The word dreich was made for today – the weather is the greyest I’ve seen it since last Autumn. Having been out twice in the rain with Bruce already today, it is clear that I must rethink my winter wardrobe in terms of my current dog-walking duties. I find myself strangely drawn to a look that is probably best suited to a venerable member of the Countryside Alliance . . . that’s right, I feel the need for tweed. Anyone know where can I get me a well-fitting and stylish tweed waistcoat that isn’t too, um, House of Bruar if you know what I mean?
Meanwhile, things are much brighter indoors, where I have at last cast off the cardigan. Hurrah! Really, is there anything more satisfying than a short-row sleeve cap? The cardigan is knitted in what appears to be the the yarn du jour among my knitting comrades – Corriedale 4 ply from Blacker Designs. Felix has already fashioned her feller these amazing socks, and I spotted a wee sweater in the same colourway over on Liz’s blog. The yarn has a great hand and a dense, velvety quality – the kind of thing that made me rave about Bowmont Braf – but it is different from the Bowmont too. . . much more stretchy and springy. I also have a feeling that it is going to bloom like a Shetland in water, and prove similarly hard-wearing. We shall see – I’m looking forward to seeing how it blocks out as I am (happily) very pleased with the design. And I might have just found the perfect button. . .
If memory serves me correctly, there are a few more of these knocking around my button box – lets hope so. . .
KDD & Co 
Tweed waistcoats are very tricky beasts. There are a couple at Joules but they are verging on HoB territory. What you REALLY need is this coat:
http://moorlandandmansions.co.uk/#/coats/4543356506
I didn’t say it was cheap…!
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Wow–I wish I had buttons like that in *my* button box! Can’t wait to see the finished sweater in its entirety–I have yet to see a handknit in green that I do not find instantly irresistible.
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It’s a beautiful green – I’m just working out what to knit with the two and a bit balls that I have left over from the wee jacket.
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I don’t know, but you sure have a way of making “dreich” seem like a great word ! Grey in Edinburgh looks simply luscious, even your winter wardrobe is soothing to my eyes (and yes, a killer button!) . Here it’s dry , dry, dry, California Indian sumer, have seen only a sprinkle yet , I’d love to be where you are. Knit on, drink that tea, walk little Bruce (so adorable), and enjoy your moist verdant surroundings.
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To get the full meaning of the word “dreich” it needs to be uttered by a Scot – it then becomes almost onomatopoeic, really evoking drizzly grey weather. Perhaps Felix can soundscape it sometime, with the patter of rain in the background.
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Short-row sleeve-caps are eminently satisfying – can’t wait to see the cardigan!
As for the tweed need, Walker Slater on Victoria St have fairly recently started doing womenswear – I bought a little cape-y jacket from them, and have barely taken it off since. I’m not sure if they do waistcoats, but they really know their tweed (or at least the gentleman who served me did), and are quite reasonably priced compared to, say Katherine Hammett, who was the London boutique owner featured on those excellent BBC documentaries about tweed. Tweed up for autumn, I say!
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I gleefully anticipate stylish tweed suit and cardigan combos + shape-throwing!
I agree with your assessment of the marvellous texture/springiness/velveteen qualities of the Corriedale 4-ply. It blocks really nicely; it doesn’t relax down quite like shetland but the stitches even out nicely and the knitted fabric turns kind of dense.
I loved knitting your Lyttelton pattern in Corriedale 4-ply and the garment I can report has worn well with no pilling!
The olive shade is wonderful too; it is rich and cheering and a wonderful bolster to – as you say – the dreich days. It was foul here yesterday; a dish-rag of a day, and I realised the colour I miss most in Winter is yellow. If I were mixing that olive shade with paints, I’d use a lot of bright yellows to start with and just add in the tiniest bit of blue.
I think it is the happiest shade of green I’ve ever seen!
And it looks beautiful with that button.
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That looks like a wonderfully snug cardigan:) The weather is making me knit a lace shawl. I wasn’t going to but it insisted, and I did have the perfect amount of yarn left over from knitting a cloud:
http://thefarrago.blogspot.com/2010/08/fun-day.html
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Such a beautiful button, especially with that wool! When you wear that walking Bruce, you’ll make quite a striking duo.
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Oh, I cannot wait to see more of this sweater! I’m so intrigued by the little peek you’ve given us here. And yes, that button is *perfect*.
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You tease!
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Love the word “dreich”, which I’ve never heard before. I think we’ve been having that too – but muggy at the same time, if that’s possible?
Your lovely green knit shoulder has tempted me to seriously consider trying the short row sleeve cap. Very nice & tidy. Lovely post. Thanks!
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that shoulder (so seamless)! that button (so intricate)! they make a wonderful match.
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Oh, yum! Can’t wait to see it blocked and modeled!
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I’m anxious to see the cardigan. That’s a great button! I checked out the yarn–ooooo-aaaaahhhh!
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That is a fantastic button. Where did it come from?
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That’s one amazing button! I hope you do have more…
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Tried to leave a comment and it didn’t appear to work…trying again!
Just wanted to say that somehow the word “dreich” always makes me smile and I love to use it when possible…we had one of those days yesterday and it mad me pine for Scotland!
Also….I too just love to see those short row sleeve caps form themselves straight out of the armhole….truly satisfying indeed!
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Katherine Hooker does some amazing and stylish things with tweed. But £££££££
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We’re headed for hurricane driven dreich tomorrow on the US East Coast. What a great word. And, a wonderful shade of green wool!
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Re tweed. What about “Ness”? – although I don’t see any waistcoats on their site. I know that you have a view on Westwood, but the tartan skirt shown in Starmore’s “Aran Knitting” is as un-Bruar-like as you could find.
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Your need for tweed.
I’d suggest a trip to the charity shops – but get in quick before the students discover just how cold that wind off the North Sea can be!
My late mother-in-law always went to Musselburgh for charity shopping and a trip to DeLuca’s.
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Oh, it’s just as grey and wet in Durham at the moment – not pleasant.
The button and the yarn are so close in colour, they look fantastic together. Must’ve been meant for each other!
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Does ‘dreich’ mean ‘rain’ ?
in Northern France, when it rains a lot, we say : ça drache !
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Beautiful green yarn and yes, the perfect button. I hope there are more!
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I love it when you share your rainy-day thoughts. It has been utterly rain-less around here all year long, and it wears on you after a while! (As I am sure the rain does as well). I can’t wait to see the whole cardigan, with those perfect buttons.
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That is a seriously suitable button!!
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If that is not the perfect shade of green! We’re gray here today, too, and alas, I am knitting with gray and white. I could use some green.
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When we moved to Hawick, my (late) father-in-law kept saying I ought to buy a tweed ‘costume’ (skirt and jacket to those not old enough to remember their Mums wearing costumes. I know what you mean about House of Bruar – I think perhaps their tweedy style is for people who ‘weekend’ at their country cottages!!
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There could not be a better button for the job.
Thanks for the link to those outstanding socks. Now I’m off to google “House of Bruar” to see if I can grasp your allusion.
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Just returned from the H of B website. . . yes, I see what you mean.
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That is one beautiful button. May the others reveal themselves to you soon!
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I love those buttons! I’m trying to start a button box myself but am lousy at buying buttons without a project in mind, so I never have any lying around. Sad.
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