Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Fair Isle Stocking

For the longest time, I was terrified of stranded colorwork. What if it looked insanely uneven? What if it puckered? What if it looked simply horrible, and all the knitters of my acquaintance saw this and I was never able to show my face in polite knitterly society ever again?

Uh, yeah. Silly. So this holiday season, I decided to bite the bullet and knit a Christmas stocking for my mother-in-law. She's a lovely lady who deserves a hand-knit gift (and not many people do), so I ordered the kit for the Peace stocking by Annie's Woolens.

It was slow going at first, and it took me a while to figure out gauge. In fact, my gauge changed throughout the project. You can't tell by looking at the picture, but this stocking is freaking huge. Here it is from one side,

and here it is from the other.


My mother-in-law has received it and likes it a lot. I'm very happy with it too, and I know that any Fair Isle garment that's supposed to fit has to be knit on smaller needles because... well, I could use this one as a hat. But who cares? I'm extremely proud of my first stranded colorwork FO.

26 comments:

cpurl17 said...

It's lovely and your MIL must have been so touched to receive it!

adrienne said...

The stocking looks great! That's such a lovely gift :) I should really try stranded knitting, but I've never made it past corrugated ribbing...

Lauren said...

Thats a really nice stocking, it reminds me of the ones a family member made for me when I was little. :)

Anonymous said...

What a neat idea! My MIL has one of those for every family member (even me) but she hasn't yet found one for my brother in law. Now I know where to get a kit to make her one!

Anonymous said...

That's beautiful! It looks great, let alone for your first time at stranding. That's some further inspiration for me to get going on my 2008 stranding goals!

weezalana said...

What a wonderful stocking! And great job on the fair isling!

Beverly said...

Lovely work. Fair isle is on my list of things to learn too. You did a great job!

Eryn said...

It's beautiful. I would never guess it was your first time stranding.

Bezzie said...

Very impressive 1st attempt!

fleegle said...

It's wonderful! My mother made me one for my first birthday...still have it!

Anonymous said...

It looks great. Now I need to bite the bullet and try it :)

The Kelly Green Rogue said...

It looks great! you should be proud!

LadyLungDoc said...

That's awesome! Yay for bravery in knitting!!

Rebel said...

Wow! It looks amazing!!!

mel said...

You should be so proud!! What a great first stranded project. You did a beautiful job Batty, what a wonderful gift!

Amanda said...

It's beautiful - you did a wonderful job!!

Unknown said...

What a wonderful stocking. It looks great!

I'm not ready to try fair isle yet, so kudos to you.

Stephanie said...

I haven't visited in a while and I just read your resolutions. I wasn't planning on making any, but you have inspired me. Perhaps if I write my goals down I will do a better job of obtaining them....

Soo said...

The stocking is great -- she must have been so pleased when you gave it to her. A beautiful present --- and even better because next year it will get filled with more presents!!! Yipppeee!!

Definitely the gift that keeps on giving.

Kathy Kathy Kathy said...

Too big? Impossible! More room for chocolate!

Anonymous said...

Wow! What a lovely gift for your MIL. I am gearing up to try stranded knitting on some Mosaic Mitts from Interweave.

KnitChick said...

It's beautiful! You did a great job on it!

I know you get jealous by all of the "great" fiber things going on here, but you mean to tell me there are NO fibery groups in your area?? You could always start one you know... Our mailing list is up to 6 people in 24 hours!! And this is really NOT a hotbed of knitting activity....

Just A Knit Wit said...

It's beautiful! That's your first stranded project? I am in awe of your mad knitting skills.

Maureen said...

The stocking is totally awesome! Great work! Something that big would scare me too! Yours looks great!

schrodinger said...

A very well done to you!! And Happy New Year!!!

IrishGirlieKnits said...

You should be absolutely proud of your first?!!! color stranded project!! Gorgeous!! I love it! The stocking really is wonderful!

And, I'm fairly sure, polite knitterly society will always let you hang about :) hehehe