the blue blog archives: my sweet chickadee

I made up with chickie and she's all finished! Thanks to some late night finishing sessions, I managed to wrap up chickie just in time to start my spring fling knitting as scheduled. Even though this cardigan is wool (peace fleece, baby!), the bright yellow color makes it perfect for spring. For spring in Boston, that is (more snow predicted for this week!). But I really love the color and the wool. There will be a lot more peace fleece in my future. Peace Fleece - it's the new all seasons cotton.

So cardigan details. I coverted the Nevis pattern from A Season's Tale from a chunky gauge to suit my worsted weight wool. Not too difficult, except for maybe getting the raglan decreases to work. That button band was a b**ch though, mostly because I wasn't sure how much to "stretch" the garter stitch while sewing-as-I-was-going. I would sew the band up only to see that it ruffled a bit on the outer edge, then would have to rip it out and reattach it. After three or four attempts I finally found the right ratio. The shawl collar works amazingly well for how simple it is to actually knit. Increase at the right spots and it just rolls right over perfectly, stopping just above that top button.

Oh yeah, I went for the leaf buttons. Thanks for your help on that one, everybody!

posted by alison at 7:38 am | in chickie

Comments

Wow. That's all I can say. Chickie looks fantastic Alison, great job as usual..

Posted by: kerrie at March 15, 2004 7:52 AM

it looks sooo good! congrats on a job well done :)

Posted by: vanessa at March 15, 2004 8:26 AM

I really, really love the collar. The sweater looks great on you! Onward to spring knits!

Posted by: Christy at March 15, 2004 8:39 AM

All the hassles were worth it to produce such a great cardigan.It looks terrific.

Posted by: Linda at March 15, 2004 8:41 AM

Beautiful sweater! It looks wonderful on you. I can see how that cheerful color puts you in the mood for springtime :)

Posted by: Amy at March 15, 2004 8:46 AM

Lovely! The shawl collar is so flattering....you look great! And what a great color! Spring has sprung!

Posted by: Carrie at March 15, 2004 9:01 AM

Amazing! That color is very flattering on you, too! I wear yellow, and it turns me kermit green. :-)

Posted by: sarah b. at March 15, 2004 9:03 AM

Wowza! That looks super on you! Great job! And those leaf buttons look perfectly at home, don't they?

Posted by: Amy at March 15, 2004 9:18 AM

She looks lovely! I wish I could wear yellow -- it has such a springy happy look to it. Happy Spring!

Posted by: Theresa at March 15, 2004 9:54 AM

It seems like only yesterday that you were fondling Chickie at Halcyon. ;) Of course, I've already told you this about a hundred times, but Chickie is awesome on you. Congratulations on another beautiful sweater. Now go get your spring knit on!

Posted by: Kerstin at March 15, 2004 10:02 AM

You are a wiz when it comes to pattern modifications. The button band and collar look perfect. Love the color.

We had snow this morning!

Posted by: Melissa at March 15, 2004 10:03 AM

Another great job! The whole thing looks perfect. And the yellow is superb. I haven't used Peace Fleece but since you like it so much I'm going to have to get some to try. Once again, it's great!

Posted by: Larry at March 15, 2004 10:08 AM

Congratulations on your FO! It *is* perfect for our Boston weather. (I heard a forecast of 6-8 inches of snow?!?!)

Posted by: June at March 15, 2004 10:08 AM

Congrats on a job well done! I love the yellow color, it's so bright and fun! It's lovely!

Posted by: Cylynne at March 15, 2004 10:31 AM

That's so fab ! It really suits you - shape and colour.
I envy your ability to wear yellow.It makes me look billious !

Posted by: Emma at March 15, 2004 10:39 AM

Nice. Really nice. In the special world that I inhabit there are no button bands. Gods I hate them. Nasty little....Your's is nice though.

Posted by: Stephanie at March 15, 2004 11:05 AM

Looking wonderful and ready for spring.

Posted by: Karin at March 15, 2004 11:21 AM

Chickie is great! And you really know how to knit sweaters that fit you. Really super.

Posted by: michelle at March 15, 2004 11:27 AM

Alison--Chickie is sublime!

buttons-perfection
color-perfection
sweater shape-perfection

great job, chickie!

Posted by: Leigh at March 15, 2004 11:35 AM

Chickie looks really great!! The collar looks just right. Onward to the Spring Fling.

Posted by: Suzanne at March 15, 2004 11:36 AM

Looks really, really nice. Great stuff.

I'm going to start my spring swatching today even though I'm not quite finished with the winter projects.

Posted by: Uli at March 15, 2004 12:07 PM

The Chickie cardi is beautiful, and fits you perfectly. I love the color! Congrats on another lovely FO!!

Posted by: Kristy at March 15, 2004 12:11 PM

Beautiful! It looks great on, too, and a perfect color for spring snows.

Posted by: Michelle at March 15, 2004 12:11 PM

Love, love, love it! You look so good in that color, too! The perfect spring cardi, indeed :-)

Posted by: Amy at March 15, 2004 1:14 PM

Great job! Love that collar.

Posted by: froggy at March 15, 2004 1:24 PM

Alison, it looks great! Now *that* is how a sweater is supposed to fit :) I love the color. As Leigh said, perfection!

Posted by: Annie at March 15, 2004 1:41 PM

That looks great! Great job converting the gauge, especially with those skimpy Rowan schematics! Now I feel like a trip to Trader Joes for hummus and pita chips...yum...

Posted by: Silvia at March 15, 2004 1:56 PM

Chickie, that chickie is beautiful! It will definitely make for a perfect spring sweater. Congratulations!

Posted by: sharlyn at March 15, 2004 3:47 PM

It's lovely. Are you the fastest knitter on the East coast? It seems that way to me. I haven't started my Nevis cardigan yet. I have been sidetracked by a summery cotton rayon pullover, but you have inspired me.

Posted by: Elizabeth at March 15, 2004 4:50 PM

It looks fabulous!

Posted by: Stacy at March 15, 2004 6:48 PM

SO NIiiiiiiiice!! WTG & congrats! :D

Posted by: Alysia at March 15, 2004 6:53 PM

Love what you did with the collar, and the fit is amazing - - oh, wait, your knits ALWAYS fit beautifully. A stunner!

Posted by: Mindy at March 15, 2004 6:55 PM

Wowza Alison! What a nice cardie! Suits you very well!!!

(By the way, I'm casting on the bands of Ribby tonight... Can I join the Spring fling after that?! Pleeease! !0)

Posted by: Deborah at March 15, 2004 6:56 PM

Chickie looks great! Congrats on a job well done.

Posted by: Christina at March 15, 2004 8:11 PM

Congrats - It looks great!

Posted by: Lisa at March 15, 2004 8:44 PM

Wow! It looks so good on you! Love the color and the fit. Another great job!!

Posted by: Laura S at March 15, 2004 9:01 PM

Alison - Chickie looks great - what a perfect pattern for the yarn. And your pattern manipulation skills are impressive - the results are just gorgeous!

Posted by: Mary at March 15, 2004 11:01 PM

Lovely sweater, Alison! Great fit, great color, great shaping...I would NEVER recognize your lovey creation as the one I passed by with hardly a glance when I saw Nevis in it's original incarnation....well done!

Posted by: Debi at March 16, 2004 3:49 AM

Oh, wow. Talk about a happy reconciliation! Chickie is fabulous and it looks wonderful on you. There's a great retro feel to it...even the style of your photos are retro cool. Very inspiring!

Posted by: Becky at March 16, 2004 4:28 AM

*snaps for alison* snaps for chickie, she looks lovely in it! :) (movie reference, do you know which one??)
Looks like you'll be getting more wear out of chickie, don't put her away yet! Snow??
I have, erm, one more pattern for you. In fact, I believe it is the ONE you asked about. Silly me.

Posted by: Sandy at March 16, 2004 6:55 AM

Hey, thanks so much everyone. It's really nice to hear that you think chickie looks good. I'm still having my cardigan issues. I just don't feel right wearing them as sweaters. I feel like it's a coat I should have taken off when I got inside. But I know it's meant to be worn as a sweater. And I do really like it - the color, the shape, the fit. I hope chickie will make me feel comfortable in cardigans.

And I love the Peace Fleece. I really enjoyed working with the yarn, but have to say that it is slightly more itchy in the wearing. Perhaps it's the two layers of garter stitch around my neck under a winter coat that's causing it to itch, but it's not a lot and I like a little natural roughness in wool. Especially for an outwear sort of garment like this. Peace Fleece rules!

Posted by: alison at March 16, 2004 10:09 AM

That's such a pretty sweater in a lovely color! Very becoming to you. Cheers me up just looking at you! :-)

Posted by: Meg at March 16, 2004 8:23 PM

Alison, it's beautiful! You do such quality work---I'm swatching with the hopes that my Everyday Cardigan will be successful. Oooh, to be as accomplished as you Knitsmith gals!

P.S. You're such a doll--you always look great in your pictures!

Posted by: Kim at March 18, 2004 11:41 PM

BEAUTIFUL!!! Love it!!! the yellow suits you so well!

Posted by: Carissa at March 19, 2004 1:12 AM