I'd Like To Thank.......

Finally

There she is, fluttery, stripey wings and all. I have to admit, when knitting this sweater in this colorway I wasn't so sure. About any of it. The colors seemed loud for me, but I had it in my stash and was (am still) in my own little NYBA, so stash yarn was the ticket. I'm still not entirely sure, but I do wear it and everytime I do I get so many compliments. People stop me and gush. Why does this not happen when I wear one of my intricate Arans? I mean, stripe matching and sleeve busting aside, this was not a complicated knit. So I will continue to wear it, feeling a bit like a traffic light, but liking it.

And just like the winners at the Golden Globes, there are many thanks to go around. I mentioned before it is good to be a bit behind the trend. As I was obsessing over the start of this sweater (three guesses on what exactly I was obsessing and being paralyzed about) I got to watch and learn from the greater blogging community. My first thanks has to go to Wendy. She too started out with stripe matching in mind, and she was succeeding until the bane of all Noro knitters: the knots. Being most of the way along on her second front she had to let it go. What to do? What if I came upon the dreaded knots? If it hadn't been for Wendy I wouldn't have decided to knit my fronts and sleeves at the same time so when knots came along (which miraculously only happened once) I could adjust both pieces at the same time. Success! And I have to defend my compulsiveness on this one. With these colors the stripes had to match or the whole sweater would have been, well, not flying that is for sure.

I'd be remiss if I didn't thank just about everyone when it comes to the sleeves. Here a sleeve, there a sleeve, everywhere a too long sleeve. Had I not been surfing instead of casting on, I might not have thought to alter the sleeve length as much as I did. And thanks to Stephanie for reminding me to measure from the center of my back and subtracting the back measurement from that length. Worked like a dream! I probably would have done a three needle bind off it not for Claudia's experience with expanding shoulder seams. I read somewhere some blocking advice for the collar-block it flat. Worked okay for me, I still need to steam out the collar a little to prevent the annoying rolling up of the points, but it is laying mostly flat as a pancake. And the last little tip I picked up from reading around was the collar errata. Now this one has to be thanks to the knitting goddess again, because even though I had read to look for the change in the pattern, I totally forgot. Then right before I was about to pick up those stitches I read in a blog somewhere a reference to that very subject. Saved in the nick of time! I am just so thankful (tearing up) to the academy and the blogging community for being there for me (sniff, sniff). I would never have gotten here without all of you (cue annoying musical clue to get me off the stage). Yes, I feel like a winner!

If you need to know:

• Butterfly from Noro Knits, designer Jane Ellison
• Noro Kureyon in color #31, which sadly has been discontinued (but I have some left:))
• I used 9 skeins, but I resized and made things alot shorter. The sleeve, for instance was to be 20" to the underarm, mine was about 14"-15".
• Started in October of 2004, finished the weekend of the New Year, 2005.

A few asked me to keep track of the number of skeins I used, especially with matching the stripes. I used about what was called for, but like I said, I made it a bit smaller than the written small.

I actually have some WIPs. I have photos..........

Comments

[Emma.]

Beautiful,beautiful Butterfly ! Very flattering and a great fit.You made it work for you.Those colours look great on you too.
Gorgeous glove - coour and cables.
Wouldn't it be easier to put the stitches on contrasting thread rather than having to manage stitch holders as well as needles ?

[Chris]

It's beautiful. Congrats on a job done well.

[monica]

All your research and extra work paid off. It looks great on you!

[claudia]

Babe-alicious.

[Kate]

It looks great! Hope mine turns out as good. I shortened the sleeves by two inches but they are still too long and my length is a bit long. I like the length of yours much better. If only I had know how much Noro grows when you wet block it.

[Dorothy]

Absolutely stunning - and nothing at all like a traffic light. Although I do understand. I, too, tend to wear more muted colors. But those bright colors look wonderful on you. Wear it often and bask in the compliments. You deserve them.

[Margene]

It was worth the wait. It makes me want to start but the WIPs are a little overwhelming as is. Great job of making sure you 'got it right'. Of course we knew you would!!

[Nathania]

So glad you're blogging again! And your Butterfly is stunning. I've got to get moving on mine!

[Mary Beth]

Peace, baby - that's what your WIP is saying! Butterfly looks great - easy to see why you are getting the compliments! (I think people just assume that the arans aren't hand-made - don't you?)

[julia fc]

Not at all, no traffic light. A beacon of perfection, but NOT a traffic light.
Love the gloves too, and like Mary Beth says, Peace.

[Jean]

OMG!! That is GORGEOUS!!! Well done!

[Lynne]

Your Butterfly is just beautiful...I especially like that you shortened your version. The original just seemed a little sloppy to me, but I do like the shortened length, now that I see yours complete. Nice colors, wonderful fit.

[Annie]

It's just beautiful, Teresa. Great job as usual. I love that color of Noro. :)

[Wendy]

wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Michelle]

Lovely! I got that pattern book right after Christmas...I may have a Butterfly in my future, too. Yours is inspiring!

[ricki]

Amazing job!! I've shied away from using any of the NORO yarns on cardigans because of the stripe matching problem -- you've not only overcome it, it's so perfect, the sweater looks like you could have painted the stripes on. Congratulations!!!

[Sharon]

Teresa, it looks fabulous. Nothing wrong with stopping traffic.

[Tanya]

Hey was just looking around for other people making Butterfly (to get some tips), and found your blog. Your Butterfly looks terrific, I can only hope that mine turns out so well.

[Eilene]

Beautiful Butterfly. She looks fabulous on you. It's a perfect fit!

[Theresa]

What a lovely Butterfly. All the matching definitely turned out to be gorgeous and worthwhile. Enjoy!