snow deco

We have at last seen something like wintry weather in Scotland over the past few days. I much prefer a crisp, cold winter day to a muggy, grey wet one (who doesn’t?) so the snow and sunshine have really felt something like a treat. And not least because we have been waiting for exactly the right kind of weather in which to photograph my lovely new Deco cardigan, which we’ve knit up in Buachaille.

As you can see, I have gone all-out for some technicolour Douglas Sirk styling. Because I know you will ask, I am wearing an Alpine Dress from Lindy Bop. I know it is a bit twee, but I absolutely love this print of snowy peaks and red rooftops and pine trees. I confess I was in a somewhat festive mood when I purchased this dress, and fell head over heels for it as soon as I popped it on with my Macallum-coloured Deco. Perhaps it is because this January has been, so far, unusually glum and grey, but sporting this particular Deco / dress combo in public on a bright, sunny day has an, um, somewhat unusual effect on folk who see it. . . for example I was wearing this outfit on Friday when we went to the coach house at Luss for our lunch (following the photoshoot), and, as we walked through the village, I was stopped by several enthusiastic passersby who remarked on my clothing. In the weirdest of these incidents, a group of elderly tourists accosted me and insisted on having their photos taken, each in turn, with The Dress – not with me – for I was merely an unimportant clothes horse that happened to be wearing this fascinating outfit. “Its a little village” cried one, “ooh – what’s she got on underneath” asked another, bending down and lifting up my skirt, “LOOK ITS A PETTICOAT” shouted a third, and finally “don’t go any further, Susan, you’ll be able to see her underwear.”

Happily, up in the hills both me and my garments were free from such attentions.

I do enjoy styling my designs – and I also enjoy finding the right time and place to photograph them. For my new red Deco, it was definitely worth hanging about for the snow to fall, and then pottering around in my wellies in the hills above the Bridge of Orchy!

Bruce is fully recovered (hurrah!) and also enjoyed the walk, though we had to keep distracting him with snowballs to keep him out of shot.

But the main purpose of any knitwear photoshoot is that you can actually see the garment (regardless of how it is styled). I was really pleased with the way that Buachaille knit up for this cardigan, and Tom has done a great job photographing the fabric and the details, as well as the whole garment.

I used vintage buttons from my button box . . .

. . . and a lovely ribbon from Mel to line the button bands.

I confess that Deco is one of my all-time favourites of all the cardigans I’ve designed. It is wearable and versatile, and I am very fond of its design elements, which are relatively simple, but quite effective.

Neat set-in sleeves are picked up and worked in the round.

And the cardigan front features a pleasingly stepped slipped- stitch pattern

. . . which is echoed on the cuffs and back yoke.

One does not have to prance in the snow in a foolish Heidi-like manner, wearing an alpine themed dress to enjoy wearing this cardigan . . .

but I confess I had fun doing so on Friday.

If you’d like to knit yourself a Buachaille Deco, we are hoping to put some kits up in the shop for this weekend’s update. If you are a subscriber to our newsletter, watch your inbox for a discount code we will be sending out to everyone later this week.

Time to get out for another walk in the snow! See you soon!