FINALLY! This one is done done done. Excuse me if I must post a gazillion photos, I’m so freaking happy this is finished.
I’ve never made a tassel before! I used a piece of cardboard to wind the yarn around, using these instructions.
I used the sweater yarn to crochet a tight single chain for the button loops, then just tied them into the button band from the back side.
Project Details:
- Pattern: Tuilich Faery Ring, by Mary Scott Huff
- Started: 11/2/2009. Yes, this was in a very long time out.
- Finished: Today! 1/3/13! First finished project of the year!
- Yarn: Black Water Abbey worsted weight. The color name is Haw, though in real life it is a True Blood Red.
- Needles: Knit Picks Zephyr, size 6 & 7.
- For: Me!
- Modifications: Well. I pretty much knit the pattern as written up to the hood and sleeves, then just winged it from there, since the pattern was never completed in the Tuilich sizes. I used the sleeve pattern from the largest size in the Faery Ring pattern, and just made up the hood. The hood instructions for the smaller set of sizes called for a bigger hood for each size, which is just ridiculous. Your head doesn’t get a whole lot bigger as the rest of you expands. I just picked up what looked like the right number of stitches around the neck, then increased until it was wide enough, decreased a bit, then grafted the top when it was tall enough.
- What I learned: I love cables. And I love this yarn. I have another sweater quantity of it in the stash in a warm caramel toffee color that will turn into a sweater someday. The yarn feels a bit stringy and harsh initially, but softens up, and shows cables marvelously. I also adore these buttons. They were made by a goldsmith named Carolyn Kent, her website is Minnowcreek Studio.
Alrighty then. Now that that one is done, here are my New Years resolutions, such as they are:
- Read more. See my reading blog page for details
- Knit from stash. John and I have been going through our credit card expenditures to set up a 2013 budget. Let’s just say that the amount of money I spent on yarn last year is quite embarrassing. I’m not ruling out the occasional yarn purchase, especially if it’s in the category of vacation purchases, but I’ve got plenty of yarn around here and I’m going to try to use some of it.
- Blog more. I’m going to go back to doing monthly updates and goals.
- Spin more. And get back into dyeing fiber and yarn.
That’s pretty much it.
Here are the January goals:
- Finish the body of my Green Jeans sweater
- Finish the pair of socks on the needles (Pot ‘o Gold socks)
In the cooking category, here are the photos of our New Years BEPs (black eyed peas). You didn’t think we’d forget them, did you?
Onward!
Oh Lorette, it’s GORGEOUS! Totally worth the effort, if you ask me.
You have inspired me to get back to a sweater I have been making for a couple of years … I got to the complicated part, and just stopped. And I WANT to finish that sweater!
Lovely! I like that yarn too.
Beautiful!!! Love the cables, buttons, everything it is great!
It is gorgeous. I am so impressed. I’m going to do cables this year, yes I am!
It’s gorgeous! And what a relief to finally have it done. Definitely a good start to the year. I,too, will be knitting from stash as much as possible. I have enough on the needles already to carry me at least a couple more months. I’d like to make a vest out of that red Phildar I won from you, but it’s just between a sport and worsted, so will be looking for a good pattern.
That is AWESOME!!!!!! Congrats on a beautiful FO!
You did an AWESOME job on your sweater! Congratulations on finally finishing it…I know you had to slog through a couple of times, but you kept at it and now it’s done and gorgeous.
As to further yarn purchases, with all the new taxes coming at us, a lot of us need to follow your example and tighten our stash belt. Besides, it’s kind of fun to try to find yarn to go with a pattern. You get to paw through and hug all that luscious yarn!
Happy New Year to you and John!
It is beautiful!!! I know you are proud. 🙂
Oh my……it is beautiful! I love the color and the details. You did an amazing job and I hope to see it in more pictures!
Happy New Year!
Brava! Now you need to meet up with Major Knitter and you both can wear your fakery rings”
Brava! Now you need to meet up with Major Knitter and you both can wear your faery rings!
Gorgeous sweater! Good for you to have a FO to start the New Year right. I know the feeling about yarn purchases in the last year and the budget…think I’ll be stash knitting in 2013,too!
FABULOUS! I wore mine today. Now I just have to plan another trip to Seattle… or you have to come to NYC – and we need to plan this in cold weather so we can wear our Faery Ring sweaters together for another photo op!
Awesome! I to need to finish a sweater that I’ve been working on a couple years. I also spent too much on yarn last year so I will also be working from the stash!!
There is nothing quite like getting a long-term project off the needles. My current sweater coat took two years to complete, and I’m incredibly proud of it. Your faery ring sweater seems similar in that way, and feel free to brag about it to everyone.
WOW – it’s just beautiful! You’ve inspired me to return to a coat I started about 18 months ago and never completed! Thanks for the kick in the pants – I needed it badly!Happy New Year – and happy knitting!
Beautiful. It will be just perfect on those cold, flurrie days. Sticking with it is very confident building as well. I just finished a Garisole and so enjoyed the process and the end product. Congratulations and happy knitting through 2013.
Yay!! It’s just gorgeous!
That is simply beautiful, and it is a wonderful color for you.
Thank you too for the detailed project notes. I’ve only seen the Black Water Abbey yarns once (at Stitches East a few years ago), and I have their color card. I think I’ll revisit the card when I replenish my yarn budget.
Congrats on finishing!! It turned out really, really well. 🙂 And Happy New Year!
Gorgeous sweater! One of these days I may knit one for myself. I love to knit cables. Actually, I’d like to find a nice vest pattern with a lot of cables. I think I’d probably get more use out of that than a sweater. Right now though I am knitting little mittens to be followed by a small hat. My granddaughter commented at Christmas that usually I knit them socks around this time every year (which is true – all 3 have fall birthdays & I usually knit them socks for their birthdays or Christmas) but this year I hadn’t because I thought they might not want wool socks in southern Louisiana. Found out while we were there that it actually gets pretty chilly some days – 40’s is not unusual & 30’s at night. But little Miss M decided she wanted a hat & mittens to wear when she rakes leaves. She LOVES to rake leaves & unlike more northern climes, the deciduous trees shed leaves from fall to spring – meaning all winter. I found some online swatches of some Regia 6 in girly colors I have in my stash; she approved & it’s mitten knitting time. Took me awhile to find a mitten pattern for DK yarn (should’ve just winged it). Oh yes, she also asked for a hat with ear flaps. Then my niece should find out the sex of her fetu this month & I can start knitting for her. And at some point, I’m hoping to finish my ever present socks.
Happy New Year, Lorette! Your sweater is most gorgeous. I love the red colorway. Great job pressing on.
Now I’m inspired to get the needles out, Beautiful sweater. I have yarn…. just need to get busy!
You and me both on the yarn purchases. I was good last year but I’ll need a special dispensation for my pre-retirement purchase of Madelinetosh Pashmina in the next year or two.