Choosing a Knitting Pattern: The Big Picture
There are several patterns in this book that I or almost anyone could wear, and these are the coat-sweaters. I'm particularly partial to the Ash Kimono, but the Pansy Chain Coat, the Rose-Hip Shawl-Collared Jacket (double-breasted), and the Sweet William V-Neck Jacket are gorgeous, too. Also worth noting is the Victorian Rose Edge-to-Edge Jacket, a short cotton jacket with patterned front and neckbands.
I haven't mentioned one of the most impressive designs in this collection, The Gypsy Rose Coat, made of - guess what? - Colinette! It's a black sweater with big blue roses on it, something most women would be proud to wear. I would certainly wear it (in a different colorway), but I'm not going to knit it. To quote the designer, this sweater is "worked as intarsia method, except background yarn is not carried across back of motif. For this patt, rose should be worked as individual motif." I am already in trouble here. If I spent the money for the materials for this sweater, I'm afraid it would end up in a big plastic bag on a shelf. Or I would feel so guilty I would make it, cursing all the while (maybe silently, maybe not). Sasha talks about this sweater online in a Knitter's interview.
Know your limits. If you love color work and intarsia and want to tackle rose motifs, go for it! If not, be happy admiring the sweater in a book or, in a best-case scenario, talk someone into making it for you.
In summary, when you're picking out a pattern, keep in mind your budget, the shape of the person it's for, the colors that flatter this person, and your own knitting preferences. Challenge yourself, but not so much that you set yourself up to fail. I'll talk more about matching your skills to your sweater next month.
Enjoy your knitting!
Suzanne's Website of the Month: Lisa Souza Knitwear
I've enjoyed looking at Lisa's innovative designs online for some time now, but was hoping she would put her beautiful yarns online too. She's done it now, and they're almost as beautiful on the web as they are in real life. You can see her hand-painted and handspun yarns by clicking on "yarn" on the main page of the website; then choose between hand-dyed heather yarns, hand-painted yarns, and Lisa's handspun luxury yarns. I have a sample of her cashmere yarn that I knit up into a
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