Today’s photo is good for a bit of a chuckle, no?
The above is a photo taken of my husband and me at our engagement party. I know, we look like babies… this was over twenty years ago. On a fashion note; please take note of my husband’s skinny leather tie and the random chaotic nature of the print on my dress, lol… tres chic and fashionable for the late eighties, honest!!
I’m putting it up here because he is wearing a cardigan I had knitted for him at the time. It is my own design, based on a Kaffe Fasset motif. We chose the colours together (there are at least twenty different colours and yarns in it) and the cardigan shape and style are also of my design, custom fit to his size and the shape that men were wearing at the time (don’t laugh, the boxy bomber-jacket shape was the very IN thing in menswear, truly!)
If I’m truthful I’ll admit he hasn’t worn it in a while. In fact I dug it up out of a suitcase in our storage room for the detail photos below…
The design is knitted in Fair Isle style, and there are two colours in each row, although at a casual glance it looks a lot more. The design was quite clever that way… The whole cardigan is knitted in one piece, from wrist band to wrist band. After completing the body, I sewed up the two seams (which are the underarm/side seams) and picked up stitches to knit on the waistband, the front opening bands and finally the neckband. These are all in rows of striped rib.
I was (and still am) pretty pleased with the neat and tidy appearance of the inside of the jumper, so I’ve taken an inside picture to show you how carefully I wove the two colours of each row together in each and every stitch as I was knitting…
Oh, Carolyn! Your stitches and designs are just amazing and even 20 years ago when you were just a baby. You two were a very cute and good looking young couple. Of course, you still are.
Oh my, I am so impressed…. I am old enough to remembr the era of the kaffe and coogi knits… I am in awe of your skills!!!!
If hubby doesnt wear it these days , you could consider repurposing it into a cushion? It really deserves to be seen everyday.
Look how adorable you two are! What a fun blast from the past.
I remember those sweaters, too. We called them "Cosby" sweaters b/c the ever-stylish Bill Cosby (as Cliff Huxtable on "The Cosby Show") wore them. Yours is fantastic! And I love that you defied the sweater curse! (not making a sweater for your man before you're actually married. It has spelled DOOM for MANY relationships.)
I'm with EmilyKate – it's too beautiful to hide away. Oh, Master Repurposer, surely you can do something!
Oh Carolyn, wow!! I would never have the patience for that, it is a wonderful piece of work! I love the historical photo. I just assumed you were a redhead! How fun.
Yeah, I didn't enter your giveaway … though I am so glad I found your blog (apparently not too much after you started) and that we've had our daily chats! I'm not sure I would use a knitting book – so I thought leave it to the gals who would …
I think it's great that it still fits him well … my hubby can't fit into things from that era of life, and it's only been about 10 years. Well, maybe at 20 he will again! he he ….
Oh. And four way stretch stretches both ways – across the grain like normal and then perpendicular to that as well … it's advertised in our fabric store for making dance and swimwear. I've never worked with it. Not that brave yet.
That photo is just too cute – I remember those prints – and you're killing me with your wide range of skills – totally impressed!
You *are* a cute couple, but OMIGOSH, you look about 14 years old!!!! Yowza!
Would you give a tutorial on HOW you weave the two yarns across the row? And what you do with the loose ends? At the ends of the row?
Thank you Belinda! for asking. I will write that tutorial, some day soon 🙂