Friday 21 January 2011

On the needles: the Debbie Bliss Landgirl Fairisle jumper

OK - I'm attempting one of my New Years Resolutions and am facing my knitting fears, three of them at once.  4ply wool on small needles, colour work and, and, the DREADED circular needles too.

My wonderful knitty chum Katie of My Vintage Dresser has helped ease me through the pain by offering me advice with reading the pattern and recommending me the pattern and yarn.

So, what am I trying to knit - well it is a darling modern "vintage style" pattern from Debbie Bliss.  A beautiful natural coloured short sleeved sweater with a Fairisle yoke, shown in the centre here.


This is a bargain bundle of patterns, just over £5 for some real beauties, and in my eyes this is the pick of the bunch.  The patterns are available at Hejhog, here.

The yarn suggested, Debbie Bliss Rialto 4ply (also available at Hejhog at a very reasonable price), is just a dream to work with.  Soft on the hands and springy, and is making even the acres of K1, P1 rib a pleasure (well not quite but I'm not screaming at it like I usually do).

So far I have knit 3.5 inches of the back ribbing and am yet to start the colourwork, so stay tuned for the inevitable mistakes and stresses to come.

If I can pull this one off I'll be properly impressed with myself.

Wish me luck!

13 comments:

  1. I wish I could face my knitting fears, but my fear is that I cannot knit for toffee so I'm pretty much stuffed.

    I feel a little bit green looking at that pattern. Can't wait to see you in it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh! have major pattern envy! Just love the jumper what a gorgeous pattern on the neck line, I have got to get me that book!

    I am a fellow k1,p1 rib hater so your not alone,I always just want to get it over with so I can get on to the proper knitting!

    Good Luck with it, I am sure it will be worth the effort!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good luck with the colorwork! That's a really cute pattern. I've been loving mostly plain sweaters with a bit of colorwork up in the yoke or yoke and sleeves lately. I'm working on one too! If you haven't worked a lot of colorwork before just make sure to keep your floats loose at the back for that whole body section where there's only a smattering of the contrast color since they are only one stitch each. Otherwise you run the risk of them sort of sucking themselves back into the pattern and you won't see some of them. (I say from past experience. LOL)

    Oh and let me add my voice to the choir: 1x1 ribbing SUCKS.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You can do it!! Just think once you get through it the first time, it will get easier and easier. It took me 3 years and 5 teachers to FINALLY get the swing out in Lindy. I could east coast swing, but I could never grasp the Lindy swing out. Now I rock it and cock it. I don't know what that means...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good luck chuck! You will handle it no probs, I’m sure of it!
    Ah, come on, the welt is the easy bit!!! (Joke!) I remember doing nearly 5 inches of k1p1 rib in the equivalent to a 2ply on size 13 needles- it was the devil!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh wow, I saw this book once and wanted ever so much to buy it but thought that there's no point at all until I have mastered something other than straight lines of normal stitch (ie scarves)! I really just need to sit down and just read and try but instead I'm always too indecisive/scared to do anything!
    I congratulate you on tackling the knitting fears, imagine how amazing it will be when you own that jumper! And can say, 'Oh this little thing? I made it' when people ask! tee hee xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good luck love to see the end result i have this book but yet to knit from it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Well done on facing your fears! Gosh I'm full of admiration I'm so lazy as mum knits but really I ought to at some point, maybe if I get on with my year of sewing, next year I'll start knitting, you heard it here first!

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's gorgeous! My grandmother tried a couple of times to teach me to knit, but I just don't get it.

    If you really overcome your fears I might pay you to make me one!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow beautiful sweater! I too have made the commitment to face my knitting fear in 2011... actually swatching. I'm a big fan of circulars though, they're not useful for much other than blankets in my humble opinion, but to each their own!

    ReplyDelete
  11. SWOON! Oh my gosh - extreme want!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm just getting into knitting and I was definitely swearing at K1 P1 ribbing, I lost track so often, I think I should have a bald spot by now.
    Glad (and worried) to hear its a common threat in the knitting world.

    ReplyDelete