A trip down memory lane

As I, ever so slowly it seems, move things back into my sewing/fiber room I am taking the opportunity to sort through the various accumulated possessions that have accumulated over the years. After this is my chance to really take stock and determine what is just useless clutter and what is truly loved.

As part of this process I have been looking through my magazine collections. Below is the first cable sweater I knit, from Knitters #4 in the spring of 1986. I wasn’t subscribing then and it was a few more years before my collection of Knitters becomes consistent. I think this was my third or fourth sweater.

I used the yarn called for in the pattern, I was still too nervous about substitutions and I knit the smallest size, for a 36 inch bust and a supposed finished size of 38 inches. At that time, when I sill weighed 125 pounds on my 5’9” frame, I was much closer to a 32 inch bust and it was hard to find sweater patterns to fit. Luckily, being tall and lanky, oversized boxy sweaters were actually quite flattering, and the 80’s were the age of boxy sweaters. I still look good in a long straight silhouette, despite being a good bit heavier. I thought the extra bulk would be flattering just as boxy long sweaters were flattering – I was rather partial to loose oversized long sweaters and leggings and I had the legs and height to pull them off. It wasn’t flattering, and thus continued my education.

Unfortunately the sweater looked like the sweater in the picture in terms of cable pattern, but it did not drape off my shoulders as nicely as on the model. The sleeves came straight out like cardboard and the sweater was very thick and heavy. I felt like a samurai every time I wore it. It was also much too big in the waist and stuck out in back because I hadn’t yet figured out how to take in the back waist while I knitted without destroying the pattern. But I knit it to go with a favorite skirt, a Geiger wool challis skirt in a mustard background with a forest like scene in shades of olive, teal, and chestnut. The vest was mustard to match the background of the skirt and I would wear it with a teal silk charmeuse blouse. Until I came up with another jacket to tie the pieces together this vest had to do. 

Eventually I gave up; the vest did not look good and did not improve as I gained weight with middle age even though it was large enough that it still fit. It went to a local consignment shop and I actually saw someone walking down the street wearing it once, so I hope it found a happy home. It looked much better on its second owner than it did on me, but what did I know when I knit this? I was still learning.

Most of the sweaters in this issue of Knitters look rather dated today, but I am still fond of this vest. Perhaps I am just fond of the memories that have been resurrected. Memories alone are enough.

Comments

[claudia]

Its spring cleaning time.

;-)

I think the only Knitters I have is #1.

[Gina]

I love that your handknit found another home. I think it's great that you can look at early knits with fondness but understand that sometimes, they weren't meant for you to have always -- or ever.