Cotton, Coral and SUMMER!

I have discovered that when new yarn starts rolling in to welcome a new season, I immediately cast something on. It's like I just black out and before I know it, I am 4" into something. I actually sometimes have to go back and remind myself exactly what pattern it was that seduced me into knitting it.

Back in April/May, this was the case with this lovely cotton coral vest.

A new yarn showed it's face called 'Replay' by Tahki Stacy Charles. It's a 100% recycled cotton (I am still sort of trying to figure out what means exactly since I don't throw my jeans in the recycling bin- do you?) and aran weight. It comes in fabulous colours that remind me of the shelf of very loved t-shirts in my closet. The book that accompanied the yarn was equally enticing and before I knew it... I had knit the body of this baby!

Sigh... when you finally come to terms with posting photos of yourself online, you have to be ok with the fact that not every single image will be FABulous. In this case, I ask you to please just revert your attention to the vest- not the face.

Now- as with most projects, I learned a very valuable lesson here. In this case it was read the pattern before you just charge into a project. If I had read through the pattern, I likely wouldn't have cast on. Why you ask? Because the neck line asks you to kindly pick up over 400 stitches in cotton yarn- not the worlds most forgiving fibre. (Did you feel me just throw up a little???)

Having said that... It was probably super good for me to have to do this and work outside of my comfort zone. Did I particularly enjoy that part of the vest? Heck no.

Especially when I realized I had made a massive mistake and had to rip it all out and pick up those stupid stitches all over again.

BUT- look at what a lovely vest I now have!!!

Feeling kinda groovy

I must say though that I am entirely tickled with the finished product. What the pattern lacked in laze-factor, it made up for in fit-factor. I love the fit! Now, enough time has passed since completion that I don't feel like I want to throw it into my recycling bin along with my jeans. I tend to have to let my projects marinade for a while after finishing them before I wear them (and in this case, blog about them).

I don't know why that is... it just is.

Want some details???

Well, twist my rubber arm!

Yarn- Tahki Stacy Charles 'Replay', 100% recycled cotton. 7 balls.

Pattern- Washington Square Vest

Needles- The pattern called for 5.5mm, but I used 5mm (because I guess I just felt like rebelling when I saw the number of stitches I was picking up).

Size- Medium. 37" finished bust. I went up a size than I normally would since I bumped down my needle size. Sometimes that's a scary thing to do, but it this case it worked out looooovely like. (I tell you, I am just SUCH a knitting risk taker!)

Summer is still young... cotton vests for everyone!


I hope you all have functioning air conditioners!