Monday, January 01, 2007

Happy New Sweater!


(I'm not a minimalist; I've been working my way through a list of things to do on this holiday, and "hang pictures in hallway" is next on the list!)

Technically the last FO of 2006, I present to you the finished saddle-shoulder sweater. I used five balls of Patons Classic Wool in "deep olive" (colour 205) (this yarn pills, but I love it anyway), 4.0mm needles, and numbers and percentages from Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears. Before blocking, the sweater was pretty snug -- a size too small, really -- but the magic of blocking evened everything out and made it fit perfectly. I didn't even pull or pin anything while blocking, just smoothed out the sweater and let it dry flat.

I think the saddle shoulders are flattering for a narrow-shouldered body like mine -- the saddles make my shoulders look broader than they really are. All of the edges (bottom, cuffs, neck) are hemmed, which is easy to do and which results in nice flat edges.


Plus the hems let you add a contrasting colour in a non-obvious way; nobody else might ever notice it, but it will make you happy when you're putting on your sweater. My CC is an old ball of blue Patons Classic that I thrifted.


So, a sweater success. With its olive colour and saddle shoulders, it looks a bit military. It's plain, but a good basic layer for winter. It won't be bulky under my coat. EZ's version is seamless, but I knit the sleeves flat, since I was getting ladders knitting them in the round on DPNs. I also did fewer decreases in the sides than were called for, since I knew the sweater would be fitted; I'm pretty straight through the torso, so I didn't want it to be tight around the middle.

In that last photo, the sweater is sitting on my latest thrift-store purchase. I did a quick shop on December 30 and picked up a nice old wooden chair (from a school?) for $7.99.


(Also on that to-do list: deal with the Christmas recycling.)

And now it's new year's day. Bill and I made our semi-traditional breakfast resembling eggs Benedict: toast (rye with caraway seeds) and poached eggs, smothered in Hollandaise sauce. Now we're on the couch, lazy, our bellies filled with butter, wearing jammies and watching Band of Brothers on the history channel. Maybe I'll get up in a bit and hang some pictures, but you know what? Maybe I won't! Whatever you're up to, I hope you're having a nice day. And of course I hope 2007 is a wonderful year for you.

One more thing: today is Brainylady's fourth birthday! I started this blog on new year's day in 2003, in my bedroom in my Taipei apartment. There have been a lot of changes since then, both in my life and in the knitblogging world. Along the way, I've had so much support from readers, and I've so enjoyed maintaining my little corner of the Internet here. Thanks for coming over, and for being so sweet and funny and inspiring and encouraging. You make this really fun.

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice sweater! I love the contrast hem, it adds a nice flair. happy blog birthday!

spajonas said...

i love the sweater. i might be basic but it looks like it fits well and that you're more than happy with it! a success!

loving the new blog look lately. really makes a difference :)

happy new year and blogiversary!

Nadia said...

Happy Blogiversary!

...and Happy Cute Sweater Day too!

Anonymous said...

happy new year and happy four years! i love your new sweater - the fit is great and the colours lovely. (i'm a saddle-shoulder fan, too, being a bit narrow in that part myself.)

Unknown said...

Lovely sweater! I gotta get me one of those! I really like the secret contrasting hem facings, too.

K. said...

Happy new year and happy blogiversary! See you soon!

La Cabeza Grande said...

Simple and chic! It fits you perfectly. And the CC hem is like your little secret, which makes wearing it even more appealing, non?

Anonymous said...

Happy new year! I love the idea of a contrast color on the hem- I've never seen that before.

goodkarma said...

The sweater looks great on you. It's going to be one of those go-to sweaters you can wear any time with just about anything. We have a winner! :) Happy New Year, too!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your sweater and on your blogiversary! Did you know that you and Yarn-a-Go-Go Rachel were the original inspiration for me to start my blog? Without your little corner, my little corner may not exist either!

Mr & I are doing much of the same with our New Years, although I am also spending some time sorting my yarn stash. Oy vey.

Happy New Year!

mariko said...

Happy New Year! The sweater looks great. I love the saddle shoulder sweaters! Nice hem job, too. Very professional looking. And Happy Birthday, too!

Kate said...

the sweater is lovely and the chair is awesome. I'd love to hear where you thrift in montreal. I used to go the the flea markets in NYC and Paris, but here, I haven't looked around yet.

jodi said...

Lovely sweater, Alison. I want one just like it, blue facings and all. Also, I have a request: could we see a better picture of that funky doorknob?

Peter has been going around this season wishing everyone a Happy Hollandaise; it's really funny how many people don't even notice you didn't say holidays. So, happy hollandaise to you.

Anonymous said...

That sweater looks great--excellent job on the fit!
That's a very awesome chair, as well.
Happy New Year!

JustApril said...

It's gorgeous, esp with the contrast that secretly happifies the wearer. Cool idea =)

Anonymous said...

I love your sweater. I am on the last sleeve cap for a "Perfect Sweater" a la Mason-Dixon and have decided that 20007 is the year of the simple sweater.

Happy New Year and my thanks to YOU for the wonderful blog.

Anonymous said...

Foxxxy!

Anonymous said...

oh happy fourth!
its been great getting to know you over these years. I've followed you since my introduction into the blog world in Oct 2003.

btw, great looking sweater!

Cari said...

I love it. The fit is perfect.

Carrie said...

Wow, it looks beautiful! It really is perfect. Happy New Year, and happy blogiversary! You are always, always a joy to read.

Anonymous said...

How strange to think we were in Taiwan at the same time. I left on 1/10/03, though, to come back to the US. I love reading your blog and love your latest sweater. ~Ah Xia

Anonymous said...

The sweater looks great, the brown and blue look so good together!

Robin said...

Your new sweater is lovely - a style and colour one can wear a lot! And reasonable too in Paton's classic wool. Great find with the chair as well. Enjoy your lazy days as they disappear all to quickly. The best to you for 2007!

karen said...

happy blogiversary, alison. the sweater looks awesome. i envy you your narrow shoulders just now - my poke-outy shoulders would probably look a bit odd in saddle shoulders, but i've always liked them.

FemiKnitMafia said...

Love the sweater.
Happy Blogiversary.

Anonymous said...

Happy anniversary! I love reading your blog.

The sweater is wonderful. Wear it in good health.

Anonymous said...

a great sweater to start a new year off with.

no, no, YOU make this really fun! :)

Stacey said...

What a great basic sweater - happy blogiversary!

kaoticorchid said...

Happy blogiversary! I am having my blogiversary today! Whee! Blogiversaries for everyone!

Anonymous said...

happy bloggiversary. fabulous!
and not only do i think the sweater is great - that pic in the mirror where you can see the saddle shoulder in the mirror, but the close up of the collar? brilliant!

Chris said...

Happy blogiversary!! The sweater turned out great. I need to remember how great hemmed edges look when I knit sweaters...

KnittenKnots said...

What a great fit! I love the EZ seamless sweaters...they're definitely staple items that won't be going out of style anytime soon. I'm thinking of trying out the hybrid for myself next...

Anonymous said...

love love love the sweater! I shall have to try the saddle shoulder approach, as I too have narrow slopey shoulders that get lost in regular sweaters. Happy new year to you too!

Anonymous said...

I am also a fan of Patons Classic Wool, but aside from some felted items I have yet to make anything bigger than a hat with it.

Your sweater is very nice and has inspired me even more to try and tackle my first sweater.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love the hems of your sweater. Actually, I love everything about that sweater. Great fit, great color, love it.

Anonymous said...

Lovely sweater. Happy New Year!

claudia said...

Happy Knitblog Birthday! Taipei seems so long ago....

I agree that saddle shoulders are nice on the small-shouldered. Ask me how I know.

Dr. Steph said...

Great sweater and Happy Blogiversary! You're one of my favourites to visit.

yarnivorous said...

Happy New Year, happy blogiversary and great sweater!

Anonymous said...

Happy new year (a wee bit late) and happy happy sweater! I love the contrast hems and shaping...it looks fantastic!