Without further ado...

Alice Starmore's Oregon Vest




I was hoping for a sunny photo shoot in the woods, amidst the incredible fall foliage. But Mother Nature had other plans, with cold, dark and rainy weather. She's probably punishing me for wanting to get that "Rowan" look again.


The dreaded steek cutting was not so dreaded after all.



If you think about it, knitting doesn't really want to come undone sideways (have you ever seen pantyhose run horizontally?) so the fabric stays pretty much intact after you cut it. Mind you, so long as you're using "sticky" fibres like this stuff. I wouldn't want to steek silky cotton.

The button/arm/neck bands went pretty well. I had to pick up and knit 354 stitches for the button band, so thank Lordy Begordy I got it to lay flat on the first try. I did have to bind off a few times to get it just so. The button band needed a very loose binding off, and the arm bands needed an extra tight binding off. Go figure!


I love the fact that with fair-isle, the inside looks almost as handsome as the outside.




I chose some lovely iridescent shell buttons with shimmers of blue and green that are impossible to capture correctly on camera. You'll just have to see them in person when you run into me at Rhinebeck, ok?






Without a doubt this is the most pleasant and satisfying project I've ever knitted. The pattern was easy to follow (no, really, it was easy!), the materials were lovely, it fits well and I think it looks beautiful. It's not the most fashion-forward garment in my closet, but I think it has a timeless quality to it. Being a vest, it's flexible and makes a lovely layering piece.

I think it's going to be hard to top this one. Rhinebeck, whatcha got for me? Hit me with your best shot.