Monday, December 20, 2010

The Design That Ate My Fall


Here are just a few of the swatches of my very first intensely cabled design. I worked on this project while at Rhinebeck, in Itaca, in Toronto, and at various events in Boston. I worked and ripped and worked some more. Finally, the finished product, modeled outside the Mutter Museum in Philly:


The other day I got the awesome photos from the Sanguine Gryphon:


It's called Ambergris, named after a chapter of my favorite novel, Moby Dick. I created it for the Sanguine Grphyon's winter line of patterns. I wanted to use traditional fisherman's sweater cables and construction, with a decidedly whale-based theme (whale tail cables up the front, rope and chain cables, and even little harpoon-like ribbing up the sides) and a fitted, flattering shape for women.


It's worked in Free Range, a DK-weight organic wool that is FABULOUS, and is sized from 34" to 54" busts. The sample is modeled by two people who each have a 32" bust, so it's modeled with about 2" of positive ease in the photos above. You can purchase the pattern here. It's a really fun knit, and made me feel super accomplished.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow! This is gorgeous!

gale (she shoots sheep shots) said...

Fabulous. Watch out Alice Starmore,that's all I'm saying.

Amy said...

Somehow the Mutter Museum seems fitting, as the sweater design recalls bones and how we are made as bodies...

Karen said...

Stunning!

Suvi said...

Love it! So beautiful!

Charlotte kaae said...

This is such a wonderfull pattern you have designed. I belive it is the best design on Ravelry this year... Congratulations on this gorgeus sweater... Cant wait to see what is next.
Hugs from Kaae in Denmark

jsdknits said...

WOW. Absolutely fantastic. Designing with cables, etc does take some time, doesn't it?

Melissa said...

Gah, I love it! Congratulations - it's beautiful.

Kim said...

So amazing! Love the pattern & the mottled grellow yarn. I have always wanted to visit the Mutter Museum.

Aline said...

Stunning design. I have a thing for anything related to sailing. I love those rope cables. Bravo.

Thea said...

Really beautiful!!!! Worth the time put in. And now we can have those drinks in Jan, as you'll have tons of free time ;-)

Thea

Färbermaid said...

just plain wonderful! I love it!

diana said...

Absolutely beautiful; the whale tails, the cables and the name are awesome.

Emily said...

This is gorgeous! I love the Melville theme, and the sinuous x's of the rope cables are just STUNNING. Well done, lady!

Unknown said...

So, this post is pretty old, but I just saw the link to it on powermobydick.com

Awesome, awesome work! I'd love to have a men's version.