Fair Isle Freak Out

Yes it's me, again. I disappeared for awhile. Work was so stressful and it was all I could do to get going in the mornings. Here's an update on the Ivy League vest

Only now in retrospect can I write about the latest news of the Ivy League Vest. It's been one of the toughest projects for me to complete and one of the most enlightening.

I have a significant curvature in my spine that makes clothes fit me differently than most people. The front of the vest was too large between my shoulder and neck on both sides. I tried it on an cried, I was never going to wear this vest because it just looked funky.

Enter my bright idea to rip out the armhole ribbing and then re-pick the stitches closer in. What a great idea - and it worked. Until I cut the steeked area too close to the ribbing. I thought I was doomed. After a good cry I took Elizabeth Zimmerman's advice to knit on through all crises. I took out the armhole ribbing on the other side and recut - c-a-r-efully. I then ripped out the "bad" side and re-picked up the stiches a second time.

Success! And it fits me beautifully. To think I almost tossed it into the trash now makes me cry almost as much as the bad cut. I have blocked it just so I could admire it's loveliness and watch the steeks fuzz up and become more bulletproof. I read Eunny Jang's blog on steeking and Fair Isle and she talked about the lovely quality of the wool after blocking and how serging is so counter to the way that Fair Isle sweaters are generally constructed. I am glad I read her words before I serged away. The sweater has a light fluffy feel with no rough, flat or stiff edges. And it really does fit me.

I've always felt that I was not able to tailor make things to fit me. It's either been the luck of the draw or store bought, but Knitting Daily's written pieces on shaping and this experience have taught me that maybe I can do this thing, in fact I have done it - and I didn't ruin my garment. Although for awhile it looked as though I might.

I'll post pictures soon.