Well, it's not every day that I finish a sweater, so I will extend the celebration for a few more days. Here are a few other photos, taken by my Sandy at the Eveready Diner, just for kicks.



These photos were a bit on the dark side, and I did my best in my photo editing software to lighten them up a bit.
But here's the big news: I documented this project on Ravelry. If you are a Ravelry user, you can see it here. It's my first time. A Ravelry virgin, I am no more. I had not even finished it, and was still tearing my hair out trying to figure out how to upload a photo in there, and smart-alec Susan commented to me, "What the hell! You added a project to Ravelry??!! The sky is falling."
Mwah, Susan!
So, for anyone who doesn't use Ravelry (Is there anyone? I saw last night that there are over 199,000 registered users. Surreal.) here are the specs:
Pattern: Central Park by Heather Lodinsky in Knitscene Magazine, Fall 2006
Size: 36
Needles: US 6 and US 8
Yarn: Peace Fleece Worsted, in the color Sheplova Mushroom, 6 skeins I believe
Modifications: I left off the hood and replaced it with a 2 X 2 ribbed collar. I made the button bands wider than the pattern called for (2 inches instead of 1.5) and carried the button bands up to edge the collar. No other modifications.
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I am particularly in love with this sweater. It is my best knitting and finishing work to date. It is a perfect marriage of yarn and project, and it fits really well. Peace Fleece is VERY WARM, and it is not next-to-the-skin soft, so it has to be worn over something. I walked around much of the weekend saying, "It's a FURNACE!" It was just perfect for the festival temps in the 50s. I tend to be hot most of the time, so it's not so much an indoor sweater for me, but an outdoor jacket-like garment, except in my house which is kept like a meat locker in the winter.
I love it so much I think I'm going to make another one just like it, but in a different color.
On second thought, I think it will be almost like it, but slightly different. Twist, by Bonne Marie, like Carole just made, might be just the ticket. Ann suggested to me the other day that we do The Twist together, and then I saw Carole's in person. Kismet. Though I don't suppose Ann will be knitting with Peace Fleece in Aruba. Don't forget your sunscreen, Ann! Bitch.
Wow, this cardi turned out pretty, I already thought yesterday but today with these pics,nice :)
I was also amazed to see it pop up as an ravelry project from you :) The twist pattern is one I have on my queue too, but I decided to go with the cassidy pattern and it is nearly finished.
I am glad for you that you had such a nice weekend and only a bit with envy :)
Have nice week!
Sibylle
Posted by: Sibylle | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 03:22 AM
It looks great! I have to get pictures of mine up too!
Posted by: Kathy | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 05:54 AM
That is a great sweater. Well done! I love the perfect matching necklace too.
Posted by: Paula | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 06:55 AM
Your CP(nonH) is beautiful! I like your un-hooded version.
As of this morning the are 199,153 users on Ravelry. I'm sure they'll pass the 200,000 mark by the end of the day or tomorrow based on the 800 or so invitations handed out per day.
Posted by: Manise | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 06:56 AM
Oh No you di'n't! I think you know what I mean. ;)
Love the sweater, isn't it great to finish something? Um, I mean isn't it great that when you finish something it is just exactly what you were going for? I love that feeling. The sweater looks awesome.
Posted by: Teresa C | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 07:12 AM
It looks beautiful on you, m'dear. Seeing your WIP shots inspired me to dig out the Kamchatka Seamoss I've had marinating in the stash for God only knows how long ... I just started the second sleeve of "October Frost" from A Fine Fleece. LOVING the Peace Fleece.
Posted by: Ruth | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 07:21 AM
You Ripped it!
I do so love that sweater on you! It is all around great! WHY don't we knit sweaters more often? Or is the question really, why don't we KNIT more often.
Whatev.
xo
Posted by: sandy | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 07:32 AM
oh, and now she is YOUR Sandy?
harummmph.
Love the sweater, and congrats on the Ravelry inclusion.
I'm all about INCLUSION, as you well know.
xoxox
Posted by: greta | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 07:36 AM
It is a fabulous sweater. It doesn't look "homemade", but tailor knit for you. Lovely lovely work and terrific on you. I'm suffering from sweater-envy.
Posted by: CindyCindy | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 07:56 AM
I LOVE your sweater - what a perfect color for you, too!
Twist looks like a lot of fun to knit. Quick, quick, cast on while the needles are still warmed up.
Are the rumors of ice-skating in Hades true?
Posted by: gayle | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 07:57 AM
The sweater is wonderful on you -- great color and fabulous job with the knitting. You are so right about how warm the Peace Fleece is, though!
Posted by: Carole | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 08:03 AM
Your sweater is beautiful! I am just about finished with Twist and it is a fun knit...just enough variation in the cables to keep me thinking, but not too hard.
Posted by: Anne | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 08:08 AM
A perfect fit and lovely piece of knitting. You look very happy in your new sweater.
Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 08:09 AM
As a matter of fact I did notice that you had put this up on Ravelry.....what I didn't notice was how perfect the Park City Pendant is with it! Now I'm doubly bummed that I didn't run into you over the weekend! I really wanted to see that, too! (On the CPH, did you do the original pattern or the later version? I hear it ran a bit small, should I decide to do one for myself.)
Posted by: Marcia | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 08:12 AM
You looked marvelous in the NEW SWEATER! The color is perfect for you and went beautifully with the necklace as you predicted. It was fabulous to spend 3 minutes with you. At least we had July.
Posted by: margene | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 08:18 AM
You already know how I feel about this sweater and the yarn... but good wool, woman (!!) the pendant (!!) is PERFECT. Absolutely.
("Are the rumors of ice-skating in Hades true?" I nearly wet my pants reading that)
Posted by: marianne | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 09:11 AM
Twist would be perfect in that green! I too am envious of Carole's version. Very tempted to start one.
Posted by: carol | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 09:27 AM
You looked FABulous, Dahling! That color is perfect on you. We missed you at the Eveready! I only got to see you for like three minutes! :-( But it was a good three minutes. :-)
Posted by: Jean | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Oh, and it matches your necklace PERFECTLY!
You look lovely and happy, and the sweater is glorious. Congratulations!
Posted by: Imbrium | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 10:57 AM
And it's such a lovely match for your dinosaur bone! I saw a huge piece of dinosaur bone at the museum a couple of weeks ago - about 6" x 8", and thought of you.
Posted by: Cheryl S. | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Gorgeous! I have some lovely worsted marinating....... And I need a lovely cardi......
Thanks for the inspiration.
Posted by: Beebs | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Very nice. The photos might be dark, but they are still gorgeous.
I try to document my projects in Ravelry, but often they are posted well after they are finished. This mostly results in there being way more projects In Progress than there actually are!
Posted by: Seanna Lea | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 12:53 PM
That sweater is just perfect on you. The color, the fit, the style -- magnifique! And I too noticed how superbly it sets off the necklace, and vice versa. It gives me something to aspire to.
Posted by: Lucia | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 01:10 PM
It is beautiful on you, you skinny bitch.*
I cannot believe you have become one of those people. /sigh
*Said with love. Kay, please don't kill me.
Posted by: Cookie | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 02:02 PM
I thought you'd forgotten all about us Ravelry over-achievers! Off to "Favorite" it, and wish that word was spelled with a "u"!
Posted by: AmyP | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 02:31 PM
Your rockin' that haircut-love it - and the sweater is very very nice.
Posted by: tayloe | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 03:00 PM
That cardi is the perfect color for you! LOVE the design as well. It's on my list for later this fall for myself....only now I can't decide about the hood... or not...
Posted by: Anne | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 03:01 PM
And look at that... your first Ravelry project is such a nice red... my brain is a bit muddled, but things like popping a cherry (a ravelry cherry? a sweater cherry??) are swimming around in there. When I get over my human virus and get my computer over its pc virus, I'll post a picture of you with a brownie in your mouth. It was good to meet you, even for a few minutes... I feel like those quick meet and greats at least put a face to people that we are back and forth with in the blogs.
Posted by: lisa | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 05:01 PM
OOOHHH, burnnnn. You are awful. And correct. I will be taking some yucky acrylic to make a hooded back zip baby cardigan for my granddaughter to be. I am using the same freaking color to make my twist! Just in Rowan Aranspun-Kismet my ass! You KILL me!
Posted by: ann | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 05:04 PM
That sweater looked fabulous in person, too. I really need to try Peace Fleece one of these days! And I'm still waiting for the day when Ravelry is open without registration so my poor mother can read some of the boards. It practically kills her to miss out on the MV Fiber Farm updates just because she's not a knitter!
Posted by: --Deb | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 05:44 PM
Nice modeling, nice photography, great sweater! Where is the Norma who doesn't knit much any more?
Sweateritis seems to be contagious!
Posted by: Cathy-Cate | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 07:30 PM
http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/WebLetter/55/Issue55.php
Have you seen Veronique Avery's cardigan called St. Denis? It is in her new book but the pattern if a freebie featured in Classic Elite's newsletter and their yarn.
Your cardigan in Peace Fleece is gorgeous. Also, Twist is lovely, too.
Posted by: Kate/Massachusetts | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 08:41 PM
Sheplova mushroom is a fantastic color. I knit a friend of mine the Wool Peddler's Shawl (Ravelry link) from Folk Shawls out of it.
Posted by: Zardra | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 09:21 PM
Your sweater is beautiful and the color is great on you. I must try the yarn someday. I put this swaeter on my list. Jean
Posted by: Jean | Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Actually, I'm not on Ravelry. I have purposely banned myself from even thinking about it until after the dissertation is signed, sealed and delivered.
Posted by: Kristen | Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 12:52 AM
Oh, and the sweater is as stunning as its model! Sorry--committee meeting today. Brain is fried. Totally fried.
Posted by: Kristen | Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 12:55 AM
The sweater is gorgeous! Congrats on finishing it and loosing your virginity.
Posted by: Sue | Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 08:33 AM
Still looks stunning and great and I don't blame you for not taking it off much. I wouldn't either! The Twist pattern looks cool too -- could be your next great cardigan, huh? ;) We'll all look forward to it!
Posted by: Stephanie | Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 10:05 AM
Beautiful sweater.....and REALLY great posing in that first picture. Tee hee!
Posted by: annie | Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 03:32 PM
I watched you and Sandy during this photo shoot from the Eveready parking lot as Michaele and I were leaving. And I must say, that first pose reminds me of something. . .
Posted by: Alarming Female | Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 11:45 PM