Fair Isle finally!

I finally finished it earlier this week! I really, really, hate finishing! I try to knit as much seamlessly in the round as I can but I was teaching a class how to make this sweater so I felt that I needed to basically follow the pattern. So armed with caffeine and chocolate, I was finally able to sew underarm seams, add buttons and weave in all the ends!

So the nitty gritty: This is the Fairly Easy Fair Isle from Stitch 'n' Bitch Nation by Debbie Stoller. Knit with Lamb's Pride Bulky, 85% wool/15% mohair, on size 11 needles.

This yarn is sooooo fuzzy! I had fuzz everywhere as I worked and now wearing it, I feel like I am eating fuzz. I even took the lint roller to it before putting it on. When I took it off, my top was covered in more fuzz. Does the Lamb's Pride always do this? or is it just this color? I have worked with smaller projects in this yarn before which didn't seem as bad but maybe it was just the size of the project. I have heard of the mohair halo but I have been pulling handfulls of fuzz off the sleeves and body!

This is the second time I have knit this sweater pattern. It has been a great pattern for my beginning sweater knitters and those that want to learn how to incorporate some fair isle color work. My class decided that doing the color work on the sleeves, which are knit simultaneously on straight needles, was the most difficult part of the sweater. This is such a nice basic pattern.

My first sweater was rather baggy in the waist especially at the back. I wanted this one to be a little fitted so I started with the small size and increased at the underarms up to the medium for the bust and shoulders. I really like how well it fits me! No more cold draft up my back!

I also added short rows at the back neck ala Elizabeth Zimmerman because my last sweater seemed to droop there. Much improved! Now that I have the fit worked out I can see myself making this pattern again maybe with some texture stitches...

I had to share a close-up of the buttons. These are made of polymer clay by a local artist. When I ran across them in the Rose Tree I knew they had to go on this sweater! They really pick up the cream in the color work.


Behind me in the photos you can see my new bookcase. DH and I put it together on Sunday with the "help" of our 4yo son. It will house my knitting books and magazines primarily. It is getting to be quite a collection. So much inspiration!