Monday, December 14, 2009
Moorland
Now a word about Moorland, the final design in my Landscape Collection.
This piece began when I fell in love with a ball of Jo Sharp's Silk Road Aran Tweed that I saw, then purchased, at Tangled Skeins Yarn Shop in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. It is difficult to get Jo Sharp's yarns in Canada, so I was delighted to have a chance to sample this yarn. I loved the colour, the feel, and the versatility of this tweedy yarn.
I wanted a simple, straightforward design for this yarn. Something that would allow me to simply enjoy the process and the feel of the yarn in my hands as I knit. So I decided to go with a wide-rib stitch pattern, one that would gently hug the body.
To add further interest, I created a yoke pattern by displacing the wide-rib stitch pattern in a checker-board effect.
But the main focus of interest in this design is the collar. Instead of a simple, fold-back collar, I went with something more dramatic, more feminine. I kept increasing into the wide-rib stitch pattern--and kept increasing--to end up with the wide flare that I wanted.
By continuing the buttonholes along the front collar band, the collar can be worn in different ways, buttoned or unbuttoned.
The sleeves are picked up at the armholes and worked downwards. This allows you to adjust the sleeve length to your desired length. You can choose to add the folded back cuffs or to go without them.
This tweedy jacket is the perfect accompaniment for a walk in the countryside, comfortable to wear, while keeping you warm.
