if this Collar could talk, it would say something like THIS. (YEAH, right…)
But really, this little number has stretched my imagination farther into the hand-knitting process than ever before…
It has short rows, negative space (for the trim application), loopy fringe, a 3-needled bind-off, etc. etc, etc…
What was I thinking?
Well, while I was mentally prepping the Shazam sweater, I did a lot of reading in the ChicKnits Library, immersing myself into the idea of taking things I know and combining them with things I was only familiar with. The essential tome that really caught my imagination was Alice Starmore’s “Aran Knitting”. In it she deconstructs historical cabled garments (eauuu, cables, so dear to my heart) and very nicely explains the construction of such from Simple to Combined.
In her notes, she talks about early knitters *winging* it as they try something new – a *determined enthusiasm* that most knitters have when they’re in the thrill of the chase…
That State of Mind brought me to the finish line on this one! Although I knew what shape I wanted the collar to be and had a hard count of stitches picked up around the neckline, it wasn’t until I was actually knitting the collar that it became what the fiber and the shape needed.
It was subtly adjusted as necessary, added to, subtracted from and shaped into the form I could see only in my mind, not in a sketch or chart. For the first time, I REALLY understood what I was making from a particular fiber in a eye/brain/hand coordination individual to this time and space.
Yeah, Twilight Zone…
But how about that BROOCH! (click on it in the above picture for groovy CU!)
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>> Silly Contest for no Particular Reason <<
Guess the Name of the Movie from the above sound clip and WIN enough Cascade 220 yarn to make a Felted Bucket Hat (including pattern)!
Send me an email with the word *Movie* in the subject line HERE and the name of the movie in the body of the email…
Winner announced Friday, October 29, 2004
I love the collar. It’s perfect for the design.
I am also going to have to dig out my copy of Aran knitting and give it a read. I am in progress on two cabled sweaters myself and I aspire to design my own soon.
This is a wonderful collar – and hooray, you picked the trim I liked the best! I really like this sweater and can’t wait for the full effect!
Very vintage!! And lovely!
A masterpiece!
I see influences of Channel there. I love the tweediness with the classic construction and beautiful trim. It all comes together in a really elegant way. I can’t wait to see the rest.
Love the collar and the brooch! Very very fashionable.
Wow, simply gorgeous. I can’t wait to see it all!
Congratulations! You have triumphed again–like the others I can’t wait for the total picture.
Wow, that is gorgeous.
I am simply mad about this tweedy sweater with its fabulous loopy-edge collar embellished with the brooch. Mad mad mad-love…please say it will be a pattern to be added to the ChicKnits Shop!