Here's project #4 for the NaSweKniMoDo-09 - the Trinity Vest from (I know, broken record here) A Fine Fleece. It also, happily enough, worked out perfectly as a project for Project Spectrum 4 (North).
PROJECT SPECS:
Pattern: Trinity Vest from Lisa Lloyd's book, A Fine Fleece. Of the 3 patterns I've knit from this book, I would rank this the least successful. The trinity stitch (at least for me) knits up looser than the braided cable. As a result, I really struggled with row gauge. The cables wound up pulling the body of the vest up much more than I'd anticipated, and I was concerned I wasn't going to have enough yarn (working with handspun, and having spun all of the roving I had) to even finish a slightly shortened version. As a result, the vest is quite cropped, even on short-waisted me. I wet blocked the finished piece and stretched the bejeebus out of it, but it still pulls up a bit (which you can see in the picture above - and it's actually still very damp and pliable).
Yarn: My handspun from Spinderella's Mill thrums. A combination of wool (gray and dark green), mohair, silk, thread, angelina, and other bits off the carding room floor. Colorway was Enchanted Forest. It's a 2-ply, spun at an Aran/heavy worsted weight. I used almost all of the 860 or so yards I had. I have maybe 75 yards left - I'd have to weigh the end of the last skein.
Needles: US size 7 circulars.
Modifications: I knit only 10 inches of body length for this size, which called for 11 inches originally. I then got worried that I wasn't going to have enough length as the cables drew up the more I knitted, so I wound up knitting an 9-inch depth to the armsceyes, rather than 8, as called for in the pattern for this size. I also cast off the neckline stitches higher up, which made more of a rounded neckline than a U-shaped neckline, which I liked better.
Notes: I'm not sure what I'd do differently to counteract the tightness of the cables versus the looser gauge of the trinity stitch. I suppose you could knit them on a size or two larger needles, but boy, that'd be futzy. I think the rustic nature of the yarn, and the slightly droopy fit of the armsceyes will make this more of a casual sweater for me, but that's okay. I do wear a lot of jeans and don't dress up very often. For its weight, it's very warm. I very much like the beach-pebble buttons with the grayish-green tweed of the yarn and the nubbiness of the pattern.
In retrospect, while I had been feeling somewhat guilty about using a vest as a NaSweKniMoDo project, in reality, it took me as long to knit this vest as it would have a sweater with less stitch manipulation. Having cables to work every other row, and all the make-3-out-of-1 stitch work for the trinity stitch, I wound up spending a lot of time on this vest. Oh, and a caveat: If you hate purling, run far, run fast. The right side rows of the trinity stitch are all purls, and on the wrong side, you do K1, P1, K1 into every other stitch, and P3tog in the other other stitches. LOTS of purling.
All for now.......
It still looks good to me and the colour is fantastic. The stitch, yarn and buttons go so well together. What are you going to do now that you're 1 and 2/3 months ahead?
Posted by: Marina | March 09, 2009 at 05:11 AM
#4 finished!? Oh my now I feel very behind as I've only started #4. The vest looks nice and having the back a little longer than the front may not be a bad thing. Love the buttons!
Posted by: margene | March 09, 2009 at 05:33 AM
Trinity vest is lovely and I hope the wearing gives you smiles. And Margene? You're on project #4 at the beginning of month #3. How - HOW - is that behind???? LOL My perspective? I have finished two sweaters in - well, ever.
Posted by: Chris | March 09, 2009 at 06:08 AM
Goodness this is a fantastic vest. I can't wait to see it in person!
Posted by: Christina Scovel | March 09, 2009 at 07:47 AM
I don't know....you are finished with THREE Lisa Lloyd patterns, and I'm still not finished with my one lousy LL sweater! Love the vest, though, and it will be perfect with jeans. I have one from her Wild Fibers collection that I might do...if I ever finish Port Clyde.
Posted by: Marcia | March 09, 2009 at 08:00 AM
I don't remember sleeves being a requirement. :) I absolutely love the yarn!
Posted by: Kris | March 09, 2009 at 08:07 AM
It looks so cozy and warm! Love the buttons too! I don't think any vest guilt is warranted, not with trinity stitch. Better you than me.
Posted by: Margaret | March 09, 2009 at 09:27 AM
What IS it about purling that horrifies so many people? It's just a stitch! Maybe because I was taught on a sweater and didn't make my first scarf until after 40+ years of knitting, I just accepted the purl stitch as a part of knitting?????
I don't get the angst.
Posted by: Marji | March 09, 2009 at 11:55 AM
ADORE those buttons!!! I must find some!!!!
Posted by: Norma | March 09, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Very pretty; I'd like to see it modeled so I can better see these problems you mentioned. I trust that they are there, but it looks lovely as it just sits there.
I am not a fan of the trinity stitch. It isn't the purling, it just wears on me.
Posted by: katie | March 09, 2009 at 01:23 PM