Four Years in the Making

Remember Elspeth? The link is to a pdf of the pattern from Rowan magazine.

I posted a picture of a swatch for this sweater on June 21, 2005. Well, it’s finished.

elspethfinished.jpg

Are short cardigans still in style?

Elspeth v1.0 was finished and mailed to Mom on September 20, 2005. She was going to crochet the trim for me and send it back. Mom is a perfectionist so that took a while. Once it the trim was finished, I had to come to grips with reality of an enormous neckline (seems to be a trend with me). I frogged and reknit the sleeves with 15 fewer stitches and sent it back to Mom in November of 2007. On her last visit, Mom crocheted the trim at least three times (did I mention that she is a perfectionist). After another couple of weeks, I got around to blocking. In just four short years, I have a finished sweater! That’s got to be some kind of record.

elspethdetail.jpg

It is so pretty and soft.

Sewing is a different story. With sewing, I can have a new top in three naps.

The neck is still too big even at the smallest size (it gapes funny) just how wide do these designers think shoulders are?! I’m not sure how to fix it in the next go-round on account of the pleats. I’ll have to give this some thought.

creamshirtback.jpg

The yoke is made of pillowcase.

I am going to wear it to pieces, I love it so.

12 thoughts on “Four Years in the Making

  1. Sydney

    Cute sweater! I have a summer top that I started last year and never finished. I need to finish it before summer is over again.

  2. erin

    You do look so cute in eslpeth and cuteness never goes out of style 🙂 This is the prettiest eslpeth I have seen, it looks really special and kinda vintage in this off white colour. I love how you always manage to get this look just right! And the butterick top is so cute too. If the neckline bothers you, just wear a tank top under it. That’s what all the girls are wearing these days so it must be in style 🙂

  3. Anita

    Cute, cute, cute! Elspeth was worth the wait!

    For the sewn top, it looks like you could just place the bodice piece on the fold of the fabric and eliminate a little bit of the gaping with that. (Maybe a 1/2″?) And then just take the pleats in a little deeper. It still looks cute, even though a wee bit loose.

  4. Marisol

    I love all your new projects! You look so cute in all of them. I wish I knew how to sew… Something about a fast moving needle makes me nervous. I need to get over that:)

  5. Sharly

    Aw – a sweater that cute will always be in style!! Love your new sewn top, too!! You might inspire, me yet!! 🙂

  6. kathy b

    Both tops amazing. LOve the long awaited crochet trimmed little sweater. The new top with pillow case yoke is wonderful on you! Sometimes we need the faster yet equally wonderful projects. When you measure time in your child’s naps, then knowing how to sew is a true blessing.

Comments are closed.