If you can complete something just under the gun, then I completed this the opposite of that. I started Silken Scabbard for my NaKniSweMo project in November. I decided shortly thereafter that I'd rather gift the sweater, so I wasn't able to work on it as much as planned, due to the giftee's presence during my long roadtrip and vacation at the end of November. I had planned to finish it by the end of 2008, and only had about 15 rounds of a sleeve left to completion on New Year's Eve, and then I kind of basically set my hand on fire making dinner and that sort of precluded getting any knitting done that night, what with all the screaming pain and aching. (Fine now, knitting well, thanks.) So NOW, FINALLY:
Pattern: Silken Scabbard by Jennifer Hansen
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft DK
Size: 35" (M-I-L size)
Needles: US 5 Addi Naturas and Jenkins Woodworking circulars
Start: November 2, 2008
Finish: January 2, 2009
This is obviously not knit in my size - I like a good flattering fit, but I'm not one for sweaters that make me look like Boobsy McBirthinghips, so this would SO not be my style. It was a gift for my smaller and totally lovely mother-in-law for Christmas, and it looks completely stellar on her.
I am more than certain my intention was not for my ass to be quite so prominent in this photo. It was really hard to get good photos out of this shoot. Travis is one of those photographers who takes the picture about one quarter of a second after you wish he'd taken it. There are heaps of outtakes. (Warning: that last one involves a specific finger. Be aware.)
Mods: A few, though nothing revolutionary. There were some pattern bits that didn't really make sense to me ("why do it that way when I could just do this other thing?") so I made those kinds of changes, and the sorts of changes that make sleeves shorter and narrower, stuff like that.
Wheee, it's done!!
Final Thoughts: My only regret is that it's not for me :-) As far as the pattern - it's simple, but it's not for beginners. Does that make sense? It'd be easier to knit if you know what you're doing so you can maybe change some things up and save yourself some steps. Also, I REALLY wish that cramming it onto two pages hadn't been such a priority - it was like working on a pattern from Vogue Knitting. ("Hey Bill. I'm looking at this month's layout. Do you think we can get this colorwork cabled cardigan covered in one column? Including charts? Great, thanks.") But: I do LOVE this sweater and its pattern. It's clever and simple but interesting and the yarn I picked (from stash!) worked wonderfully with it. If I were starting all over, I'd knit this one again for sure.
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