Hello dears! I don’t know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods, but it has been rather warm this week, even though the nearly leaf-less trees make one feel the chill of winter just by looking at them. Such a drab background doesn’t make for a very inspiring photoshoot, so you can imagine my delight when Charlotte suggested that we go down the creek to this lovely “pink” tree to take pictures of my latest knit project. The perfect Autumnal alternative to a Springtime rose garden! But let’s get on to talking about my sweater shall we? I present to you my version of the Elinor Jumper from Australian Women’s Weekly, March, 1940.
I was first introduced to the delightful Elinor Jumper pattern by Renée and the Cat’s Meow. Her version was so lovely, and I had enough Cascade 220 Fingering yarn in a pastel shade, that I decided to give the pattern a go. This was not my first time doing lace-work in knitting, but it was my first time knitting a sweater in an all-over lace pattern. It was surprisingly easy to do, and I was actually able to memorize the stitch pattern as I went along so I didn’t have to look at the instructions at the beginning of each new row.
Don’t you just love how the pink-leafed tree sort of exemplifies the autumnal version of the original spring-time background of the sweater pattern image? I wasn’t quite sure how practical (i.e. warm) a lace sweater would be in the chilly weather of an Ohio winter, but I have found that if I wear my jumper with a long-sleeved t-shirt underneath I am quite warm and toasty. Hooray for pretty and practical!
Renée wrote in her blogpost about the Elinor Jumper that she added a button closing at the shoulder seam so that the tight neckline would fit over her head. When I read that I knew right away I would definitely have to make that adjustment too. Not only do I have a slightly large head (yes, my head is bigger than both of my sisters… go figure!), but the idea of trying to stretch a crew-neck ribbed neckline of 100% wool knit over my head just didn’t sound very idillic to me. So, buttons it was! And I just so happened to have the perfect buttons in my stash.
For those knit savvy people I will try and briefly explain how I did the shoulder closing: I stitched up the shoulder about half-way, and then finished the free edges with single crochet stitches. I went around one more time to add the buttonloops, which are comprised of chains of four crochet stitches, divided by one to two stitches in the single crochet edging.
Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Fingering in Sage / Needles: Ribbing knit on U.S. sz. 2, Pattern stitch knit on U.S. sz. 6 / Buttons: Stash
I am super happy with how my sweater turned out. There were a few bumps and hiccups along the way (such as discovering that one sleeve had been finished off one inch shorter than the other right before I blocked the pieces. Talk about speedy knitting!), but I finished the whole thing in approximately 5 months of off and on knitting. That number does include approximately two months of the pieces just sitting around waiting to be blocked and sewn together. Yep, I’m a bit of a procrastinator at times… 😀 But I wanted it to be cold enough for me to wear when I finished it, so you could say I finished it right on time.
AH! I can’t say enough how dreamy this photoshoot location was. The pink leaves on the tree are so gorgeous, and it causes me to wonder at how positively amazing it is that God dresses the earth in some of the hues that we typically associate with Spring, when the Autumn season comes around once again.
What have you made recently?
Do you know what my “pink” tree is called?
Blessings,
Brigid, the Middle Sister and Singer
Kira Anastasia says
11/04/2015 at 2:52 PMThat is truly gorgeous and finely done, Brigid!
Miss pond says
11/04/2015 at 3:19 PMWhat a beautiful jumper, I adore the lace knit and it looks just perfect for a wander in the woods. You look truly beautiful my dear and the tree is utterly perfect, but as one of God’s creations, I would expect no less. Many blessings.
Esther says
11/04/2015 at 3:48 PMOh Brigid!!! I’m in awe of your amazing knitting skills! Your sweater is absolutely gorgeous, and looks beautiful on you. Wow!! Amazing job! I wish I had your talent for knitting! 🙂
Thanks for sharing! The photos are indeed beautiful – the background was perfect for it! 🙂
Racheal says
11/04/2015 at 5:40 PMLovely sweater! I’ve never made a sweater (okay, so I have the front, back, a sleeve and a half done for one–which I started approximately four years ago and haven’t touched in two–it’s a chunky acrylic), nor have I ever done any lace-stitching in my knitting. One of these days…but right now I’m in the middle of two pairs of socks (one for sale, the other for me. Yes, crazy, I know.) I have just really been enjoying designing my own sock patterns (the current pair has a diamond pattern that I worked out. I had to rip the same three rows out about half a dozen times before I got the swing of it). Any wonder why I call myself the “Socketeer”? 😉
I don’t know what the tree is, but it sure is pretty! I don’t think I’ve ever seen one before…
Brigid says
11/10/2015 at 11:00 AMNow in the sock realm, Racheal, you are WAY ahead of me. I have just started on my first pair of socks, and I fear they are going to take me a while (let’s just say I was a bit over-ambitious and decided to make them over the knee… yeah, probably not such a good idea for my first pair 😀 ).
Abby F. says
11/04/2015 at 5:40 PMIt’s a lovely sweater! Great job. I really like its color as well. I haven’t been doing any knitting projects, but I have been reupholstering our living room chair, which involves some sewing.
Madison says
11/04/2015 at 6:25 PMYour knitting skills are simply breathtaking Brigid!!! So in love with this sweater and the pictures too:)
-Madison
http://www.1minniemuse.blogspot.com
Laura Mae says
11/04/2015 at 6:54 PMLovely sweater, Brigid! It it so rewarding to finish a project like this that has been in process for months – especially when it turns out so well!
Stephanie says
11/04/2015 at 7:47 PMVery pretty. I love lace work in knitting. So fun to knit. Don’t feel bad about the procrastination, I have pieces of a sweater that are blocked and partially sewn together that I haven’t touched in almost 2 years… :/
Jessica Cangiano says
11/05/2015 at 1:27 AMAbsolutely lovely sweater. I just adore that soft, feminine shade of dusty blue. It helps a classic knit like this look all the more the old school part.
♥ Jessica
Diane says
11/05/2015 at 11:29 AMI just recently discovered your blog. It’s been a real blessing, and I appreciate the work you all put into it. I also wanted to say how much I like the sweater. You did an amazing job!
Brigid says
11/10/2015 at 11:05 AMThank you Diane!
Jenny Frances says
11/05/2015 at 11:33 AMOh my gosh Brigid, that sweater is so wonderful! Clever you being able to knit!
The colour is so subtle and beautiful on you, and the photo location is stunning, really lending itself well to the delicate shade of the sweater. Love it, well done!
xx
Elizabeth K. says
11/05/2015 at 5:41 PMAmazing! I don’t knit at all, so it looks like the sweater was very hard to do. But I guess not, if you’re an experienced knitter. 🙂 I don’t think I would have the patience to do such intricate work. Way to go!
Hayley Ann says
11/06/2015 at 10:44 AMOo I love this! I really want to knit it now! The pink of the tree looks so beautiful against the colour of your jumper.
Jenny says
11/06/2015 at 5:01 PMOh Brigid your knitting stuns me every time! You’re amazing at that! 😀 That little area by the creek IS perfect! The leaves compliment your mint sweater so well… Kudos to Charlotte for finding that tree! 😀 which I believe is is some kind of Burning bush tree…I recognized the little orange-like fruits on some of the branches. Where we live the bushes don’t get very tall, but they have the same pink leaves! 🙂 Hope that helps! 🙂
Brigid says
11/10/2015 at 11:16 AMThanks Jenny! I think it is a Burning Bush tree. One of these days I am going to have to figure out for certain.
Catherine Sorensen says
11/06/2015 at 6:17 PMOh, Brigid! That pattern turned out absolutely lovely! And the buttons are just darling. =) Now I’m wishing that I was adventuresome enough to try a sweater; so far I’ve stuck to knitting baby hats for our preemie ministry. Maybe someday…
I’m not positive but your pink tree looks like a serviceberry tree…though ours usually doesn’t turn pink! That might be related to variety or weather because we have seen some pink serviceberries one year at the park. I hope that helps! Anyhow, no matter what the tree is, Charlotte did a great job with the photos!
God bless,
~ Catherine Sorensen
Samantha Snyder says
11/06/2015 at 8:32 PMI really love that sweater, both the color and the pattern. And yes, the photo shoot with the pink leaves is so pretty!
Renee says
11/07/2015 at 3:28 PMYay!! It looks beautiful Brigid! I love the color you used. I still want to knit a second version in a different color and with a little more ease like yours. I finished the neckline in the same way, by the way!
Brigid says
11/10/2015 at 11:18 AMThanks Renee! You really were the huge inspiration that gave me the courage to try my hand at the pattern. And I finished my neckline the way I did thanks to what you wrote about what you did to your sweater in your post. 🙂
Caitlin says
11/10/2015 at 9:38 AMGorgeous!
Sarah says
11/13/2015 at 1:47 PMSuch a pretty jumper! You did a great job. I am an adventurous knitter, but I don’t go for altering patterns. One of these days, I want to make a sweater though. I just got a bunch of vintage knitting/crochet booklets at a thrift store, and there is one sweater from 1937 that looks tempting…..
bonita says
11/15/2015 at 3:07 AMI adore this soft mint green on you Brigid, it’s so lovely! You did such a fabulous job making it up and wow, it’s lovely with that pink leafed tree. Perfectly darling! 🙂 ❤
xox,
bonita of Lavender & Twill