Leaving

Leaving by Anne Hanson

A truly beautiful sweater, and a nicely designed pattern.  Because the lace pattern is so big and irregular, it was not a pleasure to knit.  But the finished product is lovely.

The back.

The pattern calls for Oasis, from the Woolen Rabbit, which is described as a light sport-weight and is 70% camel and 30% silk.  I was wary of the camel, because I worried it would be too warm, and would maybe not have as much body as I'd like (drapey vs. body:  this is a drapey pattern).  This colorway was requested.  So I chose Woolen Rabbit's Opal, which is now described as fingering weight, but, as you can see from this hang-tag, was described as light sport weight as well, at the time I bought it.

It may indeed be a tad light for this sweater, but to add to the intrigue, Ravelry calls BOTH yarns fingering weight.  Regardless, my photos do not do the color of this yarn justice.  It's not quite as blue, and in the best possible way is more muted and muddy to the eye than to the camera.  I think it will be just interesting enough, and very wearable.

I found the buttons I used while I was on vacation last winter, at H Kimura Store,  in the little town of Kainaliu, on Hawaii Island.  If you ever vacation on the Big Island, and maybe like us, are driving from Kona to snorkel near the City of Refuge, you might want to stop too.  It's an amazing store!  It felt like I'd stepped back in time to the stores of my childhood.  I bought these buttons without the sweater, trusting to instinct and eye, which has not always worked.  But these, I think they do work.  They are by Dee buttons.  (Click those links -- it's a great store.)

Since the sweater fabric is both light and drapey, I chose to back the buttons with ribbon.  I used some ribbon I've had for a while from Anna Maria Horner.  I also sewed ribbon beside the buttonhole band, since I needed the buttonholes to stretch for these buttons.  I'm not sure yet about this decision.  It keeps the length of the band from stretching out, but the back of the ribbon (even more colorful than the feathered front) shows through the holes in the lace. 


Leaving, designed by Anne Hanson

• 4 skeins (though I purchased 5) of Woolen Rabbit Opal, Chocolate Chambord colorway.  415 yards, 75% merino, 15% silk, 10% cashmere
• US 3, 4, and 5 needles (mostly knit on 4's 3.5mm)
• 8 buttons
• Anna Maria Horner ribbon