I’m wearing it as I type this post. It’s a cold, windy day here in Washington, D.C. and the Blue Shimmer is soft, cozy, and warm. It looks beautiful, too, although my sad attempt to take some photographs of it this morning won’t show it off to best advantage.
I’m even going to violate my usual role of no modeling because the way that these Bohus/yoke sweaters drape so nicely over the shoulders is an essential part of the look and fit, and you just can’t see that when they are on a hanger or lying flat. My daughter/model is not home and I just didn’t think I could talk my 15-year-old son into slipping it on, even if he is still half-asleep. (*Takes deep breath as she prepares for self-humiliation.) So, without further ado, here are some photos:
I’ll work up to the modeling gradually by starting with my hand.
Lying flat, which doesn’t show it off but allows you to see the color I added at the hem of the sleeves and body. (The pattern called for ribbing.)
Here is a close up of the yoke.
And finally, my self-portrait.
Pretty artsy, eh? What can I say? I was the only one here besides aforementioned half-asleep son so I had to take the photo myself.
I’d like to add one additional comment about knitting Bohus sweaters. In the book, Poems of Color, the directions suggest using a US 3 for the unpatterned parts of the sweater (sleeves and body), a US 2 for the patterned area (the yoke), and a US 1 for the ribbing (which I didn’t knit). In my experience, the needle sizes suggested for the patterning and the plain knitting should be reversed. The reason is that most knitters will find that their plain stockinette knitting is “looser” than the fair isle-type patterning called for with the yoke. If that is true for you, and you use a larger size needle for the plain area, the problem will be compounded and your sweater will tend to balloon out when you hit the body.
Therefore, I knit the yoke on a US 3 and switched to a US 2 for the body and sleeves. For me, the results were perfect in terms of gauge. From my quick glance at the directions in my new Swedish kit for the Large Collar, it looks as if those directions use the same needle for the yoke and body (with a smaller needle for their ribbing). Again, I will adjust and go up a needle size on the color work. Those directions have you split the sweater after the yoke, so that the body and sleeves are not knit in the round but back and forth. That can also affect gauge. I plan, when I eventually get to that sweater, to knit it in the traditional Bohus way: completely in the round.
My Blue Shimmer has no seams. None. Once you finish the knitting, there is minimal finishing work and the sweater itself fits wonderfully and is very comfortable. I personally see no benefit to adding seams, although everyone’s view is different. Here is one last photo, showing the underarm of the Blue Shimmer so that you can see what I mean by no seams.
Stunning. Absolutely stunning. Colors, patterning, knitting, everything — including the modeling 🙂
Comment by kmkat — January 20, 2007 @ 11:58 am
Oh just wonderful, that is one of my favorites of the Bohus sweaters. Did you knit that one from a kit or follow directions from Poems of Color and get your own yarn? Love it!!!!!
Comment by Jen — January 20, 2007 @ 12:00 pm
What a gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous sweater. Beautiful patterning, and I love the colours. And a wonderful fit, and little to no finishing. Absolutely gorgeous.
Comment by Dave — January 20, 2007 @ 12:24 pm
From Susan — Well, what can I add? It turned out gorgeous and fits beautifully. I am a bit anxious about the precedent you are setting with the personal modelling, but you look great 🙂 — just don’t expect me to be “out there” any time soon ;)…
PS — I want to echo your comments re: needle size. I, too, switched what the pattern said and did my colorwork on 3’s and the body on 2’s for the Wild Apples — no evidence of ballooning.
Comment by lv2knit — January 20, 2007 @ 12:28 pm
Fabulous! Looking forward to your encore 😉
Comment by Marina — January 20, 2007 @ 12:33 pm
She turned out perfectly. Congratulations!
Comment by Dianna — January 20, 2007 @ 12:45 pm
Stunning! I have this kit from Kimmet-Croft and have been wanting to knit it up. Yours is just beautiful, and fits you well.
Comment by Shelly Kang — January 20, 2007 @ 1:17 pm
WOW! I am speechless! You are one envied knitter 🙂
in a good way that is!
Comment by Michelle — January 20, 2007 @ 5:05 pm
Absolutely Gorgeous!! One of the most beautiful sweaters I have ever seen, and you look great in it. I think that the edging that you did is shear genius, makes is so much more elegant and dressier than ribbing! BTW I live in Baltimore!!
Comment by Lee — January 20, 2007 @ 7:56 pm
Wow. I check your website frequently to look at the pictures. Better than any knitting magazine! I am speechless with awe at this sweater. The sweater is beautiful, your knitting perfect.
Comment by jean saylor — January 20, 2007 @ 8:37 pm
Sally,
I am very impressed. this is beautiful. I especially like the edging you did, much better than a ribbing. Love your reflection!!
Comment by Marsha — January 20, 2007 @ 9:20 pm
Wow, beautiful! Seams are vastly overrated. Why would you want them?
Comment by Carrie K — January 20, 2007 @ 10:27 pm
Stunning — and I like the photo of you!
Comment by Jennifer — January 20, 2007 @ 10:33 pm
Just repeating what everyone else is saying- impressive and beautiful job on your sweater….
Comment by katomliz — January 20, 2007 @ 10:46 pm
Blue Shimmer is just stunning, it’s beautifully knit and it fits you perfectly. What an accomplishment! I love the finesse of a seamless garment.
Comment by Melanie — January 20, 2007 @ 10:54 pm
Chiming in — the sweater is gorgeous — and the photographs and modeling are lovely too. I really like the choice you made for the edging – very flattering, and it brings the yoke colors into the whole sweater. And the way the yoke drapes *is* so nice. Brava!
Comment by Pam — January 21, 2007 @ 12:15 am
Sally- Absolutely, positively stunning! I’m really getting to love these Bohus thingies, but I especially adore your color
combination.
Nice modelling job as well (although what I wouldn’t give to see your son in it!)
Comment by Lorraine — January 21, 2007 @ 12:41 am
The sweater is fabulous! I think I need to order a kit for one of these! Nancy
Comment by Nancy Nelson — January 21, 2007 @ 3:23 pm
Sally, it is gorgeous. I just received my kit for knitting the Egg. Your hem treatment will be used!
Comment by Karen — January 21, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
Wow! I love what you did with the cuffs and hem! That is truly gorgeous.
Comment by Romi — February 9, 2007 @ 1:58 am
stunning seems to be the word! and it is. lovely colors. soft, yet vibrant.
was this a kit? its lovely.
Comment by hpny knits — February 9, 2007 @ 6:26 pm
I love your Blue Shimmer, colors and especially the edging you did… Please, could you tell me what kind of yarn (Brand) you use for it… it is so nice… I want one!!! 🙂
Comment by Guylaine — February 26, 2007 @ 9:58 am
Please tell me about the sleeve & body edging change you made. The entire sweater is so, SO beautiful! I love Kimmet-Croft kits!
Comment by Sue in WI — May 16, 2007 @ 9:45 am
OH my gosh…so beautiful! I made Blue Shimmer last year too…but a cardigan. I wear it all the time. It is just stunning…you did a fab job!!! Love the alternate ribbing you did. Might have to copy that. :)!
Comment by Mary — July 20, 2007 @ 11:41 pm
It’s beautiful! I’m knitting my first fair isle yoke sweater and have noticed this ballooning you speak of. I’m one repeat away from being done with the collar and thinking of ripping back because the yoke just looks too small! I’m going to try it on first, though.
I do have a question, if you don’t mind – how did you seam the underarms? I was thinking a three needle bind-off, but is there a better way? Thanks so much and again – it’s a beautiful sweater!
Comment by elizabeth — September 24, 2007 @ 11:38 am
A friend of mine found your blog and turned me on to it. We are both going to knit a bohus kit from the lady in sweden. Would you mind explaining to me how you did the neckline and sleeves. Did you do the pattern and then a couple extra rows to turn under in stockinete? On the neckline did you just do fewer rows of ribbing?
Comment by Bobbie — October 30, 2008 @ 2:07 pm
Yours turned out great!
I got to knit the Blue Shimmer model for Wendy’s book about 14 years ago. I, too, asked her about the unusual (to me) ndl size variance re larger ndl for plain, smaller for patterned when I read her pattern notes. Her reply was that she/Wendy over-compensated when knitting color-stranded work and always ended up with it looser than the plain portions so those where the ndl sizes *she* needed to get gauge. I, like you, also switched them around to use the larger ndl for the patterned part.
Hope you get as much enjoyment out of wearing yours as I do mine. It still looks great even after that many years.
See you next month, I hope, at Yarnover.
Joan Schrouder
schrouderknits@clearwire.net
Comment by Joan Schrouder — March 12, 2009 @ 12:26 pm