Saturday, November 6, 2010

I steel myself: Unsteeking

I love this book



I've knit several items from this book, including this




I finished it in 1992, obviously.  It was knit on very small needles, perhaps size 1.  Knit on  12" double points.  The gauge is 8 stitches per inch.  I am no longer that crazy.  I bought the yarn in Vermont, long ago.

The sweater, according to Pagoldh's book is an old Swedish pattern.

The challenge:  I can't recall ever wearing this.  It's lain fallow in the closet since 1992.  I do love it. 

I hatched an idea.  My good friend Bob does home decor.  I don't.  My living room decor is what I like to think of as not-on-purpose-it's-just-me-19th-century-natural-history-museum:  inherited primitive antiques, my butterfly collection, an old velvet patchwork quilt on the wall done by a distant Grandmother, some dusty starfish and sand dollars collected from South Carolina beaches on the book shelves containing Peterson's Field Guides and The Southern Living Garden Book.  I still need the phrenology head for this, and would like to have some bird skeletons under bell jars.  Oh yeah, there are a few Peruvian backstrap woven textiles.

Bob is a talented knitter and designer, among other things he designs and decorates with pillows, and looking at his on Ravelry made me think of turning the fallow sweater into a pillow.  The red and black? Perfect for my dark and dusty decor.

Cutting was tougher than cutting the steeks for it back in 92



I much prefer knitting to sewing, but did take the time to baste it to get the pattern lined up the way I wanted.

Finished today, not sewn up yet at the bottom, but I love the result.  I plan to do some little "kidney pillows" (lumbar rolls?!) with the sleeves


Here's the view with the Ashford


I think Bob will approve.

4 comments:

  1. Wonderful idea. Reminds me of this book:Anna-Stina Lindén Ivarsson: The art of chopping up a sweater. It hurts but you know you can knit it again if you felt like it.

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  2. I certainly DO approve. Looks like the cushion hints to the carpet color and also continues the theme of the room bringing your creations to add to the generations of contributors. Peruvian back straps huh!! NICE.

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  3. That works beautifully. Life's too short for this beautiful work to sit on the shelf!

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  4. I love it ! What a great idea. But really, size one needles? Only you, Ms. Wendy.

    SGW

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