The weekend was beautiful! It was just under 80 degrees and cloudy off and on, which made it perfect sweater weather. The sky was so blue and the fluffy clouds looked like like they would be fun to run through and roll around in. I wanted to reach out and touch them...squeeze them.
Yes, that is the finished Manos Cotton Stria Eyelet Cardigan. She is finally finished, finally out of my WIP pile, and that feels almost as good as being able to wear this lovely sweater. The yarn is nice, soft and easy to knit. It's the best cotton yarn I've used in some time and I love the way the color shades and shadows in the finished fabric (which sadly doesn't show up well in the photos).
The soft cotton was comfortable even as the day warmed up and the fabric relaxed as it was worn. Two little silver buttons hold the sweater closed and are a nice subtle embellishment. Patterns with texture are fun to knit and in the photo below you can see the stitch pattern and some of the color shading. Eyelet will be a nice sweater through the fall with blue jeans or when dressing up a bit, too.
When I started this sweater I weighed a little less and my thought had been to make the sweater smaller than it was pictured in the pattern to show off my grrlie figure. But, it's been tough to keep ALL the weight off that I lost last year when dealing with back pain. The resulting pounds will likely stay and that's OK (but must insure no more take up residence). So, I need your advice as true grrlfriends (and guy friends, too)....does this sweater make me look fat?
Pattern: Eyelet Cardigan from Design Source Cotton Collection 2
Yarn: 9 skeins Manos Cotton Stria - Color Violet (Purchased at Black Sheep Wool Co.)
Needle: Addi Turbo size 7
Changes to Pattern: Made 2" longer in body and sleeves.
Time to Knit: July 5 - August 27, 2006
ohhhh weeeee! That sweater is gorgeous on you! It totally does NOT make you look fat, it accentuates your girly figure perfectly!
What a great knit!
Posted by: Kelly | August 28, 2006 at 04:09 AM
Beautiful sweater. I agree it looks great on you!
Posted by: Kelly | August 28, 2006 at 05:35 AM
You're joking, right? You look FABulous! The fit is perfect and I love this sweater on you.
Posted by: Carole | August 28, 2006 at 05:47 AM
You have to be kidding. You fat? I think not. Oh to have a figure like yours! It looks great on you. I have fondled that yarn many times at my LYS but didn't know how it would behave and not stretch. It looks great!
Posted by: Joan Hamer | August 28, 2006 at 06:13 AM
Only when you make that "bubble face." You look mahvelous!!! ;)
Posted by: Stitch-n-Snitch | August 28, 2006 at 06:52 AM
No no no no it does NOT make you look fat. The purple is a beautiful color on you -- perfect for your Utah landscape. Great FO!
Posted by: Liz K. | August 28, 2006 at 06:56 AM
I love the new Manos Stria. And I think you look cute.
Posted by: Katherine Allred | August 28, 2006 at 07:22 AM
The sweater looks great on you. And you look great too!
Posted by: Lisa | August 28, 2006 at 07:23 AM
The sweater makes you look look delectable. It accents your bosom and imples an slender waist. And the color is delicious. Hooray for a FO of such success!!
Posted by: Roxie | August 28, 2006 at 07:37 AM
I think it looks great, Margene! I always worry about the sweaters that button near the chest and don't close on the bottom thinking that the way it hangs will make me look fat, but I've rarely seen someone actually have that problem. Especially at your height/weight I don't think it is anything to worry about at all. The photos look beautiful.
Posted by: Kristi aka Fiber Fool | August 28, 2006 at 07:59 AM
Hee hee - no, it's very flattering! Lovely, lovely sweater. What's not to like about a soft purple cotton sweater?!
Grr. Bloglines is messed up again and isn't showing your feed as updated today...
Posted by: Chris | August 28, 2006 at 08:06 AM
I do love that sweater! I'm keeping it in mind for a future project. It's been too long since I knitted a sweater. Don't think I've made one since I started blogging.
Sounds like now is the time to visit SLC and enjoy some nice cool weather.
Posted by: wool winder | August 28, 2006 at 08:08 AM
Fat? Puhleeze! Texture is fun to knit and this looks wonderful on you!
Posted by: Lark | August 28, 2006 at 08:20 AM
Only when you puff out your cheeks. It's the fit. It's a snug fit, but just think how weird it would look if it was looser. No, it looks terrific!
Posted by: CindyCindy | August 28, 2006 at 08:21 AM
You are too funny! The sweater looks great!
Posted by: Cara | August 28, 2006 at 08:30 AM
It doesn't make you fat, in fact I was thinking, "Oh yeah, it's looks great with that skinny little ass and flat tummy."
Posted by: terri | August 28, 2006 at 08:49 AM
The sweater's gorgeous and Bloglines sucks today.
Posted by: Beth | August 28, 2006 at 09:12 AM
Umm, yeah. What Terri said up there! Skinny butt, skinny legs - see the light there? Between your LEGS?! Slender arms and belly. Um, NOOOOOOOOO this does not make you look FATTTTT, Grrl. Us truly fluffy ones would give near anything to look like that AND have a beautiful sweater! So pretty. So so pretty - and won't the Birdsong socks look beautiful with that sweater color!!?? I'm so happy for you to be enjoying cooler weather and the freeing wonderful feeling of crossing a WIP from your list and adding it to the FOs! Happy Monday Margene - those sugary floofy clouds are beautiful!
My brother sent me a picture on Saturday morning via cell phone from about 90 miles west of SLC! He stayed Saturday night up there. If it wouldn't be so weird I'd tell him your address so he could get a hug from you and bring it down to Kansas the next time I see him. :)
Posted by: Laura | August 28, 2006 at 09:26 AM
How funny that you asked if you look fat! I was thinking how flattering the sweater was right before I read that.
So, no, you don't look fat in that.
Posted by: Heather Novotny | August 28, 2006 at 09:39 AM
It so doesn't make you look fat (sorry for the teenagey language). In fact my first reaction to the photos was "oh doesn't she look cute and girlie"!
Really nice sweater that suites you perfectly and indeed shows off your grrrlie figure. Congrats :-)
Posted by: Sigga Sif | August 28, 2006 at 09:53 AM
Wow, it is beautiful and fits perfectly.
Posted by: Lauren | August 28, 2006 at 10:02 AM
Beautiful sweater love the colour! And NO, it doesn't make you look fat at all.
Wonder what's up with bloglines? You finally showed, but my morning coffee time has been rather lonely.
Posted by: Brenda | August 28, 2006 at 10:05 AM
I LOVE that sweater! It absolutely does not make you look fat. Actually, before I got to that point in the post, I was thinking how perfectly the sweater fit you. Hooray for knits that show off our grrlie figures!
Posted by: Rachel | August 28, 2006 at 10:07 AM
You're back in bloglines - and so am I! :)
Posted by: Chris | August 28, 2006 at 10:08 AM
No, not fat at all. You are gorgeous!
Posted by: Isela | August 28, 2006 at 10:09 AM