the wearing of the blaithin
2012
Yes!
Those late winter/very early spring blossoms may be out – and very gorgeous they are indeed – but there’s still plenty of chilly weather here in Melbourne yet. And the Blaithin is finished … finished! …. finished! …. and the girlie is wearing it! …. and the mama is thrilled to pieces :-)
Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the most beautiful and amazing thing I have ever made and I adored knitting every moment of it. I cannot praise Ms. Davies‘ pattern enough … it was a dream to follow. I learnt SO much and know that my knitting skills have been so stretched by this experience that I am now enthusiastic enough to try almost anything! I’m already plotting my version of the Blaithin – same marvellous construction but with some extra fair isle around the bottom edge and a different pattern in the yoke.
The Beaverslide worsted wool was bliss to knit with. Just bliss. Oh my, I do love it so. It has a scrumptious texture – so warm and cosy and wonderfully grippy. That steeking will hold like a dream and I know that after one season’s worth of wearing, the carried strands of the fair isle will be beautifully felted. And the colours – they are so rich and flecky. Such a pretty, pretty yellow – sounds just right to me to snuggle into “buttercup”. I cannot wait to place my next order … some more worsted for my Blaithin and a sport weight for a stripey, yokey Bohus style jumper. Yum!
Aren’t the buttons sweet? They came from The Button Shop – an institution of Glenferrie Road, Malvern. A very sweet elderly friend tells me that this is where the best buttons come from … she both grew up in Malvern and raised her own family there and the buttons for every item she knitted or sewed them came from The Button Shop. A few weeks back I met a lovely woman at the park (she with her grandchildren, I with the little girlies) and she was wearing a marvellous cardigan she’d just finished that morning with glorious buttons from … The Button Shop. Yes, it’s certainly where the best buttons come from.
And chosen by Abby … she chose everything – the pattern, the colours, the buttons. And if she chooses to wear her Blaithin in 2012 with black skinny jeans and her red tie then that’s just marvellous. I hope this will be her comfort cardie that she will wear for the next few decades. It will surely see many changes of fashion!
Oh I’m raving aren’t I! Sorry :-) I’m just blown away. We ordered the wool in mid June. I started knitting when it arrived just over a week later. I finished the knitting a few weeks back … it was almost a let down – like finishing a marvellous book. It did take another few weeks to work up the courage to finish it off. I know, weird, especially considering I had just sliced it down the middle. I had to join the icord bindings, finish the underarms with kitchener’s stitch, sew up the pockets and add the buttons. And it all sounded a little daunting .. well not the buttons. But when I finally sat down with my instructions and needle, all of it was fine – I should have done it the very next day after finishing the knitting! Nevertheless, a whole fair isle cardigan knitted and wearing in under 2 months. That is setting a new standard of creating for me folks. Yep – a new way of doing things.
My favourite part – apart from the dear little blaithins (flowers) themselves? The pockets! Man I love those pockets. I shall never knit anything again that doesn’t have inset pockets! The fact that you can create these is yet another example of the magic of knitting.
The very best part is that Abby loves it just as much. I do so love warming my family up with my knitting.
Thank you oh thank you Ms. Davies – you have made my knitting career!
16 comments
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Well Lily, it’s just absolutely gorgeous. Well done you. I can tell you I really was very nervous when you were snipping away a that front. Just sat in front of the screen thinking O oh! I don’t think this is going to work. But it did and it’s beautiful. Can’t wait to see the next creation. Just love visiting Bootville. So inspiring.
Blessings Gail
Well done, it’s absolutely delicious.
This is so beautiful. I also love that yellow. Your daughter has already developed such a sophisticated eye for color arrangements. Lovely!
Wow! I am just blown away. It looks wonderful and I agree with Gail – I couldn’t see it not unravelling. Well done!
I love the blossoms and I will miss them. Xx
This is insanely great! I love it so much. Truly truly awesome!!!
just lovely!
It is amazing! I have never seen such a gorgeous sweater before! the colors are so sweet and couldn’t be more perfect and playful! Lily, I envy your knitting skills :-)
Wonderful wonderful wonderful. I’m so pleased you let us know that Blaithin meant – I was wondering if it was windy weather(blustering), or a tough moment (blimin’ blithering etc.). Flowers is so appropriate for fair-aisle.
Oh Lily, it has a life of its own! Very beautiful indeed.
The cardigan is very beautiful. Well done.
Woohoo! A triumph!! You’ve done marvelously, and Abby looks just like a fashion magazine model posed in the flowering shrubs, so pretty!
I’m crocheting my first pair of socks, and am enjoying the thrill of success myself (albeit on a smaller level than your beautiful sweater). Congratulations!
Me again – and thanks to you, I know what “steeking” is! I watch a knitting/crocheting tv show on public television, and they talked about steeking last week. I was all, “I already know what it is, thank you very much”, and then I watched the host handle the cutting with much less surety than you showed in your video. I am so glad you included that video for us.
You are truly amazing—-and so is this beautiful sweater! Oh, if only I had a mother to knit/crochet/quilt/stitch me something every day! Your daughter is soooo lucky!
Tricia
You are my new Knitting Guru.
Stunning.
it’s beautiful!!!
That color is delicious, and so is the whole outfit!