the blue blog archives: body by banff

Time to gush some more about how much I love this pattern and this sweater in this yarn. It was so the right decision to rip out my ribby to make this sweater. There's no way I'll have enough yarn to finish it, but I'm having too good a time knitting this to worry about that. I'll think about that tomorrow! For now, I'm moving blissfully along to another sleeve.

And in an effort to move more of my too numerous wips along, I've begun to reknit the sleeve of my bumpy blue phildar sweater. I'll be knitting the sleeves straight, giving up the bell sleeves in the hopes that the yarn will hold out. I'm not feeling too confident though, especially since I'm trying to save my good yarn karma for Banff! Think the yarn gods will look more kindly upon me if I buy more of this yarn in a different color to make another bumpy phildar sweater??

posted by alison at 1:04 am | in banff , phildar folly

Comments

I am almost done with the back of Banff. I want the sweater done NOW so I can wear it. But I have a feeling my pace will be a section a week.

Posted by: Melissa at January 29, 2004 6:06 AM

Mitten, mitten, who's got the mitten???? ;)
Banff looks marvy! So....YOU!
Today is the wonderful, romantic wedding anniversary, no? Have a happy! :)

Posted by: sandy at January 29, 2004 7:55 AM

Love the yarn you're using for Banff. What is it? I can't find the name looking back at previous posts.

Posted by: Janet at January 29, 2004 8:59 AM

Ooops, I just found it. Kilcarra Cottage Tweed?
It's so pretty! I hope you end up having enough.

Posted by: Janet at January 29, 2004 9:04 AM

Go, Melissa! We should all wear our Banffs when we meet up next time in Maine. :)

Sandy, mittens tomorrow. Can you stand the wait??

Janet, the yarn is some old Kilcarra Cottage Tweed, which I think isn't made anymore. This batch was donated and redonated and finally made it to me when someone brought it in to Knitsmiths. I think the Kilcarra Cottage Tweed is the forerunner of Tahki's Donegal Tweed, if that helps for comparison.

Posted by: alison at January 29, 2004 9:07 AM

Hi Alison,
I've been reading your blog for a while and am always happy to find a new entry every day. I was just wondering if you could tell me if you're using a pattern for the Plaid mittens and if so which one? I have some great bulky yarn to finish off a hat and scarf set but no pattern to do the mittens! I've done a bit of searching for free patterns on the web but without much luck. Just thought I'd ask!

Posted by: Karen at January 29, 2004 9:27 AM

Karen, funny you should ask. I couldn't find a pattern I liked at that gauge, so using the basic tecniques from Ann Budd's book, I worked up a pattern of my own and was planning on posting it tomorrow. Oh and Melissa posted yesterday about a bulky mitten pattern that she just used from Melanie Falick's new Weekend Knitting book. Check out her mittens here.

Posted by: alison at January 29, 2004 9:41 AM

alison, i'm THIS CLOSE! started the neck two nights ago and, because of my different gauge, had a design issue to work out. [my problem, not the pattern's.] but fixed it last night and got half the neck done. will finish tonight, knock wood!

pictures forthcoming, promise.

Posted by: Amy at January 29, 2004 10:13 AM

the more I look at Banff the more I love it and wish I was making one. That looks great!

Posted by: kerrie at January 29, 2004 10:38 AM

The repurposed ribby looks much happier now, Alison! Reduce reuse recycle, I always say...

And I'm FINALLY about to be a Phildar filly! The yarn (Alpaca Boucle, so scrumptious) arrived yesterday to make the folk wrap shawl-collar sweater from the Automne issue. I need a strand of worsted to knit along with it to get proper gauge, and then I'm ready to go. Should be Sunday. Long time coming!

Posted by: Becky S. at January 29, 2004 10:57 AM

Hi Alison! I'm sending you some Enough-Yarn karma for Banff.

Posted by: claudia at January 29, 2004 11:12 AM

Alison- That yarn was born for that sweater!! Don't you just love the serendipity of perfect yarn meets perfect project? Can't wait to see you wearing it! Go ahead, boss that knitting around!!

Posted by: Debi at January 29, 2004 11:25 AM

I had no idea about a Banff knitalong until now. Such a neat sweater but I've got a lot on my knitting plate.

Phildar filly: I began my sweater for the knitalong on the plane and when I got 12 inches up I realized that I had been FOLLOWING THE CHART INCORRECTLY. I haven't the heart to rip it out, but I will restart. I'll catch up :-)

Posted by: Becky at January 29, 2004 11:47 AM

Filly foul -- I'm struggling to finish...I got sidetracked from the blue ribbed pullover by another Phildar sweater (men's raglan). I'm stuck on the sleeves of the first one, but getting a much needed break by working on the second one. If I just keep knitting, I have to finish eventually, right? ?

Posted by: Angela at January 29, 2004 12:05 PM

Started Banff yesterday afternoon. The yarn arrived at about 1pm and by 1:30p, I'd owund a ball and done the swatch and away I went. I have the back half done and it looks wonderful in the 3-ply Targhee from Sweetgrass that I bought from Threadbear. I've abandoned all other projects because I want to wear it now!

Posted by: amysue at January 29, 2004 12:07 PM

Hey, I like your Scarlett O'Hara attitude towards not having enough yarn - just "think about it tomorrow" : )

Posted by: kathy at January 29, 2004 12:17 PM

I sure hope you make it with the yarn! It's a great sweater--I've worn mine everyday this week.

You can save yardage by stitching it with something else and shortening the neck.

Posted by: Steph at January 29, 2004 12:55 PM

My back panel's done, but it's not quite the same shape as yours. I mean, it is, but it's proportionately wider. I love the colour of yours!

Posted by: Maggie at January 29, 2004 1:16 PM

Body by Banff!! I think I enjoy your headers as much as your pics!

Posted by: Kerstin at January 29, 2004 1:19 PM

Alison, you are right, your Banff looks great!

I'm still plugging away on my Phildar. Does it count if it's not finished until Phildar's next Fall issue comes out?

Posted by: Kristy at January 29, 2004 2:25 PM

Well, I joined up and forgot to let you know. I have about half the back done but am doing a slightly varied version as I wanted this to be my stash reducing sweater. Will post pictures tonight. Yours is gorgeous!!

Posted by: Melissa at January 29, 2004 6:08 PM

I'm knitting vicariously through the rest of the knitalongers as I wait for my Manos! Boo, ordering from the States. Boo, slow customs officers!

Posted by: Erica at January 29, 2004 8:30 PM

Your Banff looks great. I finished the front today and cast on for both sleeves. There looked really huge and since I am also worrying about having enough yarn, I ripped them out (only a few rows) and refigured the numbers a bit so they are a bit smaller. I will get them up to the right size right before I start the decreases. According to the yardage, I have enough, but it doesn't seem like I will have enough so I was stessing a bit and decided to make the sleeves a little narrower at first.

Posted by: Suzanne at January 29, 2004 10:12 PM

I've got all my Banff pieces done. I need to block before I seam it the sleeves are a little uneven--tension, mistakes, who knows? I can hopefully do it this weekend once I get some unpacking out of the way.

Posted by: Jessica at January 30, 2004 3:11 AM

Ack! I've come to a stand still with my Banff. Firstly I got distracted by a hat, and secondly I'm not sure my decreases on the back piece are right so I'm a bit discouraged.

Posted by: Pea at January 31, 2004 7:05 PM