Sunday, October 18, 2009

FO - Sylvi

Back of Sylvi - 3
Back of my Sylvi

Pattern: This is Sylvi by Mari Muinonen

Yarn: Atlantic by Canadian Briggs & Little. The colour is called Sheeps Grey.

Needles: 6,5mm/US10.5

Project time: Last days of December, 2008 - October 18th, 2009

Pattern modifications: Well... I didn't change much. I added a flower design to the right front piece. I started out trying to make up my own pattern, but after a couple of attempts I decided to go for the hood chart.

Front of Sylvi
The right front has a flower design on it and the sleeves have been changed as well

I also changed the sleeves. The original idea is to have sleeve cuffs knit as a rectangle that is sewn together. The sleeve is then knit after stitches has been picked up from the cuff's edge. I found these cuffs way too bulky for my liking and started my sleeves with a provisional cast on so that I could go back and finish the sleeves some other way. I ended up knitting a couple of rows of garter stitch before continuing in moss stitch again. The sleeves are bound off purlwise.

Thoughts: I loved the actual knitting of Sylvi. I seem to "get cables" quite easily and making the back and hood wasn't as hard as it might look. The back also starts out with only 90 stitches that are decreased throughout knitting. A row didn't take long to knit.

Close up of seed stitch
Heathered grey!!!

I fell in love with the yarn and I'm glad I decided to order it from Canada. (I ordered from The Woollen Earth and got excellent custom service!) The yarn is almost rope-like in it's rustic thickness. It smells of sheep. It has the oily feeling that true wool can have. And the colour! It's truly the most amazing heathered grey I've ever seen. (Unfortunately the pictures don't do it justice. The coat is darker than it looks in the pictures taken outside.)

So, the knitting was fun. But I had difficulties getting myself to sew down the petals. It truly took forever for me to get those flowers done. And the process drove me to tears more than once. Due to this, and some mishaps with parts being of different lengths when I attached the sleeves and sewed the raglan seams, the making of this coat took ages. All knitting and seaming was done by March but the finishing of attaching the last couple of flower petals and getting buttons took another 6 months.

Shoulder and hood of Sylvi
Picture of the last flower I made

The buttons I ended up buying are wooden. They are all different and it took me a couple of weeks to get them sewn on after having bought them as I wasn't sure I really loved the look. I thought they were a bit too different from each other. But then my boyfriend and my mother talked me into at least attaching them before dismissing them. And I did. And I think they look good. They have the same kind of rustic and natural feel to them as the coat has.

Front with buttons
The front with the four buttons I wasn't sure I loved

Sylvi doesn't have any pockets. I know some have added fabric pockets sewn into the side seam and some have added knitted squares on the fronts as pockets. I did neither, but I think I'll be okey with not having pockets. I normally don't use them much anyways.

Now, just because I can:

Back of Sylvi - 2
Playing on a bench

Sitting down
Checking out a mushroom I found in the grass

Back of Sylvi - 1
Don't ask me what I'm doing. I don't know...

13 comments:

Annas garndrömmar said...

Ni är bara SÅ fina ihop, du och Sylvi!

Carrie at Rhubarb Sky said...

You are so talented! It's just beautiful.

Anonymous said...

OH, Anna! It's SO BEAUTIFUL! That's amazing...now weren't all those tears over the skinkin' flowers worth it? So gorgeous.

clarabelle said...

Anna, that is one stunning Sylvi! Fantastic that you stuck in there and finished it (I remember some of your posts when it wasn't going too well). It's a lovely fit on you and the colour is so wearable. I also love your buttons (I don't think they look odd at all being slightly different colours). Well done! X

Dilly said...

That sweater is stunning! I'm so glad you pulled it out and finished it. The buttons are fabulous and work well with the colour and style of the sweater.

Wendie / monkey loves oliver said...

Anna, it's gorgeous! I'm glad you stuck with it. I love the flower on the front too. It totally looks like it was supposed to be there all along.

Diet Coke Mom said...

Sylvi is a work of art! Well done!

Anonymous said...

Jag har sagt det förr men säger det igen. Hon är verkligen fantastiskt!! /Stina

Kerstin said...

Härligt, Anna!

Tricia said...

Wow....It's gorgeous! So talented! The flowers look amazing. So what's next?

The last picture looks like you are scaring the bush!

essjay said...

Fantastic! I love the addition of the flower in the front too. You should be proud! :kram:

Anonymous said...

Super work, Anna! Beautiful and practical!

-Shell

crrly said...

Alltså, Anna... Jag ser bara ut så här:

:-o

:-O

:-o


KAN man ens sticka nåt så otroligt vackert och coolt?! Jäklar, så himla SNYGG!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D