Monday, July 7, 2008

From Start to Finish Line

Just wondering.......of the 50 of us signed up for this knit along, which started, lets see......almost a full year ago.....how many have finished?

Was this your first fair isle?
If it was, what made you take the plunge with this particular design. (ie was it the fit of this particular design versus the traditional boxy fair isle pullover? was it Eunny's reputation as a designer?)
What did you like about this sweater visually?
What didn't you like?
Were you happy with the knitting experience?
Now that you've knit it (or part of it) what would you change if you did it again?

I'm wondering if you would knit fair isle again?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oooh fun idea to do a summary post!

Was this your first fair isle?
It was the first fair isle I finished, in fact the first sweater I ever finished. Autumn Rose was also the first time I used more than two colours in a project.


If it was, what made you take the plunge with this particular design. (ie was it the fit of this particular design versus the traditional boxy fair isle pullover? was it Eunny's reputation as a designer?)
For me the fit definitely had a lot to do with why I knit it. What caught my eye initially was a photo posted on Eunny's blog featuring a swatch which turned out to be one of the medallions (or something very similar).


What did you like about this sweater visually?
The pattern, the visual complexity, and the fit combined with the neckline. In short, there wasn't anything I didn't like, and a whole lot that I did.

What didn't you like?
Nothing.

Were you happy with the knitting experience?
I've never had so much fun knitting anything before. It was a pleasure to knit, and a lot easier than I thought it would be. Also, I learnt to steek, and I'm no longer afraid of it, which is a huge bonus.

Now that you've knit it (or part of it) what would you change if you did it again?
The shoulders. They just don't fit me well, I get bunching and it just doesn't look good. I'm not quite sure *how* to change them though so... until I figure that out I won't be knitting another one.


I'm wondering if you would knit fair isle again?
Working on Venezia right now, so... yes :)

Susie Hewer said...

It was my first Fair Isle jumper (I started with a pair of gloves last year to give me confidence).

This wasn't going to be my first attempt as I wanted to knit the Oregon cardigan (Alice Starmore) but they had sold out of the wools! I had already got Autumn Rose in my mind as a second project thinking that I would be more confident and prepared for the shaping etc but just went ahead and ordered the kit anyway.

The reason I chose this was I'd been following Eunny's blog and fell in love with the pattern, colours and shape.

I loved the modern interpretation of Fair Isle because it was shaped and not boxy (even though I know traditionalists don't like that aspect of it). I liked the plunging neckline and shorter sleeves (great for showing off jewellery and a bit of cleavage!).

I thoroughly enjoyed knitting it even though I made a couple of mistakes and had to frog a few rows twice. I found it totally absorbing and nowhere near as daunting as I expected. I'm busy weaving in ends now (not sure I like that part of the process!!!!!!!!) ready for blocking.

I had noted that several people commented that it slips off their shoulders so I made some stitch reductions on the neckband and that seems to have solved it (I will put photos of this on my blog when it's blocked).

I did wonder about bust darts rather than just depending on stretch to fit but I see that Anne's kindly left a comment about this on my photo.

Would I knit Fair Isle again? You bet ya!! I've now got the Oregon kit and will be starting in the next couple of weeks.

I'd just like to say how helpful I found the KAL even though there was no-one around whilst I was doing it. There is so much advice on here and I got lots of support and advice from Anne when I made my first nervous stitches. It was really helpful reading people's accounts of how they did it.

Thanks.

Amanda said...

I'm still working on this sweater. It sat in the time-out corner for a few months. At this point, I'm finished the first sleeve and have started the second.

This is my first fair isle and also my first stranded sweater. I wanted to make this pattern because of the fit, the raglan shaping method, and because it was Eunny's.

I really like the way that the colours work together once you have repeated the medallion pattern a few times. Although individually many of the suggested colours are not ones I would have chosen for myself, I love the way that they play together.

I'm not crazy about the way that the charts were formatted in the pattern. I found them to be unclear and illogical.

So far I'm enjoying the knitting experience. We'll see how I feel once I get working on the body though.

Not sure what I would change if I knit this pattern over. Have to wait and see what I think of the finished product.

Anonymous said...

I started knitting my AR in January and am nearly finished with the second sleeve. It is my first large fairisle project and first steeked project. I'm looking forward to finishing it but am worried that it will look too fussy when it's finished.

--Deb said...

Yes, I finished mine last November, but have never worn it because the row gauge turned out to be so bizarre and the armholes are down by my ribcage. In fact, it's sitting on my bed right now and I'm considering chopping the sleeves off altogether and turning it into a vest so that maybe it might make it out of the closet this year, poor thing. The shaping was problematic, but the colors and the fair isle pattern itself? Still so, so beautiful!

the Knitters Block said...

First Fair Isle, yes, first stranded, no.

Loved the colors and the shape.

I loved everything about this sweater, didn't hate anything.

I was very hapy with the knitting experience.

If I were to do it again, I would start the shoulder decreases 8 rows sooner (assuming I have the smae gauge as the sweater I made, not the gauge called for in the pattern. CURSE YOU GAUGE!)

I am totally doing more fair isle. Just waiting for the siren call. That, and I have a couple of strnded porjects I hae to fininsh first.

heidi said...

I had almost finished the body, when I decided to rip it out and start over again.

I must say that I'm still in love with this sweater, so I'm really looking forward to see it done:)

I will most certainly knit fair isle again - it's really fun to knit, and the result is really lovely!

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