In Which Our Knitter Over Shares: Part 2 of 3

As I was saying, another pattern.

For such a straight forward sweater, this one has kind of a large back story. If you'd rather just look at the pictures and skip the rest, please be my guest.

Something my dear Kim Kaslow said to me at Fiber Revival really grabbed me as I was admiring her yarn. She said she loved my work, but she would really like to see what I would do with "something simple". She had a few yarns with her that would amount to a whole sweater, so I decided to call her bluff, and bought all the Frolic she had in this gorgeous greyish golden green color, Birch Beer.

I had used this very yarn for the Queequeg sweater (also known in the ravelry forums as "that tattoo sweater", which is what I've taken to calling it these days because, my gawd, I am thinking this whole sweater naming thing is getting a bit precious), so I knew it would be a great knit.

I started with the a-line shape, which is easy to wear for a lot of us. I've been knitting a bunch of fitted sweaters this year, so I thought it would be a nice change to have something that didn't require the spanxy sucking it in all the time thing. Like any of us can hold that position for too long.

Since I was heading into the relax-you're-just-fine-the-way-you-are zone with this pattern, I threw in my favorite hem, which is a shirt-tail style that I think does very well in an a-line sweater, covering up the muffin top or the busted zipper you've been meaning to fix. I love the little stitch pattern I used for it, and it's a nice spin on the usual garter stitch treatment.

Once I knew where I was going to start, the rest of it followed along sensible-like.

I want to point out this detail. I have a fondness for a flourish at the nape of the neck (see also: "that tattoo sweater"). I have a magazine pattern coming soon that has a little heart in that spot. But that's another post, but one I probably won't write for a few months. You read it here first (see what you get for reading instead of skimming the photos?).

And of course, the front:

The name?

Well, damn if I'm not about to stick a foot in my own bear trap, but here it goes: Folly Cove. And why Folly Cove? Because I've got a design crush on Virginia Lee Burton at the moment, what with her starting the Folly Cove Designers and all, and this seems like something she could have worn while working away in her studio drawing Katy and the Big Snow. Plus, she lived in my neck of the Yankee woods, and I have a little local pride thing going on.

I plan to live in this, until I finish my next sweater that is. I have any number of long sleeved t-shirts I can throw this over and call myself dressed. It's a layering sweater that will likely return in the spring as a stand-alone top. I'm also relieved to finally have a sweater that I can wear inside at too-warm-for-sleeves events like SPA or a Stitches show. It's ironic that all the big winter shows for the knitters are always overheated. Or maybe it's just dumb. It's been hard for me to tell irony from stupidity ever since the 80's.

Other details?

The body is knit seamlessly bottom-up, with set-in sleeves that are also seamless. I think a set-in sleeve is universally flattering, as is a collarbone-baring ballet-neck.

Sizes included are 32 (35, 38, 41, 44)[47, 50, 53, 56]” and will require 855 (925, 1000, 1075, 1150) 1225, 1300, 1375, 1450] yards of worsted weight yarn that gives you a stockinette stitch gauge of 5 stitches and 7 rows to the inch.

As usual, the pattern has been technically edited by the very experienced Alison Green Will, with large clear charts and full schematics, and I offer full email support for anyone with questions while they knit. My friend and talented rock and roll photographer Sara Wilman took the lovely photos at Spencer Peirce Little Farm one morning while our kids were at school. No rock and roll was harmed in the making of these pictures.

Comments

[Carole]

Oh, Julia. I love it!

[Kathy]

I love it -- so pretty, so flattering.

[julia]

Thank you, Kath!
xo

[Manise]

Love, love it! I agree with the flattering comment and now this will jump ahead in the queue.

[Sandy]

It's perfect for my handspun grey CVM/Romney cross yarn! As soon as I finish the yarn, I'm casting on! Thank you so much for a beautiful sweater.

[Mary K. in Rockport]

Let me at it! This is my favorite of all the sweaters you've designed lately (although for me, I might go with long sleeves.) And, of course, we're huge Folly Cove fans - the place, the Lobster Pool, the designs going way back, and Virginia Lee Burton's books. Wouldn't it have been fun to be part of that group? Actually, I think you ARE part of a crafts group now, so I guess that kind of movement persists.

[Kathleen]

Lovely, as always, Julia. And the title is perfect/makes me "home" sick, even though New York is my home now. I love Folly Cove because it's like a little Cape Ann secret. Burton's The Little House is one of my all-time favorite books :)

[Earin]

Would you phuLEEze stop designing such gorgeous sweaters. I am going broke over here in California. : - )

[Linda D]

sigh. There goes the yarn budget. Between this and Hiro, I'm in trouble. ;-)