the blue blog archives: banff

I love this sweater! I only wish I'd had more yarn to make the body longer and the collar larger. I am hopeful about blocking it longer, though. Considering that stretching was one of the problems with the original ribby cardie I knit with this yarn, I don't think it'll be too difficult to get another half inch out of it. Of course, knitting those sleeves an inch or two narrower would have given me plenty of yarn to lengthen the body, but I LOVE those sleeves! They are my favorite thing about the sweater. I blocked the ribbing out on the sleeves so they would be nice and full. But I did not block the ribbing on the body. I wanted it to hug my waist, otherwise the whole sweater would just look too big, I think (note to those knitting this sweater: I also went down a couple of needle sizes to a US8 and had a gauge of 16st/20rows over 4". So that also slimmed down the bulkiness of the sweater a tad). Now I think it looks perfect! Even with the shorter collar. That's as far as the yarn would take me. I bound off the neck with a two foot long scrap I found at the bottom of my project bag! Another small miracle from the yarn gods, who have watched over this yarn twice now.

(PS - The blue blog is moving! I'm outgrowing my space here and am switching servers. I'll be taking a week off to transfer everything and get the new blue pad all set up. Come back in a week and I'll direct you to the new - and ever so slightly improved - blue blog. See you then!)

posted by alison at 8:25 am | in banff

Comments

OMG - your Banff is beautiful and looks wonderfl on you! Very spiffy :)

Posted by: Robbyn at February 14, 2004 8:35 AM

You look amazing! Nice sweater. I'm glad to see you have good yarn karma.

Good luck with the move--I'll miss you this week.

Posted by: Steph at February 14, 2004 8:40 AM

How fitting you end this blog with a blue sweater! It's you, girl!

Posted by: Dava at February 14, 2004 9:17 AM

Lovely job and that blue is so flattering on you!

Good luck with the blog move. :)

Posted by: Leigh at February 14, 2004 9:40 AM

Your Banff is terrific. Love the blue colour and I like the smaller collar. I think it's very flattering and besides you knitted a big collar on the Phildar jumper recently.

Posted by: Linda at February 14, 2004 9:50 AM

That is one comfy, cozy sweater! Can't wait to see the blog when you get back.

Posted by: Sharlyn at February 14, 2004 10:58 AM

Wow Bannf looks gorgeous, I love the shorter collar. Its a very flattering style on you, love the high ribbing on the bottom.

Good luck with the move, I'm very excited to come back next weekend and see your new look..

Posted by: kerrie at February 14, 2004 11:05 AM

Banff is great! Do you have any idea how much you are tempting me to make this sweater? Hit one store yesterday to look for yarn, nothing suitable or I would have come home with it for sure. One more store to check today. Good luck with your move, I'll miss reading you this week!

Posted by: Brenda at February 14, 2004 11:56 AM

What a wonderful Banff. Congrats.
Fortunately I will be on vacation for the next week and won't be forlornly checking in to see if the new blog is ready. See you at your new home!

Posted by: Jessica at February 14, 2004 11:59 AM

Alison it looks awesome! I think this is my favorite of all the things you've shown us on your blog. Got my final Banff yarn yesterday (it arrived while I was at the dentist getting 4 fillings, so it reminded me of the candy we used to get for going to the doctor, only mine's Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride!) See you again soon,

Posted by: larissa at February 14, 2004 12:16 PM

Banff looks great! And very flattering. My super bulky is definitely destined for the frog pond. I need this sweater.

Posted by: Sarah at February 14, 2004 12:33 PM

Neat sweater! Looks good.
Oh, how I'm going to miss reading this blog while you're changing servers!

Posted by: Sarah Elizabeth at February 14, 2004 12:39 PM

Banff looks beautiful! Great work.

Posted by: Silvia at February 14, 2004 2:48 PM

Hey, very nice!

Posted by: Alexandra at February 14, 2004 3:08 PM

Banff looks great. It will be a slow week without your blog to read.

Posted by: Suzanne at February 14, 2004 3:53 PM

Nicely done! Good luck with the move...;)

Posted by: Donna at February 14, 2004 6:24 PM

The sweater looks great on you. Like your pose. Good luck with the blog move.

Posted by: Melissa at February 14, 2004 7:38 PM

Good luck with the move, i'll keep my toes crossed for a smooth transfer (wouldn't want to cross my fingers, that would interupt knitting time!)

Banff looks fantastic on you. That color is gorgeous!

Posted by: Morgan at February 14, 2004 8:03 PM

Wow! I haven't been that crazy about banff until now. It looks great! I like the collar shorter. It looks so good being more fit through the body. You did an awesome job! I look forward to your blog being back up again. I've enjoyed reading.

Posted by: Laura S at February 14, 2004 9:19 PM

Lovely sweater! Those sleeves so look great! Happy move!

Posted by: Susan at February 14, 2004 9:20 PM

Great Blue Banff!!! It looks just great on you. I am looking back in your blog to see what yarn that is. And I will be missing the other blue knitter on the web. I'll be off for a week when you get back, but i am looking forward to the new blog!

Posted by: Teresa C at February 14, 2004 9:21 PM

Lovely! I like this incarnation & it fits you well. Most becoming.

Posted by: Meg at February 14, 2004 10:33 PM

Hot hot hot! I love it! I only hope my Banff (if that yarn ever comes... it's starting to become comical - almost) looks as great on me! I'm totally stealing your idea for the shorter neck - very flattering. Did you make the body (of the sweater - hee) slimmer too? Gorgeous!!!

Posted by: Erica at February 14, 2004 11:45 PM

Banff is beautiful on you! Great color--adorable!

Posted by: Kim at February 15, 2004 12:20 AM

Beautiful. And blue is you. :)

Posted by: KeLee at February 15, 2004 1:49 AM

I'm with Laura. I thought the original was too baggy to look good on me. Your fitted version looks great.

Posted by: Christina at February 15, 2004 7:59 AM

You inspire me with the Banff and the finished mya! Great job and thanks for the inspiration! Really!
No knitsmiths for me today. TRY to have fun without me! ;)

Posted by: sandy at February 15, 2004 12:08 PM

Banff looks amazing and the fit is perfect! I'm just about down with the fornt and still need to do the sleeves,a little behind schedule-but what else is new?

Posted by: amysue1 at February 15, 2004 9:35 PM

Great job on Banff, Alison! I like how the waist ribbing fits -- it's very flattering. The colour is beautiful, too. See you next week!

Posted by: other alison at February 15, 2004 10:29 PM

Super... Super!!!
Congratulation, Banff is splendid...

Posted by: Guylaine at February 16, 2004 9:01 AM

Woo hoo! What a great sweater. Obviously that yarn now knows what it wants to be -- otherwise why would there have been just enough for what you wanted to do. The collar looks wonderful on you. Soon I will be dealing with the blocking dilemma. Did you block the ribbing on the sleeves to the schematic dimensions or just enough to get a drapey looser feel?

Good luck with your move!

Posted by: Theresa at February 16, 2004 10:17 AM

Wow gorgeous! I couldn't see the great ribbing detail in the original sweater pattern. Looks great.

Posted by: Elizabeth at February 16, 2004 1:10 PM

alison, you rock. that's beautiful on you. smart not to block the rib section...you look tiny!

Posted by: amy at February 16, 2004 5:59 PM

Goodbye old blue blog. Hello beautiful blue Banff.

Posted by: michelle at February 16, 2004 7:44 PM

Wow, that looks great - and great on you! Looks like the ribbing is longer maybe - I love it - and the sleeves are perfect! :)

Posted by: Alysia at February 16, 2004 10:48 PM

Wowza! What a Valentine's Day gift. Banff is gorgeous and you look wonderful in it!

Looking forward to seeing the blue blog in its new home :-)

Posted by: Becky at February 17, 2004 4:32 AM

Banff looks great !
I finished (at last !) my Phildar Automne jacket...

Posted by: Clémence at February 17, 2004 7:07 AM

It looks gorgeous on you Alison!

Posted by: kathy at February 17, 2004 2:09 PM

You look much happier in this than you did in the ribby. Congratulations on your successful rippin', re-knittin' mission!

Posted by: Kerstin at February 17, 2004 4:21 PM

I love the sweater! It is very becoming on you.

Posted by: Nancy Mathews at February 17, 2004 5:03 PM

Love the Banff on you. I think it looks best on tall gals. I would look like a squatty hobbit in such a bulky sweater. Love the color too!

Posted by: piper at February 17, 2004 5:30 PM

That looks like one comfy sweater. Congratulations! Looking forward to seeing the Blue Blog in its new home.

Posted by: Laurin at February 18, 2004 12:18 PM

What's wrong with looking like a hobbit, piper? ;-)
-S. Eliz.
AKA Hobbitknitter :-D

Posted by: Sarah Elizabeth at February 19, 2004 1:20 PM

Whaaaa! I miss you!!! :(

Posted by: sandy at February 20, 2004 8:03 AM

Oh, very nice! That was enough to get me off my ass and go finish my Banff. I love this sweater.

Posted by: Maggie at February 20, 2004 2:19 PM

Wow! This looks great, and the color is wonderful. I'm all into cumfy cozy, but thought I'd pass on the Banff cause I need something a little more fitted to be flattering (as opposed to fattering). You found the perfect combination.

Posted by: Michelle at February 21, 2004 8:33 AM

The sweater looks fantastic! Congrats!

Posted by: Stacy at February 24, 2004 11:08 AM

Did you knit it at the same gauge as in the pattern or do anything to make it with less easy? It doesn't look too big on you, which is the reason I'm wavering between using the ChicKnits Ribby Pullover pattern or Banff. Yours looks so great!

Posted by: Katherine at February 24, 2004 11:46 PM

Katherine, thanks for reminding me, I did go down in gauge. I used yarn that had the same gauge as called for in the ribby, but instead of using US10's I used US8's. I'd totally forgotten about that! I didn't really measure the gauge I as getting on the US8's, so I can't really say off the top of my head what my final gauge was. But my idea was to shrink the sweater down a bit. That may be what caused it to be a bit more cropped than in the original. If I'd had more yarn, I would have compensated by just adding an inch between ribbing and armhole shaping. The armholes were large enough that even at the smaller gauge they are plenty big.

Thanks for reminding me to clear that up!

Posted by: alison at February 25, 2004 7:50 AM