The Emily

The jeans are from Banana Republic, the lipstick was one that didn't look good on me so I don't remember the name, and the sweater is why we're all gathered here today. The sweater as expertly photographed by Connie!

Making a long story shorter: I met knitters in person I had only ever "known" on ravelry, we actually enjoyed one another's company in person even though we live in NY Metro so it's not like there's a shortage of other people to hang out with, and now we hang out a lot. I'd been wanting to start designing my own sweaters because a) it's a good challenge and b) I would see sweaters I wanted to make that weren't already patterns. I didn't however, quite have the motivation to start doing it. Until I realized I could call upon these knitters I know in real life and see often and press them into service as muses and models. So a project coalesced. Five sweaters, five women. The Knitters I Know.

This is the first of the five sweaters and was inspired by a photograph of a Vogue editor, who kind of looks a little like Emily and is certainly shaped a little like Emily. I was certain this style pullover, a little bit cropped, would be flattering on Emily even if Emily was less sure (Yelena, my sweaters are generally at least 17" from the underarm). Fortunately, it was my yarn and my time and I could have made Emily a Big Bird sweater. Granted, she would likely have needed a lot of cajoling and alcohol to model it and let me put the photos on the internet, but I happen to have, at my disposal, a lot of alcohol. I think I sold her with the color, though. And I can't even remember how I discovered Lakes Yarn and Fiber, only that when I saw this color pop up in the store, I had to have it and I had to have it for Emily. When Emily saw the yarn, I'm pretty sure she would have worn it even if I had knit it into a pair of hot pants.

I'm a big fan of asymmetry when done subtly. I love an asymmetrical neckline or hem, and I think that it allows a simple garment to remain simple while not looking boring. So the double zips on the inspiration photograph weren't going to move me as much as a single zip. A single zip is a little sporty and enough of a statement without being a STATEMENT. Being a statement isn't my aesthetic nor is it Emily's.



The sweater is simple and pretty quick to finish. It, and many of my future (seems optimistic, but if I put it in writing I might have to make good) patterns will follow this example: work the back to the underarms, pick up the stitches for the front at the shoulders and knit to the underarms, join, and complete the sweater in the round, use short-row sleeve caps to make top-down sleeves. I have plans to make one for myself with long sleeves in grey - but those plans may likely not become flesh (or yarn) any time soon. So in the meantime, a number of really awesome, really cool people ar going to test the pattern for me. I'm hoping to release it in early November and I've already swatched for the next victim, er, muse.

I'll give you a hint: there will be cables.