The Blue Vintage Cardigan, It Is Begun

If your name is My Mother, please do not read this (or if you know My Mother, please do not tell her about this).  

So this is the Fair Isle sweater kit my mom bought for herself, oh, I don't know, at least 20 -- maybe 25 -- years ago, on a vacation to Nova Scotia. She just happened to mention it to me (I did not know of its existence) last spring. She pulled it out to show me, only to discover she had lost the pattern. 

 

With the help of a couple of readers of this blog, I was able to get hold of not one, but two, copies of the pattern. It has sat while the garden and a few other things have taken up my time and attention, until the other night when I took it out, and without much fanfare at all, just went ahead and cast on the back. 

It's fingering weight Shetland wool, I love the color and LOVE the fabric in all its sturdy, authentic, wonderful slight (slight? ha!) scritchiness. It will be one of my all-time favorite knits, I am sure, if I ever finish it.  

I've got a fondness for Shetland wool garments. I own a dark olive green fine-gauge Shetland wool sweater that I bought on a trip to St. Albans, England, back in '93, that has started to fray a bit around the edges, but they'll be prying that thing from my cold, dying hands, I love it so. It's just a plain ribbed pullover, slightly oversized, but not too bad, and slightly mannish. It was purchased on a day of sightseeing for me that turned cold and sleety, I needed to get warm, and I bought a small man's jumper (pullover sweater) in the shop called Jumpers. It's the perfect tweedy green, and I just adore that thing. 

It's too much to hope that I could get this blue sweater for my mom done by Christmas, but if I could, wouldn't that just be the most marvelous thing ever?  So I shall try.   

Whatever doesn't kill me will make me stronger, right? And I am sorry to you if you were hoping for a holiday or birthday knit from me, as much as I would love to knit for you, because this is going to take up all my knitting time, I am quite sure.  

At least it's only stockinette, and once I get past the ribbing and go all the way up to those huge honkin' size US 4 needles, it should fly.  For the non-knitting readers, that is SARCASM -- these needles are TINY, and the gauge is 7 stitches to the inch.

Some would say that the "most fun" part is done -- the Fair Isle colorwork -- but me, I'm quite happy just to knit stockinette till I turn blue in the face and leave the colorwork to those more adventurous than I.  (EDITED TO ADD:  CindyCindy asked if the Fair Isle portion was already done as a part of the kit, or if my mom knit it. Yes, it was done as part of the kit -- can't tell if it's hand- or machine-knit. And another interesting note, the price tag is still on the kit -- way back a quarter of a century ago, the price was $45 Canadian, marked down to $39 when my mom bought it.)

I'm guessing there will be some chiropractic visits, and perhaps some massages, necessary before this is over.  But here we go.  We're off!

Comments

[Sarah]

So, you get to knit this sweater and get massages along the way? That sounds like a great way to spend the next several weeks.

[kerry]

It looks lovely so far. Fingering weight sweater - arrgghhh I pity your fingers.

[gayle]

I would have expected the sweater to be knit down from the yoke.
Enjoy the knit - the color is gorgeous!

[sandy]

Perfect knitting weather coming up. One more reason to love November! go Norma, go!

[Margaret in Ontario]

Just before I started the heel on my first fingering weight sock, I made the fatal error of "trying it on" over my hand and up my arm, and immediately fell in love with the idea of--SOMEDAY--knitting a fine gauge sweater. So far, have only done more socks and a lot of imagining, but thanks for living the dream! That sweater is going to be fantastic.

[Geri]

Very interesting sweater construction and lovely blue! I'm finishing my first fair isle project, a pillow. My only other experience was a sheep puppet featured in Spin-off magazine. Working with Shetland and two color knitting using continental and "throwing" has led to very sore hands. I can only manage a fraction of the knitting I normally do in a day!

[Ruth]

That's one of my favorite blues .... it's going to be a beautiful sweater.

[Bams]

You can do it! I have to say that because I'm going to try to do a fair isle cardigan for my mother in time for Christmas too.

It's really beautiful too.

[ann]

UGH AND LOL!!! Size 4 oh my. I'm bitching about the one I'm doing on size 8. Can not wait to see it. I, too have purchased Miss BB. Wonder who will make theirs first!!!

[CindyCindy]

OK. Stupid question here. Is that fair isle pre-knit? Or, did your Mom knit it? I love the colors. It will be gorgeous!!

[AnnaMarie]

I love leetle needles and I also love shetland wool. I really need to finish this worsted shawl and cast on something small and pretty that will take the winter to finish!

[Renee]

Happy Knitting! The colour is soooo lovely.

[Adelaide]

That is going to be one beautiful sweater. Don't think about the size needle you are using; think about what a great thing you are doing.

[Jean E.]

Your mom is going to love it!

[thea]

I love it -- a perfect gift. What's the ribbing hanging out there for? I can't think without the coffee yet -- am guessing it's not top down? or is it the button band?

[Joansie]

Norma, it's gorgeous!!!

[marianne]

Norma, you are such the good daughter. I happen to be one of those Shetland wool lovers, it softens nicely, wears like iron, and oh so cozy warm. My lys had tons of J&S and no one was buying it (except me, I'd swear) they finally ended up putting it out for 75% off, needless to say most of it is hanging out in my stash now :^) I'm thinking the stockinette could prove to be very soothing, is there much shaping in the body? I think you'll get it finished by Christmas :^)

[Jennifer]

$39???? Holy cow! Even 25 years ago, that was a great deal. I love fair isle, and I think part of the love is the dichotomy between the colorwork and the soothing stockinette. Enjoy!

[Christina Scovel]

Looks AMAZING so far! I can't wait to see it finished.

[(no longer at) a simple yarn]

Well, good on ya for just picking it up and getting it going. Breaking the gravitational pull of inertia is the most difficult part, I find, and so you've overcome the challenging bit. If you don't think about any self-imposed deadline too much, you'll actually have that lovely sweater knit in no time.

[Carrie]

It's going to be lovely whenever it's finished.

[Knitnana]

If I were your mom? I'd just simply swoon.
What a good daughter you are...
:)
(((hugs)))

[margene]

I should pull out my Bohus and knit along with you. The color is fabulous. Is the collar attached by Kitchener?

[Joannah]

This will be a beautiful sweater. If your Mom is a knitter, you will get "good daughter" points. If she has no clue about knitting, she will still like the sweater cause it's going to be a nice one.

[Gerri]

Of course you can do it! Take the easy start (just picked it up and started) as a sign for how the whole project will go. Just a stitch at a time and you'll be done.

I am, of course, sad that you are not going to be knitting me a Christmas present. I really had expected it this year. That's Ok, though. Moms should always come first!

[Martha]

You are a good person and surely knitting this sweater will earn you some outstanding karma. If you keep telling yourself that, it might just pull you through.

[Nancy]

I will enjoy watching the sweater take shape. Knits with background stories that make a parent or grandparent happy are so much fun, especially when it was a group effort with help from internet friends.

[Birdsong]

I'm going to be rooting for you to finish in time... what an awesome daughter! I have a similar fondness for shetland, though I do have to wear it with a cotton turtleneck underneath.

[Cheryl S.]

If you're complaining so much about size 4 needles, how are you EVER going to knit Thermal?

[Mary Fran]

You need to take some long trips or car rides for uninterrupted knitting. It's going to be beautiful. Love that Mr. J. is modeling yet another sweater. Adorable. I'll bet he's going to need some booties soon to keep his toes warm for the long, cold Vermont winter

[Elaine]

That is going to be one gorgeous sweater! And such a lovely Christmas gift. Carry on.

[Lorette]

That is a very cool kit! Your mother will love it. Maybe you can have a big party, and we can all come over and help you knit it.

[Mary K. in Rockport]

Well - that is one cool kit. How do you attach the color work shoulders when you get that far?

[Rabbitch]

I'm disappointed; I was so certain you were going to knit me a yurt for giftmas ...

[Seanna Lea]

Yeah size 4. I think everything I've worked on in the last few weeks is size 4 or smaller. I'm hoping to move up to monster needles soon (but not speed sticks. Those things frighten me).

[Diane H.]

Go Girl! Between this and the LSAT, you are going to have a season of accomplishments!

[Carole]

Oh hell that's like knitting a gigantic sock! Yikes!!

[elizabeth a airhart]

here i was thinking you would knit a
red sequin cover for my big left toe

mum will just love her garment tis
quite a storey and a very lovely
shade of blue it is good night mum

[Carrie K]

That's a cute cardigan! You can finish it by Christmas. Stockinette? On 4's? Be glad they're not 2's!

You say a quarter of a century ago like it's a long time.....

[Cookie]

Love it!

[Sandy]

Oh, it's just gorgeous! What a great gift. She'll treasure it for years to come. Looks like Mr. Jefferies approves, too!

[Lisa in Toronto]

I think your efforts to persevere through the stocking stitch will be truly appreciated.
I look forward to the progress!

[Kathy Sue]

Gorgeous! You are a very good daughter, and she is a lucky Mom. And to have the icky part (the fairisle) done for you--what a pla!

[Kathy Sue]

oops-- I meant plan, not pla.

[noonie]

ooh pretty....

hey when you were in St Albans did you happen to visit Dunstable? I was born and bred there, right next to Stalbans...

Pretty town with big old church in it.