Vestibule

pattern: Gilmore Vest
yarn: 5 balls of Fable Handknits 100% baby alpaca in "grey"
needles: 3.5 and 4mm bamboo clover straights

I cannot believe that I am finally finished this thing. This vest has been on the back-burner I think longer than any other project. I got a great deal on the yarn at pick up sticks. It was all 50% off, and it's the softest stuff I have ever knit with, so I kind of went a little crazy buying it. I bought 3 balls in "mist" as well, with which I knit this cowl (pattern from the same website), 3 balls of a coral colour, and 3 balls of the black which I'm thinking about making another cowl in as well. I got a lot of wear out of the light grey one this past winter so it stands to reason that black should take me a lot farther!

As far as the pattern itself goes, I wouldn't recommend it. It was riddled with type-os for starters (though after checking it again on the site it does seem as though some changes have been made), and a lot of the number counts were off in the larger sizes in terms of how many stitches/rows you should be at at any given point. By far the most annoying part though was the V-neck:



Which you had to knit seperately and then pin into place to seam it on. Saying that I am TERRIBLE at this would be the understatement of the decade. Particularly given that it's the last thing to do, and I really just wanted to get it done, my efforts at this were half-assed at best. Plus the ribbing didn't really seem long enough to fit the gaping neck hole, so I had to stretch it (which for ribbing is fine), but means that it's seriously puckered around the back of the neck where there's too much material. I know these are all mistakes that no doubt only I will notice, but you know how that goes. I have yet to block it though, so that could make all the difference. I also didn't block the front and back prior to seaming them together either (I know, I'm bad) but they were appropriately sized so I just went for it.

This vest looks a lot longer in these photos than it does on me (due in large part to my giant rack, no doubt!)

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I likely won't get around to wearing it until the fall, plus somewhat like my last angora experience, I think I'm allergic to it. Though that kind of thing doesn't affect me so much in the wearing as it does the knitting, so it's probably just as well I worked on it in fits and starts.

One more item to go before the board is cleared and a whole HOST of new projects can begin. Inappropriately it may be a wee scarf party for me this summer!