Starting the Swans Jacket

[neotoma]

I've started the Swans Jacket, and gotten beyond the hump of the facing band -- 16 rows of 429 stitches in flat stockinette finger weight -- and on to the color chart. It's a *lot* easier on the hands, and faster.

	Black Swan Swatch Swatch for Swans Jacket -- black swan side
	White Swan Swatch Swatch for Swans Jacket -- white swan side. Lower half on size 3 needles, upper half on size 4. Gauge after blocking perfect on size 3 for stich and row count.
	Swan Jacket start The start of the Swan Jacket. If I get this finished before winter, I'll be ahead of things.

Right now, I've only gotten about halfway through the small swan motif (the motif on the Tam, which my mother called 'ducks' when she saw it). Once I finish that motif, I'll switch to size 3 needles and work the large swan motif for the body of the sweater.

I've cheated with the facing a bit, by using a provisional cast on. When I get to the right point, I'm going to fold the facing down and knit the provisional edge into the body of the sweater. I've done this before with my half-mittens and with the Swan Tam -- it saves me from having to sew down the facing at the end, and thus is wholy worth it.

This is going to be a major project, and one that won't travel well. But I'm not working at the moment, so having an at-home project or two is fine. I might even get this one finished before the cold really sets in, which would be nice.

I am looking for swan-motif closures for it. Anyone know of a supplier that carries nifty clasps or such?

Comments

[black-hound.livejournal.com]

The tam looks fabulous. And I'm sure the sweater will be too. It's a lovely motif.

May I ask who sells that pattern?

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

It's a Yarns International (http://www.yarnsinternational.com/) kit. They only sell kits because they are trying to support the traditional Shetland sheep. The Swans Jacket is one of the Northern Seas series (http://www.yarnsinternational.com/yarns/northernSeas.htm) -- probably the simplest in terms of color changes, if not in symmetry.

I've got two purls stitches going up the center, which is a trick that will make cutting the steek easier, but otherwise the directions are very clear for knitting.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

They'll sell you the Swan Tam separately, but it takes less than a ball of each color, so it's not a major investment, if you wanted to start smaller.

[black-hound.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :) I just might. The tam came out great.

[murasaki99.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is going to look SO good! I love the design and how it works up.

Hmm, closures... try Craft warehouse, of all things - they tend to carry decorative buttons for projects of all sorts.

Or, how tough do they have to be and how many do you need? I'm pretty good with Sculpy and I made some railroad crossing buttons for my niece's Thomas the Train sundress.

Can you recommend poncho patterns for me? I request one from my mom, but all her patterns are for kids and I'm a bit past the age where I want glittery eyelash trim edging. :D

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

Craft Warehouse? Does it have a website?

I'll need five pairs of clasps. One of my guild members suggested I make them out of Promat, but I'm thinking that I don't need *another* craft. I'm halfway to writing Crafty Celts (http://www.craftycelts.com/celtic_clasps.html) and asking if they could make swan clasps on commission, but I'd have to have a job before I could seriously consider doing that.

For poncho patterns, I'd suggest the free patterns from Interweave Knits (http://www.interweave.com/knit/projects/wraps.asp). It's an excellent magazine, and I bet they'll have something that appeals to you.

[murasaki99.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Craft Warehouse is online, but it looks like they don't have an online store. Their website has listings of their stores, however, so that might be useful.

You can never have too many crafts! :D

[fuchsoid.livejournal.com]

I'm vastly impressed by this, especially since I can't knit anything more elaborate than a dishcloth.
These people (http://www.bymichelle.com/index.htm) have a large range of pewter clasps, and also some lovely Norwegian pewter buttons with a swan design. I had their link from when I was making cloaks last year and the only supplier I knew of had failed, but I've not actually bought anything from them myself.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

If you can knit a dishcloth, you can knit a multi-directional scarf (http://douma.net/Karen/knitting/Accessory-Scarves/Multidirectional_Diagonal_Scarf.htm). It's only knit, slip-slip-knit, and knit-front-and-back, after all, and looks beautiful in Noro Kureyon and SWTC Karaoke.

[strangemuses.livejournal.com]

That jacket is going to be spectacular! What a lovely design.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

It will be, but given how my arms don't want to work on it today, I think it might be a one-day-on, one-day-off kind of project.

On the other hand, I did the last of the flat knitting on it yesterday, and that's probably why I feel like I've been whacked across the shoulders. Now that I'm onto the knitting in the round, I'll probably go faster with less pain.

[strangemuses.livejournal.com]

Back when I was knitting, I always found knitting in the round to be easier on the hands.

ATM, I am pretty much only working on needlepoint projects.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

Well, not using teeny tiny needles to get the flat gauge helps.

The only needlework I've even attempted is sashiko handbags, and that's a "Hey, wasn't I working on that months ago?" project.

You should come over to the apartment sometime for a crafter's video and snack session.

[(Anonymous)]

http://www.sew-beautiful.us/SB-buttons.html
Swan buttons, but not Nordic ones or clasps

http://www.camillavalleyfarm.com/knit/buttons.htm#clasps
Not swans, but the scrolls would look nice with your design

http://www.smockingstore.com/pewter.html
Lots of variety here in both buttons and clasps

http://www.ramshornstudio.com/retail/en-us/dept_20.html
The very top one with the cranes might work - they have matching clasps, but I didn't find them on the website.

http://www.nordicfiberarts.com/access.html
Viking Ship buttons - couldn't resist.

[kat-denton.livejournal.com]

sorry, that was me with the button links, not some spammer.

Haven't shopped with any of these except Nordic Fiber Arts, but no commercial affiliation with any of them either.

Thanks!

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

That celtic crane might work indeed. It's so complex that it's hard to tell what it is, though, so it might not. I wish the photo were better.

The Sew Beautiful swan button is lovely, but I really think I need either a symmetrical pattern, or ones that can face each other. It's the symmetry of the knit motif that makes me think that.

The Viking Ship buttons I'll save in case I ever do the Sea Flowers (http://www.yarnsinternational.com/yarns/northernSeas.htm) cardigan, which is metaphorically *about* Viking ships. And yes, I am that geeky...