One of the most rewarding aspects of this very rewarding job is seeing folk happily wearing the stuff that you’ve designed. I particularly enjoy seeing knitters’ inventive modifications of my work, and recently came across three versions of my Boreal sweater that are so wonderful that I just had to show you.
Here are friends Shannon, Maggy, and Carol looking completely amazing in their Boreal cardigans. Each size of the Boreal design is totally symmetrical down a central axis . . .
. . . this symmetry makes it really easy to convert into a cardigan. You just add a few stitches to the centre of the body charts, work them in a striped or checkerboard steek sequence, cut the front up the middle when you’re done, and then add button band edgings. Shannon, Carol and Maggy also modified the design by knitting it in the opposite direction to the way it is written — top down.
Again, this is much easier to do than one might think: its simply a matter of turning the charts upside down (each size has its own separate set of charts), and working in the opposite direction, reversing the shaping instructions. I really like the neat side pockets that Carol and Maggy have added to their cardigans.
But what I love most of all about Shannon, Maggy and Carol’s modified Boreals is that they are theirs. Each seems to have selected a palette that perfectly suits their colouring; each cardigan looks totally different, but each completely suits its respective wearer. To see knitters happy in beautiful sweaters makes me happy — particularly when they have been produced and modified from my design.
Shannon, Carol, and Maggy kept careful notes about the modifications they made, which you can see on ravelry (follow the links to see their individual project pages).
Thanks so much, Shannon, Carol and Maggy for allowing me to share these photos!
I just love these ladies. They sent me an equally cute pictures of the three of them wearing matching Wildflower cardigans.. one of my sweater patterns. I loved the pictures! They did a great job on these sweaters too.
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Precious !!!!!!!
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They look lovely, and you’re absolutely right about their choice of colours. They look sublime! This was a very nice post, by the way, it would be fun to see more of these.
I can’t wait to get the book, so excited!
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Admiring. Thanks to share.
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Super! That is such a testament to your designs as well as their excellent work.
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Beautiful!
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Congratulations all around! All these examples look great, as did Mel’s, which you showed us last winter. That’s the sign of a good pattern – inspiring so many handsome variations.
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They look great! And such lovely and happy photos. I’ll have to move the Boreal higher up in my queue…
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Wow! Really lovely! Cx
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And so flattering on all body types! Love it!
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Okay, I’m hooked. Now I HAVE to make one!
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what lovely pictures
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:::::::::Here’s to “SWEATER WEATHER”
Thanks for sharing these shots of your girlfriends + their sweaters + your design!!! WOW*
So glad I found your site and am first in line for your book, too.
Carry on, girL x-x-x-x-x-x-x=x
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What gorgeous adaptations – and lovely photos all round. I’m really going to have to learn to knit while I sleep, there are just too many things I want to knit and too little time!
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They all look amazing!
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Such a happy group – I love this! Yes, that is the nicest compliment we can get as a designer, isn’t it? Especially when our friends want to knit something we have created. Beautiful, all of them!
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What clever, clever knitters there are out there, they look beautiful! I’m afraid I’m an unimaginative foot soldier when it comes to following a pattern so I’m so pleased that your designs are inspirational in themselves. I just wish there were clones of me so that I could even attempt to keep up with all your industry!
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Love the joy! I think I have my next project.
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Lovely knitty joy !
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That’s so great—all beautiful.
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What lovely pictures. I think each garment is unique and perfect – well done to all.
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Lovely. Simply lovely.
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Perfect timing Kate, my mum and I are casting on for our Christmas boreals this week. I am going to steek mine and mum is making the original sweater variant. I will be reading the modification notes with interest. I know you will be adding two more happy knitters to the list before the holidays.
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Oh COOL! A mother-daughter knit-along! Love it!
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What lovely cardigans. It’s great to see patterns come to life on real people!
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Absolutely wonderful. Bravo, ladies. You look terrific, and have really done amazing work. I am a great admirer of that kind of vision.
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Just beautiful, lovely to see. I really love this design and for me, it would be more useful as a cardigan than a sweater so hope I will get to knit this one day soon – just finished the Manu, which I love.
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Happy people, happy cardigans. I love them – all of them. Such inspiration which obviously started with you, Kate.
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Lovely pictures. The garments look wonderful with those jewel tones, and the women look beautiful and real. Which makes a change from what I see in most modeled shots. Not to mention those leaves…
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