and so Cambridge is complete.... in the end, I managed to complete this vest, using just 6 balls of the RCY Cashsoft DK in Poison. I had to make a few compromises to get an FO without purchasing another balls.
It soft and squishy and warm and I do look forward to wearing it.
5 things that I really like about it
1. The colour.. I love this rich, merlot shade. Darker and more purply than maroon but much redder than purple
2. The yarn was a dream to work with. So soft, so springy, it begs to be cabled. Even after ripping several times, it didn't look too distressed. There weren't any knots in any of the balls.
3. No sleeves to knit.
4. Very little finishing if you knit it in the round.
5. It was easy to memorise and the narrow cables meant it's easier to cable without a cable needle.
But the amendments...
1. I shortened the ribbing on the waistband from 4.5 inches to about an inch. The extra cables meant that I used a lot more yarn.
2. I only bought enough yarn for the pattern, in the size 38, I had to cheat the body by an inch.
3. I also cheated the edging by working narrower ribbing bands. The pattern called for 7 rows, I only worked 5 rows before casting off.
4. I reworked the pattern for a vee neck. This was the first time ever that I did a vee-beck for a pull-over. I didn't realised that until I started and had to read the instructions (from the men's version ) for the decreasing. This was rather risky, since the women's scoop neck version used a tad less yarn and I was already on a slippery slope with the yarn quantities
5. Working it in the round was a breeze and there were only a few ends to join in when I was done. How could anyone not like that?
There was a bit of worrying as I worked through this project:
1. Was I going to have enough yarn. (when you don't follow the pattern, and make changes that will use more yarn, and did not buy the extra ball that the Rowan consultant told you to, this is always a concern)
2. Was I going to actually fit this thing? (I used cotton yarn for the waste in the tubular cast-on. The darn thing was pretty in-elastic. Unblocked, the entire garment was only 32 inches.... which ain't even that roomy for my thighs!
and you know what? It's the first big-ish thingy that I finished for me this year. I'm not counting Madli's Shawl that I did earlier in the year, cause lace doesn't count.
How does it look? Not too flattering, but if I stay away from the Dorset apple pie at PJ's, it might improve.
Looks great! I love the color.
Posted by: Kat with a K at November 16, 2006 02:39 PMi think it looks great, goofball!
Posted by: carolyn at November 14, 2006 03:54 PMSo cute! That's coming up soon on my to-do list, so it's good to know about the yarn-shortage issues.
Btw - I love that you made it a v-neck. Did you notice in the book, it describes it as a v-neck, but the pic is a scoopneck? Damn you rowan!
Posted by: Ann at November 13, 2006 08:53 PMIt's adorable. I love the way it's a bit shorter than the pattern called for. Looks nice that, a bit 'edgy'.
Posted by: Lynn at November 12, 2006 03:39 PMGosh, it looks great! I love those tiny cables.
Posted by: Mike at November 12, 2006 12:11 AMIts great, I love the colour.
Posted by: yvette at November 11, 2006 08:02 AMIt's wonderful! Love the color.
Posted by: Stasia at November 11, 2006 03:50 AMIt looks fantastic, really. The colour really does bring out the cables oh-so-flatteringly! Nice work Polly!
Posted by: Rain at November 10, 2006 11:36 PMI'm just going to echo everyone else - it looks fab!! Very this season. Great colour - certainly reminds of a glass of wine....
Posted by: ling at November 10, 2006 10:21 PMCongratulations! I think it looks good. Love those cables and especially that deep purple, yum!
Posted by: BigAlice at November 10, 2006 09:03 PMGo on, Polly, eat lots and lots of apple pie, so it won't fit and then you can give it to me.....seriously I am SO GLAD you have made yourself something at last!
Posted by: Jill at November 10, 2006 05:04 PMI like it!!
Posted by: Kathleen at November 10, 2006 04:30 PMCambridge is divine...Now I'll have to knit one too!!
Posted by: Jacinta at November 10, 2006 04:17 PMHi Polly,
I think it looks great. I love the Cashsoft line. I want to do a sweater for myself out of it, some time soon.
Beautiful color, and a perfect pattern for it.
Posted by: Danielle at November 10, 2006 04:13 PMIt looks great Polly, no need to deprive yourself of apple pie! It's nice when things turn out well; all of your worrying was pointless. Watch out, Jill likes sleeveless vests!
Beautiful. You've got me thinking I need to knit myself a vest.
Posted by: susan at November 10, 2006 01:16 PMI think you look great in it - well done on winging it successfully!
Posted by: AmyP at November 10, 2006 12:59 PMI know we are always our own worst critic -- so I have to tell you, it looks wonderful on you!
Posted by: Wendy at November 10, 2006 12:22 PMI know we are always our own worst critic -- so I have to tell you, it looks wonderful on you!
Posted by: Wendy at November 10, 2006 12:21 PMIt really does look fab ! Very nice,flattering fit.
I,too,love that colour. So rich. Nice blue tones. Lovely. :0)
Polly. there's plenty of room for Dorset Apple pie! You deserve it after all the worry it gave you. You model it better than the original.
Posted by: Tracy at November 10, 2006 09:22 AMIt looks great Polly - very cool! Well done to finish it within the yarn you had.
Posted by: Mary at November 10, 2006 09:06 AMyou silly girl, it looks smashing on you! beautiful!
Posted by: kris at November 10, 2006 08:44 AMI see frolicking in your future... and you lie, it looks LOVELY on you!! :)
Now I want to make one...
Polly - it looks fab! I'd enjoy that apple pie and your sweet vest, too!
Posted by: Sara at November 10, 2006 04:32 AMVery chic Polly - you make a great model. Lovely colour too- the way you describe it, it sounds very similar to the poison KSH shade from long ago.
Posted by: carol at November 10, 2006 04:01 AMI think it looks fab on you!
Posted by: meg at November 10, 2006 03:59 AMIt's lovely! A classic!
Posted by: Debi at November 10, 2006 02:31 AMwhat do you mean it doesn't look flattering! i think it looks great on you.
and leaving your shirt untucked is the perfect layering technique in my humble opinion.
Posted by: jacqueline at November 10, 2006 01:17 AMYou've given me hope to finish my Cambridge. Unfortunately, I've worked it in the alpaca DK with all that horrid ribbing. Maybe I'll see how it takes to being ripped back!
Posted by: Carol at November 10, 2006 12:59 AMPolly, that is fantastic! It is such a beautiful, rich colour and looks lovely on you. Congratulations on producing something so wonderful, and without having to buy that extra ball of yarn too.
Posted by: Louise at November 9, 2006 11:41 PMhehe, I get to be the first AND second comments on this post.
I just wanted to add that the v-neck really works well. Yay, you!
It looks great, Polly and you could easily model it for the J. Crew catalogue! :)
I was surprised at the first picture because all the in-progress pictures had made it seem a lot pinker. I love the colour, too!