A Little Christmas Sparkle

First, I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Channukah and I'd like to send out a wish for Peace on Earth in 2009!

Since this is a knitting blog, I will move right to my latest FO, "Agnes & Joy," finished just in time to wear to Christmas dinner tonight.

I modified the pattern to lower the waist to my natural waistline -- the pattern calls for it to be just below the ribcage which seemed odd.

I also made the sleeves full-length as in "Joy" but used the cuff design from "Agnes."

I sewed on grosgrain ribbon to stabilize the buttons and had to add a couple of snaps to ensure the front stays closed.

I knit the sleeves plain (without beads) except for a bracelet row of beads on the sleeves and cuffs and a extra 3 beads above the right cuff.

Finally, the buttons are made of beads that are similar to those knitted into the body. The beads are very subtle and are hard to see except when they catch the light.

I really like this design and enjoyed knitting it. I admit that at first I didn't understand the instructions to cast off at the waist and then pick up the stitches again in the next row, but as you can see it leaves a pretty braid right at the demarcation between the moss and stockinette stithces.

The endless stockinette stitch on number 2 needles did get somewhat tedious by the time I'd started on the sleeves, but created a nice smooth fabric which suits the yarn.

This is a very lightweight sweater, appropriate for wearing over a blouse.

Here are the details:

Pattern: a hybrid of "Agnes" and "Joy" both by Kim Hargreaves

Size: Medium

Yarn: Rowan felted tweed in watery (a little over 8 skeins)

Next up: Vine lace top-down cardigan from http://www.sweaterbabe.com/

Have a Happy Holidays everyone!