Monday, April 03, 2006

Sunrise Sunset

Remember that scene in everyone's favorite, the ultimate, original boytoy movie, The Outsiders, where Cherry Valance runs into Pony Boy, and there's a beautiful Francis Ford Coppola sunset framing her red hair, and a Stevie Wonder theme song swelling in the background? And she reminds Ponyboy of that poem - Nature's First Green is Gold, her hardest hue to hold, and yadda yadda yadda - and then she asks him, "Can you see the sunset from your side of town?" And Ponyboy nods, "well, you can see it from my side too," and she bounces back into her snobby soc world, leaving him with Soda Pop and the boys at the gas station? Well, here is the Sunrise on my side of town. Not quite the Kate Gilbert creation, but I love it, and I'm so pleased with the finished project. As you can see, I went with the funky shaped buttons. I liked the ellipse/cat's eye buttons that got the most reader response, but, because I went with a very different yarn, something very me, I wanted to keep that feel overall feel to the jacket, and went with the buttons that were just a little different.


Now, I didn't put the lovely picture of myself up because I'm trying out for America's Next Top Model (I may look like Barbra Streisand, but I'm not even ready for American Idol - completely tone deaf) -- I just wanted to show the actual length. I was a little worried before I started sewing, that the back was much shorter than the front. But, because of the curve, once the raglan seams were sewn, it all came together perfectly. As I mentioned before, I totally screwed up the hem (although, once I screwed it up, I just consistently screwed it up the same way) - my hem is half the size it's supposed to be because I didn't follow the directions (don't worry, I don't drive - the roads are safe from me!), and between the Silk Garden, and the smaller hem, I think my jacket is much drapier than it would have been had I hemmed it properly. Also, I wear a size 36 bra, so I went with the jacket sized for 37" - I've been pretty successful by going with a medium with most patterns. If I had hemmed properly, and lost another inch on each side, I think it would have come out too small. So, for anyone thinking about making this jacket, as painful as it might be (believe me, not nearly as painful as shopping for a bridesmaid's dress), I would err on the side of too big, as opposed to too small - because as we all know by now, I am gauge challenged, but I heavily blocked this to the schematic in the pattern, and it's the right size for the 37.

So, thanks to everyone for your encouragement. This is the first knit-a-long I've participated in that everyone was knitting the same pattern, and I can't tell you how motivational it was. Thanks for everyone's commnts about the buttons (even though I didn't exactly take your advice). Even though my jacket is now complete, I can't wait to continue reading the posts to see how everyone else's turns out!

Good luck everyone!

14 Comments:

At 6:42 PM, Blogger al said...

yay! freakin awesome!

i hope mine doesn't come out too small! well, i like the pattern so much i'd just knit another one.

 
At 7:11 PM, Blogger Jackie said...

Wahoo! It looks gorgeous -- I absolutely love the stripes!

 
At 7:51 PM, Blogger Katy said...

Congratulations! I really love it in the Silk Garden--Someday I'll have to make one with that yarn. The stripes are so cool. And it looks great on you!

 
At 7:59 PM, Blogger Jerry & Maxy said...

GORGEOUS!!! It's got character! Congratulations!!!!

 
At 8:10 PM, Blogger Lynn said...

That's wonderful! Congratulations!

 
At 8:13 PM, Blogger Karen said...

That came out wonderful and it looks like it fits you perfectly. Glad to know it seamed together so well.

 
At 8:55 PM, Blogger MissyJoon said...

I used Silk Garden for the LAdy Eleanor Wrap, and I loved knitting with it, and I love the way it turned out. BUT I would have never believed how beautiful it would knit in this pattern!!! You look terrific!!!!!

 
At 12:03 AM, Blogger Veronica said...

Looks great - and the buttons are perfect!

 
At 12:51 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It looks great. I like how the strips came out on each side.

 
At 2:08 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Breathtakingly beautiful

 
At 3:15 AM, Blogger knitannie said...

That looks amazing. Although I am a little concerned about the size I am making. I erred on the side of too small because I did not want the finished product to look like it was swimming on me. I hope it works out OK.
Although you had gauge challenges I think it was worth it with the yarn substitution because it looks great. You could make it again in a plain yarn and it would look like a completely different jacket.

 
At 7:54 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh, bless you. I'd been wondering how this would look in striping yarn.

 
At 8:09 AM, Blogger Wendy said...

Thanks for all of the lovely comments!

Wendy

 
At 9:30 AM, Blogger Mary, Mary... said...

Wow! You did some work to get the Silk Garden stripes to match up. I'm inspired!

 

Post a Comment

<< Home