Ta-da!

Finished vest, and it even fits:




Detail:

Ribbed Vest: almost done!

I've knitted some parts more often than I can count, and I'm sure the ribbing still isn't perfect, but it's all over but the seaming (and blocking, and weaving in of ends...).

Wool gallery

My remaining souvenirs of my wool-knitting days:

 

 

Last wool vest

 

 

Hand-dyed wool and mohair raglan worked in the round using Elizabeth Zimmerman's percentage method. the ribbing was worked in wool and the body and sleeves used wool and mohair in alternate rounds.

 

 

 

Wool vest with zigzag eyelet pattern.

 

 

 

Ribbed wool vest.

 

 

 

Striped wool vest combining variegated and black yarns.

 

 

Mitten in Spruce pattern from Robin Hansen's Fox & Geese & Fences

Approaching the finish line

My excuse for not blogging: I've been knitting along with the Olympics, to the extent that the broadcast schedule has been compatible with my need to sleep, eat, and go to work. The vest ran into difficulties (surely the knitter wasn't to blame...) and had to have its front and back re-knit from the start of the neckline up. At the same time, my Olympics viewing has been a repeated nightly round of beach volley ball and swimming, reinforcing the feeling of being stuck in one place. But this time both the back and front are truly finished. I am ready to bind off, join the shoulders, pick up and knit the neck and armhole ribbing, sew 2 seams, and be done. Oh, except, of course, for the weaving in of ends and light blocking.

Two steps forward, one step back

I have finished the back of the vest. I thought I was ready to start the armhole shaping on the front last night, but discovered, in my last self-satisfied look at my progress before going to bed, that I had skipped 2 rows of garter stitch a couple of inches back, so will have to retrace my steps and fix it. Still, I'm within sight of the end. I just hope I like the fit. The combination of cotton yarn and a somewhat stretchy pattern make it hard to judge exactly what the final blocked and assembled measurements will be, let alone how well I will like the effect on me.

Ribbed vest update

Here's a closeup of the stitch detail on the vest, using the Rowan Cotton jeans yarn. The back is nearly done.

Ribbed vest progress

Using the Ribbed Tank pattern in Vogue Knitting: Very Easy Knits, I've made a good start on my vest. I've made several modifications to the original long, loose design, first published in 1983:

• The original and substitute yarns are not available. I am adapting to the Rowan Cotton Jeans I have and am pleased with the result, even though the gauge is different from not only the one specified on the pattern but also the one recommended on the Rowan ball band.


• The original pattern is for a long very loose-fitting tank with 4 inches or more of ease. I'm shortening the body to hip length and aiming for zero ease.


• I've narrowed the width of the textured bands because I thought it would look better my shorter, smaller version.

It's been a good travel project.