Somebody Stop Me
For some reason - I've obsessed with this sweater for the last few days. Maybe it's because Wendy was talking about vamping up the ol' Fair Isle the other day - or maybe that just fueled my fire, because ever since I started to knit, everytime I cruise through the KnitPicks catalog and see this sweater, I am stopped dead in my tracks.I love this sweater. Kaity thinks its UGLY. Pshh...
Maybe I've been spending too much time on college campuses lately and just want to be the girl in the sweater. Young, collegiate, smart-looking. Come to think of it - I don't think I've ever been those three things all at the same time - ever.
So what - it also looks like a grandma sweater. So, since I'm somewhere in between - it'll work for me and my daily jeans. And it should match about every T-shirt I own - right? I can work it....
I want to make this so badly, the pattern and all the yarn are already in my Shopping Cart - just waiting for me to push "Buy." But, I've made myself hold off - waiting to see if I come to my senses.
FACT: It's knit on Size 3 needles..... that's a whole lotta knitting
RATIONALIZATION: It really doesn't matter if it takes me years to make it... I don't even need another sweater. I just WANT another sweater. I want this sweater.
FACT: I have never knit a stitch of Fair Isle - and this looks like quite the project. Maybe I'd get all the yarn home and find out I HATE knitting Fair Isle - like intarsia (boo, hiss.)
RATIONALIZATION: I sat myself down tonight with four colors of my beloved Cascade 220 and gave it a go. This is FUN! I like it! No more than two colors at once, never carrying over more than five stitches. Easy. Fun. And I even knit it back and forth, not in the round like you're really supposed to. I can do this. I LIKE doing this.
FACT: Part of me just wants to see what it's like to get THIRTY different colors of yarn in the mail in one day.
RATIONALIZATION: duh...NONE - what's wrong with that?
FACT: I looked all over the kitchen for my glasses today - they were on my head.... I have been to the store 3 times in a row and forgot the toilet paper- even when it was on my list.... and I KNOW one of you out there is knitting this - I've SEEN it - but for the life of me I can't remember who....
RATIONALIZATION: So what if I'm half brain dead - I'm pretty sure I knit with the other half.
FACT: Maybe Kaity's right and it really is an ugly sweater and I've just lost all perspective.
....... you'll set me straight, right?
Good thing it's UFO August and I can't start anything new right now (I'm pretty sure swatching isn't cheating). And, good thing I've already ordered yarn for a different "next sweater" - and a scarf.
I think I'll just let this sweater sit in my shopping cart a while and see if I'm still obssessed next month. Maybe it's a whim. I'll probably have a whole new whim by then (although I've loved this sweater for a loooooong time). Maybe you'll all talk me out of it - I'm very impressionable.
I still have to finish my shawl. I've got a month or two to think about it. To come to my senses. Or not.
posted by Lynda @ 9:13 PM
5 Pair - hey, it's a start
First Place, Gospel Light
The Way of the Master
29 Comments:
I like it! I say go for it! And you want to know why?
1 - It's a perfect t-shirt and jeans sweater.
2 - It would be fun, new & challenging.
3 - Smaller needles seem intimidating but you can knit speedier with them.
4 - I think the challenge and variety would keep you engaged and it would knit up quicker than you think.
5 - You'd get a lot of colorful yarn in the mail in one big box!!! (This alone may be a good enough reason in my book. You'll show us pictures won't you?)
But I'm with Wendy... ditch the belt.
defintely - no belt.
Hmmm now I like the belt, but the sweater isn't my fav either. This will take major commitment, but I'm sure you could pull it off Lynda.
You know that sweater is just a ploy by KP to get you to buy that whole collection of yarn, right?!! It works - I bought it!! Actually, I think I bought it to make knitted Babe dolls and rationalized that I would have every color I ever needed. It was only $50 bucks and you use so very little. Heh, I've made one doll for the GD and maybe 2 outfits! But - you can make socks - FAIR ISLE socks even!! Maybe our friend WB needs to put a sock pattern in her book - like maybe some FAIR ISLE footlets!
Love your rationalizing!!
I say "go for it"! But I'm an enabler and love to shop. I also love to knit Fair Isle. And I also love this sweater. I knit up their Fair Isle Vest [needles are small but knitting is faster with them when using 2 colors at a time]and it was my first Fair Isle. I did it during the Harlot's Knitting Olympics. I so LOVE it! I loved knitting it and got LOTs of compliments on it after. This sweater is also in the back of my mind. With Tshirts & jeans ... [p.s. I'm a Grandma & I love lots of color ... I bet Kaity will change her mind when she sees yours knit up.] BTW, I bet the colors look great in person ... better than the book. That's how I felt about the vest.
If you like it, it doesn't matter if anyone else does. But one suggestion is to make a fair isle swatch first with the same number of colors in that weight of yarn (if you have scrap yarn/single skeins that would work for this)- or if you don't, second best would be to buy one skein of the yarn you'd be using for the sweater and do a larger swatch. If you get bored with the swatch/don't like the needle size/yarn/technique, this will cure you of wanting to make the sweater.
I usually do this first before buying all of the project yarn for a sweater and there are a few sweaters I've talked myself out of in favor of others where I did enjoy making the swatch. Just my $.02...
I got stuck on this one, too - I love it and I don't know why. I even think the belt is cute. Though it's probably hiding a design flaw.
As for the size 3 needles - you'll be amazed how fast it goes with the color work. "Just one more row" and all that.
Go for it! if you do, I will.
Push the "Proceed to Checkout" button!!! The facts are wrong - the Rationalizations are right. Look at that swatch - was that really your first attempt at Fair Isle?? You were born to knit this. :)
i like this sweater too--i'm not the biggest fan of the colours, the only thing holding me back is i wouldn't be able to figure out how to mix the shades to create a different colour theme.
so--i say "Go for it".
because then i can live through you and see this sweater happen!!!
also, if you get started and dont' like it, you can reuse the yarn for something else (and think of all the colours you'll have!!!)
i like your idea of waiting though.
it's good to give ourselves a chance to make sure we really want the sweater, not just "i need" because it's pretty.
"i'm ann-marie, and i'm addicted to knit picks free shipping".
(i even have to have it sent to my sister in NY, as i live in canada and don't want to pay shipping...sad...)
If you've been repeatedly drawn to it, I say that's the test. But since you're working on another project anyway, a little bit more wait won't hurt at all :) Then you'll know for sure and won't feel any guilt!
If that swatch is your first fair isle, you have no worries!
You won't get any help from me in talking you out of it. The idea of 30 colors of yarn in the mail ALONE almost motivates me to order it! You think you are weird for being drawn to it? No, no. That would be me. Despite these very obvious facts, I'm STILL tempted by it every time I see it.
1. I hate fair isle
2. I knit so slow that this would literally be a life's work for me.
3. As knitting I admire it but as a sweater it's not my style and I would never actually wear it.
STILL, I stop dead in my tracks every time I see it and have actually had the pointer hovering over the order button on the yarn. Why?? It's a sickness. Tell you what, YOU knit it and I'll live vicariously through YOUR experience. I like that idea. I "fourth" the motion to lose the belt. hehe
I like the sweater too.... and I'm not sure why. It's not my usual thing. The thing with a sweater like that is, it doesn't matter, at this point, how long it takes you to get it done. It will always be appropriate! Unless, maybe, you retire to Arizona?
Oooh -aren't you all just a bunch of enablers!!! I love you!
Wendy E - be careful what you say there, girl. I'm really feeling this sweater, and you may end up feeling it with me! We can commiserate (er, encourage) each other along!
You Must. Fair Isle is REALLY fun (remember, I tried to talk you into this a few months ago?)
It's beautiful! It reminds me of a candy necklace that I used to buy up at Camp Comfort...soft, candy colors. Purty!
You Must.
Now do you really think we're going to try to talk you down from this one?? I'm itching to try a Fair Isle sweater myself, though I'd toss that belt as far as I could throw it. There's something a bit odd about the sleeves, too; is it a drop shoulder style? It's hard to tell from that picture.
Steeks? You're a brave woman.
That swatch looks great!
Since I haven't attempted anything more than plain knitting yet it seems very exciting.
You are inspiring me to get out of my comfort zone and try something challenging. Sweater, socks, something with more than 2 colors, a shawl.
I think that you should go for it!
Then I can learn from you (hee hee)
BTW: Did you paint your fingernails to match your swatch (giggle)or did it just work out that way?
Great photo!
Buy it!!! I LOVE Fair Isle. It is my favorite knitting technique. There is a sweater in the SnB book that I've had my eye on for two years now.
Amy
I've had my eye on the same sweater. It's got steeks which is really scary. The steeks always scare me enough not to buy it. Then I went and bought a Philosopher's Wool fair isle kit at twice the price.
I say buy it. It's actually a pretty inexpensive kit for fair isle.
Every time I see that sweater I think I'd love to make it. It's amazingly beautiful (I think). I say PUSH THE BUTTON and go for it! (growing little horns and a tail here...)
Ok, without the belt... Hmm. Maybe. Keep practicing your fair isle and see!
Tell Katiy she is wrong. When I fist saw this sweater, I loved it too. But, I'm not ready for that yet. I'm just trying to get through something easy and it's taking me FOREVER. Do it, I know YOU can!
I am having a similar conversation with myself over a sweater that I'm thinking of knitting, ... but ... and there are many buts. So I'll follow you and let it sit awhile and see if I still want to knit it a few weeks later.
Oh I love that sweater too and have been tempted. I also like the ski sweater that was featured a couple of newsletters ago! Black and white I think.
well, I say go for it, you won't be sorry to say you finished something so beautiful!
I like it. I just finished about a dozen preemie fair isle hats and the secret no one tells you is... it goes very quickly. Because it's fun. You don't get bored before the next color, you count a little in your head, the patterns appear to make you believe your a genius! I love stranded work!
Before you dive in and start something like that though, I'd measure a sweater you really like, that picture has that sweater too big on her and she looks a little dumpy... in my eyes anyway. Maybe that's what makes it grandma-ish.
oh wow. its pretty but holy cow! good luck if you go through with it!
True confession...I too covet that sweater, I like all the colors and I think I could look equally as intelligent as the model if I were wearing it. But since I haven't picked up any needles since last spring, I know I am not worthy. You however are a knitting maniac and my knitting idol. I know you can do it and you would look even more intelligent than the model!
Oh just throw caution to the wind and go for it, so I can live vicariously knitting through you!
I see this pattern in the Knit Picks magazine too and drool over it. The only thing that stops me from getting it - ok the only thingS stopping me - is that it would cost a lot and I can't afford that right now (remember I'm Canadian, though the exchange rate is pretty good right around now), it would take me forever to knit, I've not done Fair Isle yet (was thinking of starting with a pair of sock, something small, before taking on a big project) and well, I guess those are my reasons.
I also agree with the no belt thing. Betls around the middle of sweaters was a style of the 80's...we don't need to bring back things like that...lol.
Um, I can't think of any reason to talk you out of it. Go for it, if you really want it. I love Fair Isle!!! But then again, I love it all. Just give me yarn and I am happy.
Sorry about the boat thing. That's how it is with me and planes, boats, rides, you name it.
YOu know, Lynda...I have also had my eye on that stinking sweater! And there is not much about it that I think would even flatter me, but I guess it's the colors, the pattern, the price...all bonuses! And, I do like the belt. I wonder if it had a bit of side shaping?
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