–yours and Carrie’s and Maggie’s. I want to move to a place where there are more of your kind of blizzards (not the real kind!), so I would be able to wear beautiful sweaters like those!
I sent Balto out with some piemento cheese supplies to get you some sustenance. At least you can dine in fabulous tyle when he gets there. (love that sweater).
Have a deviled egg or two to warm yourself up. Sweater looks amazing on you, excellent knitting job. You really should finish things more often, you know… 😉
B x x
It is gawgeous! Well done, indeed (and the colors are super, too)!
Thank the Yarn Goddess that you had this gorgeous warm sweater for during the ferocious blizzard!! Looks like it was almost white-out for a while. Did the plows have to pull off the highways for safety reasons?
I’m in Minnesota, loving your sweater. 🙂
Wow! Bee a yootiful! Really nice job. You have got skills and perseverance in spades!
It looks awesome on you!
Good advice too.
Beautiful sweater. (I finally just finished the Ralph Lauren reindeer Olympic hat from 2010 which also had warbles – which did not come out in the wash.)
Great sweater, Ann!
I’m impressed by the blizzard you had to endure….
minm
That is one heck of a sweater – just lovely! i am a big snowflake fan, and I love the reflection of the design. Thanks for sharing and take care.
That is one heck of a sweater – just lovely! i am a big snowflake fan, and I love the reflection of the design. Thanks for sharing and take care.
Love the sweater! And the real snowflake on the sleeve!
I understand about the blizzard as we got the same blizzard 20 miles south of you. Y’all, it snowed for two days straight! I’m blown away by the fact that none of it stuck. That may have been because it was 34-36 degrees most of the time. But it was wonderful to watch.
You’ll get another chance to wear that sweater again tomorrow with snow predicted for tonight. It may be your last chance with a high near 70 this weekend (Yeah!)
WOW. Stunning sweater!! Kate Davies is indeed a gem!
What a beautiful sweater. You did an awesome job and I love the pattern and color and it fits you so great!! Thanks for sharing.
This is stunning.
Thanks for the tips, especially working inside out. I have found that sleeves on patterns these days are almost always too narrow at the top. I’ve actually had to add stitches under the arm.
And I often have the shoulders in a bigger size and then reduce the size from under the arm on the body.
This is stunning.
Thanks for the tips, especially working inside out. I have found that sleeves on patterns these days are almost always too narrow at the top. I’ve actually had to add stitches under the arm.
And I often have the shoulders in a bigger size and then reduce the size from under the arm on the body.
This is stunning.
Thanks for the tips, especially working inside out. I have found that sleeves on patterns these days are almost always too narrow at the top. I’ve actually had to add stitches under the arm.
And I often have the shoulders in a bigger size and then reduce the size from under the arm on the body.
Lovely!!
Love the sweater!
I just removed a foot of snow off my driveway. It wasn’t a blizzard. Reference point.
Well done! It looks great on you. And I love the perfect tiny snowflake on the sleeve in that first picture.
Kudos to you, and to your photographer!
I love this jumper! I am determined to make myself a Christmas jumper this year and if mine looks half as good as this I’ll be happy!
It’s stunning! I, too, am a Kate Davies fan, though I haven’t actually gotten around to knitting her designs yet. You’ve inspired me.
It’s stunning! I, too, am a Kate Davies fan, though I haven’t actually gotten around to knitting her designs yet. You’ve inspired me.