Summer bolero...
With Apologies to The Proclaimers
I'm gonna be the girl who picks up stitches for you.
When I go out, yeah I know I'm gonna be,
I'm gonna be the girl who goes out wearing you
If I get bored, well I know I'm gonna be,
I'm gonna be the girl who gets bored working on you.
And if I wear you, yeah I know I'm gonna be,
I'm gonna be the girl who looks great wearing you.
But I would pick up 500 stitches
And I would pick up 500 more
Just to be the girl who picked up 1,000 stitches
To wear you out the door
Finally we have a finished project to showcase...a completed Black Blob.
Project Specs:
Debbie Bliss Fiery Bolero from Interweave Knits Summer 2005
Used 6 balls of Debbie Bliss Cathay colour Black
Started: 30th September 2005
Finished: 12th November 2005
I apologise for the glare, it was probably a bit too sunny and bright to take the photo outdoors today, however in true stubbornness I persisted. This was a simple and easy knit however it still took me almost 6 weeks to finish it. Part of the reason for this is that as you know I have been flying here, there and everywhere and haven't had as much time to knit. The other reason was that as indicated by my rather bad re-write of The Proclaimers most famous hit, there were many many stitches to pick up and I kept procrastinating and working on other projects rather than getting this completed. Now that it is finished I actually really like it and can see that I am going to get lots of wear from it this summer. It will be perfect for those Melbourne evenings where the day has been really hot but the evening might cool down so that you need something just covering your shoulders.
I did have one drama though. As I was casting off the main band that goes right around from both fronts and across the back of the collar, I noticed that there was a knot in the yarn coming closer. Well this really stressed me out because with nearly 300 stitches to cast off I would have had a fair bit of tinking to get back to the start of the cast off had the knot interrupted my cast off. (I have an aversion to joining yarn halfway through a cast off). However, I did that old knitter's trick where I knit faster and faster and faster in order to beat the knot's arrival ... and guess what? I won, with only a smidgen to spare.
There are days that you just know that the knitting gods are smiling down upon you!
Close one with that knot! Glad you won out. :) The bolero looks great on you!
Posted by: joy | 13 November 2005 at 04:12 PM
It looks fabulous and so do you!
Posted by: Nichola | 13 November 2005 at 04:55 PM
gorgeous knit, jac! you did a fab job. stitches look even and i'm so jealous you guys are having spring/summer!!
Posted by: blossom | 13 November 2005 at 05:24 PM
Is knitting faster to beat the knot like driving faster to get to the petrol station before you run out of petrol?!
It looks great.
Posted by: Tam | 13 November 2005 at 05:45 PM
Jacqueline, it looks perfect on you! You did a great job picking up those stitches.
Posted by: Terhi | 13 November 2005 at 06:52 PM
Your bolero looks fantastic! It fits you so well. Enjoy the sunshine!
Posted by: Karma | 13 November 2005 at 06:56 PM
Very flattering honey! I agree- perfect for Melbourne summer evenings. Totally worh the effort
Posted by: di | 13 November 2005 at 07:16 PM
Am I the first to ask whether you've lost weight?
Just beware ... as the Knitting Gods give, so they take away ...
... or maybe you've already paid with Sparkle Sparkle ...
Love
Posted by: Catherine | 13 November 2005 at 07:29 PM
It looks wonderful on you in all that glorious sunshine. I'm glad that knot had the sense to stay exactly where it was ;)
Posted by: Tracy | 13 November 2005 at 08:24 PM
The black blob is done, yay! Looks great!
Posted by: Angela | 13 November 2005 at 09:00 PM
That's hilarious! I can tell you feel about the same way about picking up stitches as I do! It looks fabulous.
Posted by: Laura | 13 November 2005 at 11:12 PM
Wow, it look great. Such a perfect fit!
Posted by: Adele | 13 November 2005 at 11:39 PM
absolutely gorgeous! wow! you look fantastic and so does blobby. i only have to complaints: 1) argh, my todo list is long enough already without having to add this beautiful bolero to it, and 2) enough with the summer already! we are expecting 200mm rain over the next 24 hours ...
Posted by: kris | 14 November 2005 at 12:45 AM
Haha, very funny. I never knew of that trick. I get very stressed out when I see an approaching knot. Even worse if I don't see it. Arrgh! Glad you won. I will steal your trick.
Looking sharp in that bolero!
Posted by: isel | 14 November 2005 at 12:53 AM
It is lovely Jacqueline and the fit is perfect. Well done on a fabulous FO!
Posted by: francoise | 14 November 2005 at 01:07 AM
All blobs should be so spectacular! Positively beautiful.
Posted by: Kim | 14 November 2005 at 01:21 AM
lovely!
Posted by: shobhana | 14 November 2005 at 01:59 AM
Gorgeous--and I'm sure the Proclaimers wouldn't mind the adaptation at all! Glad you lucked out with that knot, too!
Posted by: --Deb | 14 November 2005 at 02:16 AM
Can I first say that all this summer talk weirds me out (though it hasn't gotten to cold here yet)?! The shrug looks great and I'm glad the knitting gods helped you finish and beat that knot. It fits you perfectly
Posted by: yahaira | 14 November 2005 at 02:23 AM
The Fiery Bolero is absolutely gorgeous!!! It looks wonderful on you. Congrats on a great FO!!!
Posted by: caitlyn | 14 November 2005 at 03:25 AM
It's gorgeous! Your picked-up stitches look perfect!
Posted by: monica | 14 November 2005 at 03:50 AM
i love that you went with ribbing instead of the lace! it looks a little more functional that way. beautiful job!
Posted by: gleek | 14 November 2005 at 04:13 AM
Haha, that's just like knitting real fast when you're about to run out of yarn. It's a gorgeous bolero. nice job!
Posted by: Tari | 14 November 2005 at 05:37 AM
That looks absolutely stunning :-)
Posted by: The Skirt | 14 November 2005 at 06:58 AM
Beautiful job, Jac!
Posted by: Donna | 14 November 2005 at 07:26 AM