Penny Vest
If Penny’s Cheesecake Factory vest was in a neutral color… if it was lace instead of stockinette… and if it had me in it instead of Kaley Cuoco… this would be it.
This is my second project for the Big Bang Theory Knitalong over on the luvinthemommyhood forum. I’ve mentioned how it has been in my queue for a knitter’s eternity.
Well, now it’s not. Friends, my queue is down to a manageable three pages, only one of which I think I’ll actually make. But, here’s the thing, I really think I’ll make that first page.
I used size 2.5 needles for the body and 1s for the ribbing. The yarn is 4 skeins of Stroll Sport in Jackrabbit. Since it’s a machine washable wool blend, I knit it to fit. I know from experience that yarns like Stroll can grow when blocked. It’s just easier for me to wash and dry them rather than knit a tiny version of the sweater I want in the hopes that, after hand washing, it will block out to the correct size. I tried it on several times in the making, using an extra long circular, just to make sure it fit and the armholes weren’t too deep.
I don’t think I modified a thing with this vest. I followed Teresa Gregorio’s project notes for Sexy Vesty exactly because I wanted a size 35″. It just sort of made itself.
Now, let me talk about Teresa. She designed Lady Bat, which I made for myself and my daughter last summer. She also designed Knight Service (which was so far ahead of the bejeweled/ studded shoulder trend it’s ridiculous.) Most recently I saw she release Dendrochronology with Knit Picks. I want a cashmere wrap sweater!!
I won a copy of her Ghosts ebook last year and I can’t say how refreshing it was to read a pattern ebook so unlike any I had read before. I have many epatterns and love them all. But Ghosts was special in that it started with patterns, then went off on a really fun tangent. She’s not only a great designer, but she also tells a good story.
Her most recent collection, Hinterland: Autumn, is inspired by her childhood spent in the Carolinian forest. After looking through her suggested reading list, I realize two things: 1) I need to make Rustling Ruffles from some indie dyer’s yarn, because I can afford that small amount. 2) I need to go to Canada. I’ve been planting that idea in my husband’s head via inception for some time now. We’re swimming in wool sweaters here for a reason!
Ah, I cannot say how good it feels to have completed two projects for my KAL, especially one that I have wanted to make for years.
My queue just recently hit two pages, but I only have two projects on the second page. I use my queue for stuff that I already have the yarn for. I have made up a power point presentation with pictures of all the project I hope to one day do broken up into categories or patterns I own yarn and pattern for, patterns I own, patterns I own the yarn for but not the pattern, and patterns I hope to on day make. Then I can bring that up whenever and add or take away projects when I finished them or I decide they aren't as great as I thought they were.
I just counted. Sadly, I have yarn for about 36 projects. I blame Webs and KnitPicks with all their stupid sales and free shipping!
A power point is pretty hardcore, Patricia. I was talking to my daughter the other day about the best program to use for making presentations. Maybe I should practice with a knitting themed project. It might actually hold my interest.
Well I have yarn for more than the 22 projects on my queue, but they are all mostly single skeins (Or leftovers from other projects), so generally they turn into Christmas presents or sit there until I find something for them. I also blame knitpicks and webs. I got bored one night and didn't feel like working on the projects that I had on the needles and wouldn't let myself start on so that's how the power point came to be. I like power point a lot, I have had to use for lots of school projects so I am very familiar with it. I think a knitting themed one would totally hold my interest. You could make one, that shows a project on one page and possible yarn for it and where to buy the yarn on another page for a Christmas/Birthday gift guideline!
I might just do that for practice. I saw you have the same yarn as me for the Eastwood cardigan. I am dying to use the Clara yarn! Maybe I'll get to it in January.
Thanks so much for the kind words Michelle! If you ever find yourself in my corner of the world, let me know 🙂 There's plenty of cool stuff to do here, and oh my, the yarn shops!!
Your needles are on fire! Loving your last few posts. Also, your hair looks awesome!
Love this! I've been looking for a great vest pattern ever since I started watching the BBT. Looks like you found one!
Oh I was contemplating purchasing that yarn, but I decided not to. I am using a different yarn it just hasn't been delivered yet so I don't have it stashed for that project online yet.I'm not sure when I will start mine because I can't decide what I want to start after Christmas.
I'm desperate to finish sleeves on two sweaters so I have a clean slate at beginning of the year! My first new knit will be from Journey, I think.
I will! I can only imagine the yarn!! After only having Joann's and the internet, it would be like entering the Twilight Zone.
Aw, thanks, Jennifer! I am now on a sleeve finishing binge, then I'll chill out a little.
It's a great pattern, Lauren. I think the 35" could be flexible in fit and lots of ravelers have altered the number of lace repeats to change the size. Check out the ravelry link in my post to see. Good luck on your vest!
I have a lot of stuff I want to finish to start the new year with a fresh slate. And then well I don't know, I have so much I want to make I really don't know which I will want to make first. I guess whatever tickles my fancy when it comes the time to decide.
This vest looks lovely on you. I also had this for ages on my queue but not it's not the right time for us here since it's too cold. I'm jealous of the mild Winters you have over there. How I would love to make and wear that vest right now!
Thank you, Elena! I'd like to get some "Real" cold, but I do feel a need for more light in the winter months. Snow might make up for the darkness though.
You could knit this up in no time, Elena. And I think you'd enjoy it too.
Well, it's cold here but not so much to get real snow more than just some days per year, and definitely almost none in the city. We have the shortest days nowadays, we just need to be a bit more patient and days will get longer soon.