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Tagsdr. g’s memory vest
Back in Vestvember, I got very zealous and started three vests. Two I finished during the month of November, but as the third was a Christmas present for Dad, I moved a bit slower on it. I brought it with me to Norway and worked on it in plain sight of the recipient :) And now it’s finally done!
I finished up the knitting on Wednesday in the evening and eagerly soaked it to get it fully blocked. Since I was using yarn reclaimed from an old WIP, it was all blumpy and messy looking. I was anxious to get it dry right away, so I ran it through mom’s dryer on “no heat” for 30 minutes. But after 30 minutes nothing was happening, so we changed the cycle to “warm” for 20. The yarn was Cascade 220 Superwash bought a long time ago, so I figured it would do it good—superwash always grows so much and often benefits from some dryer time, right?
NO.
The damn thing felted up. Not, perhaps, as much as it could have—there’s still the lovely cable pattern visible—but it felted nonetheless. I shrieked and cried, and mom and i each grabbed one side of the sweater and pulled and pulled and pulled. We got it a bit longer.
I told dad he’d be squeezing into it come the 25th no matter what, though, and he did! We even got some tiny snowflakes falling for our photo shoot on the deck.
Dr. G’s Memory Vest (rav | pattern)
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash (though perhaps that is debatable)
Needles: US 8
Started: November 11
Finished: December 23
Notes: I only worked the pattern on the front, so I worked the back as a size x-small and the front as a size small. Honestly, the gauge was a bit open on 8s with this yarn (since Cascade isn’t really a true worsted weight), so the felting has resulted in a really great looking sweater. If only it fit better!
It’s a bit tight to get on and off at the neck, and the armholes are on the tight side; we may just cut them open to allow for some room. It’s snugger than intended but the fact that it still fits has me concerned that the unfelted version might have been big anyway! Honestly, given how nice the fabric looks I’d recommend making a size or two larger and felting it intentionally.
It’s best reserved for only the coldest of winter days here in Norway, anyway. But I think that’s every day.
12 Responses to dr. g’s memory vest
Great-looking vest! And I’m a tiny bit jealous of the snow, we’ve got the cold, but not the snow up north.
Have you tried soaking in water w/conditioner (balsam)? That will supposedly work sometimes when things have unintentionally felted… It would be a shame if the vest was unwearable.
That’s lovely! I think the unintentional felting gives it some “structure” – I’ve so often found that vests just kind of hang there. I’m glad he is able to fit into it, and it looks quite nice on him.
It looks wonderful on him! Your father is clearly a vest man!
Glad to hear that you were able to save it.
nice knitting
it does look great on him even if it is a big snug. bummer about the yarn! i’d write a strongly worded letter to cascade about that!
Looks great regardless — glad this can end up having a happy ending as the patterning came out beautifully and definitely deserves better than a life in a drawer.
WOW! That looks great. I have only just started cabling and I’m loving it.
Glad it didn’t felt into oblivion and that it didn’t shrink into teddy bear territory! Looks great on him, such a great pattern.
What a great color and pattern! It looks great on your dad!
Wow, it looks amazing, and what a great fit!! Awesome job.
Looks all kinds of awesome to me! Good save on the felting.
beautiful vest, if a bit scary in the finishing. Happy New Year!