After the stranded colorwork post from the other day, you were expecting something Fair Isle, weren't you? Well, surprise: new today for your enjoyment, the Perpetual Bliss cardigan! I designed the sweater around the yarn because my wardrobe was lacking a versatile gray cardigan, and I wanted one. It has quickly become one of my favorites; in fact, it's keeping me warm as I type this. I’ve always liked the way sweaters with allover ribbing fit and shape without too much tailoring, and the borders add pattern and interest without bulk.
The sweater is named for Vicky Bliss, the amateur detective heroine of a series of novels by Elizabeth Peters. Though from Minnesota, the character works as an art historian at a museum in Bavaria; because that’s the origin of the twisted-stitch patterns used in the borders, I thought the name was appropriate. Made in a soft, warm yarn, it should provide the wearer with perpetual bliss too! Unfamiliar with the books? Check them out at the author's official website, MPM Books.com or at the Unofficial Vicky Bliss site, Perpetual Bliss.
Have you ever worked a twisted stitch pattern? It's not as complicated as it looks. Usually no more than two stitches cross at a time. The twists are formed by knitting (RS) or purling (WS) into the back of the pattern stitch. The background is regular reverse stockinette - purl on RS, knit on WS. For information and literally oodles of stitch patterns, I highly recommend Twisted-Stitch Knitting by Maria Erlbacher, published by Schoolhouse Press. Ravelry also has a group for knitters of Traveling Stitches, Bäuerliches Stricken, Steierische Strickkunst: twistedstitches. It's a great resource.
Wondering what book you're seeing in the photos? It's the unabridged version of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. It was chosen because the binding color coordinated with the sweater, but it is, as I believe I've mentioned, a great read. Despite a truly prodigious number of pages of small type, it goes very quickly. If you've seen the movie, don't feel that the book is spoiled for you; the characters are the same, but the events are often quite different. In fact, it helped me to see the movie first, because it made it easier to keep track of who was who when I was reading the book. Hm. Now I want to go read it again.
Perpetual Bliss Cardigan pattern: $6.95 at Ravelry or Patternfish.
The sweater is named for Vicky Bliss, the amateur detective heroine of a series of novels by Elizabeth Peters. Though from Minnesota, the character works as an art historian at a museum in Bavaria; because that’s the origin of the twisted-stitch patterns used in the borders, I thought the name was appropriate. Made in a soft, warm yarn, it should provide the wearer with perpetual bliss too! Unfamiliar with the books? Check them out at the author's official website, MPM Books.com or at the Unofficial Vicky Bliss site, Perpetual Bliss.
Have you ever worked a twisted stitch pattern? It's not as complicated as it looks. Usually no more than two stitches cross at a time. The twists are formed by knitting (RS) or purling (WS) into the back of the pattern stitch. The background is regular reverse stockinette - purl on RS, knit on WS. For information and literally oodles of stitch patterns, I highly recommend Twisted-Stitch Knitting by Maria Erlbacher, published by Schoolhouse Press. Ravelry also has a group for knitters of Traveling Stitches, Bäuerliches Stricken, Steierische Strickkunst: twistedstitches. It's a great resource.
Perpetual Bliss Cardigan pattern: $6.95 at Ravelry or Patternfish.
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