Dec 05 2005
Lolly “Lunding” and The World of Nature
11:00am - All piled up and ready to block
1:00pm - Light mist blocking. I did not think it was necessary to block this heavily; I just wanted to set the seams straight.
5:00pm - Playing hooky from my class, my excuse is the snow that is blanketing Maryland. Seaming begins before dinner. I highly recommend these Pony Wool Needles for sewing. They have nice pointy tips.
8:30pm - A sweater is born.
Klaralund Sweater
Pattern: Noro - Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton Book II
Yarn: 9 skeins Noro Silk Garden in color #39
Needles: Clover Takumi Bamboo Size 8
Started: October 2 Finished: December 5, 2005
Modifications: I added waist shaping to help counteract the horizontal striping across the midsection. Not sure if it was successful…
In early September, my knitting group did a yarn swap, and I walked away with a batch of Silk Garden from Eilene. I had my eye on Klaralund since the knitalong occured over a year ago; plus, I loved Heather’s and Eilene’s versions. After acquring the pattern, I knew this would be a simple and pretty quick knit. In my opinion, this was a simple sweater that is very suitable for anyone who wants to try sweater knitting for the first time. The pattern is very simple to knit, and the construction is unique yet easy to follow and understand from the pattern.
The experience of knitting with Noro Silk Garden was quite unique in itself. The label says "The World of Nature". Well, they were not kidding about the nature part. I think I could have made a bird’s nest with all of the twigs and hay I found in the yarn! There were also long strings that I assume had some part in the silk spinning process. There is no end to the "naturalness" of this yarn - even when you think you picked out all of the strings, grass, splinters - there will still be more. I had to accept that this was just how the yarn was made… but I still find little things to pick at when I see it again. Neverending. I carried around a little baggy with me while knitting this to collect all of the "nature" and by the end, I had a huge nature ball that filled a small plastic grocery bag (it went in the garbage afterward - not worth saving!). Here is a section that I picked clean for a long time - and I can still see some small pieces from here!
That being said, however, I did like the yarn’s weight, self-striping features, and the way it knit up. I found it to have an even knit fabric texture, as long as there were no twigs sticking out! I probably would not have chosen this color for myself in the yarn shop, but as it knit up, I began to like it quite a bit. It is a perfect match for jeans, as well as my brown and gray cordouroy skirts.
The details make this sweater. I had some reservations about the horizontal striping (still kind of do…) but I love the way that the pattern uses simple garter and stockinette. I would definitely knit this sweater again. It was very quick (I could have finished it much quicker had I not had socks on the brain throughout the month of October!) If I make this again, I may try a solid version, or a very lightly variegated yarn.
Click for Klaralund detail shots:
Sleeve "extended garter" sewn to the garter edge
Extended Garter bodice and Garter V-neck
This is the week for Vickie Howell’s Blog Tour Extravaganza! Here is the itinerary:
Monday (Dec.5)- Crafty Chica
Tuesday (Dec. 6)- Vogue Knit.1 ’s Official Blog
Wednesday (Dec. 7)- Stellaland
Thursday (Dec. 8)- Knit and Tonic
Friday (Dec. 9)- Blue Blog
**Saturday (Dec. 10)- LollyKnitting Around**
Sunday (Dec. 11)- Booga J
Monday (Dec. 12) - Scout’s Knitted Swag
I get my chance to grill Vickie about what she actually knits, how the TV show is run, what her knitting philosophies are, and what the *new* DIY show is all about. Make sure and visit on Saturday to find out the answers to these and other interesting questions!
aloha lolly! thanks for visiting my blog! i visit your blog quite regularly. anyway, i think i’ll be trying the jaywalker socks again, especially with the suggestions that grumperina gave recently. and i do love my pony wool needles too - they beat the regular darning needles, hands down!
Ooooh, that turned out very pretty. I love the colors too. YAY for FO’s. LOL!
Yay!!! Klaralund sweater looks fabulous on you!! The colors are lovely!!
Oh, so beautifaul Klaralund is - a good example of Swedish design
http://www.hamiltondesign.biz/index.html.
I love it! Everytime I see a Klaralund, I want to make one so bad. But I can’t since I’m on a yarn diet.. booooo. I hope you get a lot of wear out of it!
Sorry for the misspelling, it should be “beautiful” - I shall now make some breakfast
Wow oh wow, the sweater if fabulous & looks great on you (like the detail shots too)!! it’s worth the bird’s nest, lol.
Can’t wait to see Vicki answers on Saturday.
Dianne
Your Klaralund is fantastic Lolly. I am itching to try this yarn (even with the bits in it…) Bravo and Encore!!!
wonderful… looks good on you and so comfortable.
i love it! the color is so versatile. and you couldn’t have picked a better time to finish it — just after a snow storm. that wool and silk should keep you cuddly warm!
The sweater looks good - love the colors and congrats on finishing it. I know what you mean about the vegetable matter in the Noro. You’d think, for that price, that you wouldn’t be picking out bits of hay and stuff!
It looks lovely and so warm! Great job Lolly!! Now what did you do with all that grocery bag of stuff?
That is one beautiful Klaralund! I think you did very well with the waist line shaping - I thought of doing the same (have 1 or 2 Klaralunds in mind…) And I love the norwegian/american christmas tree in your previous post!
I think Klaralund looks wonderful on you, especially with the waist shaping. Nice job! And enjoy the snow day!
yay for klaralund! it looks lovely on you, lolly - and perfect for the maryland snow
Your sweater looks wonderful! I thought the bits of nature were just a fluke when I used the Kureon so I’m glad it’s not just me.
That sweater is wonderful! It looks great! I will have to check out the blog on Saturday, I love watching Knitty Gritty…while I knit. Heh-heh.
It looks fantastic!
It also looks like you seamed with the Silk Garden — I tried to, but I tug so much on the yarn as I seam that it kept breaking, so I had to seam with another yarn.
I wish I had added waist shaping on mine! I think I would like its fit a little better.
Klaralund looks marvelous. Thanks for the good review of the yarn. I’ve been wondering about it and have some in my stash for a future sweater. Congratulations, too!
Love the colors! Very fall-like. It’s very flattering, too — the shaping looks great.
Your Klaralund is beautiful! I love Silk Garden because of the striping and the feel of it but it’s a chore to pick all the stuff out of it sometimes. It’s definitely worth it in this case.
Stacy
Your Klaralund looks great. I like the waist shaping. I’ve never knit with Noro and I think’s all the “nature” that deters me.
Congrats, Lolly!! Klaralund looks beautiful on you!!! Nice job!!
Lovely Klaralund! I like the colorway.
I’ve heard about the “woodiness” of Silk Garden. If it’s anything like the nature you find in Kureyon, then I can imagine all the picking you had to do.
Putting this sweater together was definitely worth skipping school for, all that snow out there was dangerous. Ooh, the Klara looks pretty, I do like that subtle combination of colors. I’d like to see a better pic of it on you from the front. It looks pretty sexy. Do you think a thorough soak and wet block would have helped get all of the “nature” out of the yarn?
I have a question for you to ask Vicki, I’ll email it to you!
Hooray! A beautiful sweater just in time for your freezing weather
I’m looking forward to your interview.
Wow.. you finished that really fast! It looks gorgeous! After only knitting a hat with Noro Kureyon I can’t imagine making a whole sweater out of it.. its definitely got that “natural” thing down. The colors look really nice on you!
Oh wow! Klaralund is gorgeous in that colorway!
wow lauren, your kalaralund is really lovely. gorgeous color and the fit is wonderful. so glad to see you finish this. now, you can enjoy wearing it.
klaralund looks fantastic! mine is a year old and most of the nature is finally gone (although i’m still constantly pulling out those weird strings)… if you wash klaralund gently with some shampoo and conditioner a few times it will soften up a bunch
Lovely Lolly is lauding her lushious Lund! It’s beautiful.
Amy
You look mahvelous in it!
Love it! very good with jeans …boho chic!
It looks great! And yay for waist shaping!
I really like it Lolly, but it sounds like you’re not so sure if you do… do you? I think it is a great “wear with jeans” sweater - and the mods you did look perfect.
Your Klaralund is beautiful, Lolly!! I like the waist shaping and I absolutely LOVE that colorway. I think it’ll go beautifully with almost any neutral you have. I need to check out those pony needles for seaming- you sure seamed it up fast! (although playing hooky might’ve helped. ;-)) The thought of a grocery bag filled with twigs and hay from your Noro is too funny! Looking forward to your Vickie Howell interview….take care!
Lolly! Your Klaralund looks so good on you. It’s truly lovely.
All of that “nature” is why I love Noro. I leave it in as an added feature — then again, I probably wouldn’t for a sweater… The thing that gets me about the Noro sometimes are the knots. I think the Noro is pricey enough that one should be able to expect a knot free ball. . .
Your sweater is gorgeous, and looks great with jeans! Congrats on yet another fabulous FO!
Great work on Klaralund! How do you think it would look in a solid color? (in the interests of avoiding the horizontal stripes, which are really all that are keeping me away from this pattern myself)
Oh - the perfect jeans sweater!! I think the colors are great and the waist shaping worked out if you ask me…I really dislike the fit of sweaters without waist shaping on myself anyway…I need something that goes out/in/out for sure!
Love the sweater, the colors are beautiful. Your description of the “naturalness” of the yarn was funny.
I’ll be checking in on Saturday to read your interview!!!!
That’s gorgeous, grrlfriend! I just wore mine yesterday (a good snow day sweater) and pulled a honkin’ twig out of the sleeve a year after knitting it ~
Wow, that sweater turned out great. It almost looks Japanese. I suppose it’s pretty fitting that you used a Japanese yarn too! I love it. You should definitely be proud of yourself!
Now that’s a lot of nature to fill a grocery sack. I’m not a fan of Noro because of some of it’s characteristics I find annoying in an expensive yarn. However I do love the fact that the alpaca yarn I’m using from the alpaca farm near my house has hay in it, because I actually played with the animal the yarn came from.
Love it, Lolly- those colors are great, and what a wonderful addition, especially now when I’m sure it will go into frequent use! I’m started to be tempted to walk on the Noro side….:)
Can’t wait for your interview either!
Lolly, Klaralund looks lovely on you! Perfect sweater for kicking about in a pair of jeans. Congrats!
Lovely Klaralund! And good review of the yarn too. The horizontal striping looks good, Lolly. You have nothing to worry about!
That’s awesome!!! I love it!
Oh my gosh! You finished your Klarlund before me! The pressure is on!!!
Looks great!
LOVELY!! I am seriously thinking about adding it to my must knit list! I think it looks so great on you!
Love Klaralund! It’s so gorgeous. Great job!
Lolly - the sweater is perfect! I want one for my jeans!!!!!
The sweater rocks! I will be back on Saturday to read about the interview :).
WOW! your famous
and your sweater looks wonderful on you… i like the decreases on it !!!!!
Great job on the sweater. It looks great on you, horizontal striping be damned!
Klaralund is lovely! I just posted some photos of my Santa collection on my blog in case you’re interested.
Hi Lolly, I think Klaraland looks really lovely, you look great in it. I especially like the neckline and colour.
You did make me chuckle about all the twigs and bits in the yarn.
Lolly, it’s really beautiful! I hope your new sweater keeps you warm and happy.
It came out fabulous and you look fab in it! I loved knitting my Klara, it’s such an easy shape to modify and customize. I am also eventually going to make one in a solid color or, at the very least, a more subtly variegated yarn since my midsection doesn’t play well with horizontal stripes.
Wow, Lolly, your Klaralund is gorgeous. It’s not a sweater I would imagine looking good on me, but it really does complement you. Way to go!
Klara looks fabulous L!!! It fits you perfectly! Can’t wait to see it in person!
Your Klaralund looks great — congratulations!! I agree — so perfect with jeans and such a unique and wearable sweater. And how cool to be stop on Vickie’s tour — look forward to reading your interview with her.
Klaralund looks great! Thanks for the well wishes!
TAG!
http://scoutj.blogspot.com/2005/12/tag-youre-it.html
Lolly, your blog makes me jealous. That’s a compliment. You are an amazing knitter!
What a lovely Klaralund! It looks great on you.
Lolly! your klaralund is beautiful! Those colors are gorgeous! I know what you mean about all of that “nature” though. I don’t like it. My Klaralund still has twigs that I pick out of it everytime I wear it.
Congrats on being part of Vickie Howells’s blog tour!
lauren, you look beautiful in lollylund! yeah!
ah, i love seeing finished sweaters, it makes me inspired to get off my a*** and work on my own…
What a great way to make a sweater, sew squares and rectangles together!
Oh my gosh Lolly the Klara is GORGEOUS!! Beautiful and it looks so lovely on you!!!!!
I want to knit klaralund for myself. I love casual sweaters you can wear with jeans and dress up a little and wear with slacks. And I like easy. I do not, however, like twigs and “nature” in my yarn, but it happens! I will be looking forward to “the” interview. Congrats on another finished project - I love it!
Very nice job on the sweater. Yes, I have picked “vegetable matter” out of Kureyon and Shinano as I knitted. I am looking forward to dealing with 12 skeins of Silk Garden for Tilt.
It doesn’t make me as crazy as the KNOTS.
your sweater looks great! i’m sure it will be one of your favorites.
Wow, you have so many comments!!! Hurray for finishing your Klaralund! She looks perfect! Thanks for the tip about the wool needle too. Looking forward to the Vickie Howell interview!
beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Gorgeous sweater! I love it and it looks great on you!
Lolly, your Klaralund is beautiful! It really looks so nice and comfortable on you. I hope you are happy with it and enjoy wearing it for many years to come!
Lovely sweater!!
Your Klaralund is just lovely! I love the colors. I still have reservations about the stripes on mine but I love the sweater anyway. Great work Lolly!
I can’t believe I’m this far behind in blog reading! Your sweater is just gorgeous and it looks fabulous on you.