What they tell you in Vogue Knitting International Spring/Summer 2005: "Gayle Bunn's berry nice cropped jacket is knit in simple stockinette and trimmed with pretty picot. Eyelets shape the raglan armholes. The yarn is lush silk 'La Luz' from Fiesta Yarns."
This is what they don't tell you: "We were joking when we wrote about the simple stockinette. Actually, this pattern will have you staying up way too late at night working your fingers to the bone. Never mind the miles and miles of that pretty picot edging you have to knit separately. We'll suggest you sew it on as you go. And while you're at it, if it tangles up, don't worry. Just hang it off the side of the bed and let gravity take care of it! We'll describe for you how to knit the left front in detail but leave you stranded when it comes to the right front (oh, just refer to the left side of the back and reverse all shaping, heh heh.) When you swoon in desperation, panic and confusion, just know that soon you'll be laying, exhausted on your chair, but with such allure and flair."
Knit with five balls of Italian Silk (not the La Luz), and a lot of sweat and tears, this sucker is finally done and I really don't know what to think. I will say this about it: I was on such a tear to finish it last night that I actually sat through about 10 hours of television, including the movie, "Bram Stoker's Dracula," something I would never, ever do. Once I finally finished it, I remember rolling over in bed and remarking to my sleeping husband, "Hey, if I were able to concentrate my effort on something as much as I did this, I swear, I could come up with an 18-hour lipstick formula that doesn't cake and dry out and get stuck in all the cracks."
Despite all the sweat and tears, it looks fabulous! GREAT PHOTO!
I love you blog and humour! A great read!
Posted by: Adele | April 25, 2005 at 03:54 AM
looks fantastic! love your fo pics and that great side of laughs.
Posted by: froggy | April 25, 2005 at 03:56 AM
Oh man, I need to get me a husband so that my projects can be photographed with such flair! I love the color for the yarn. Can't believe they left you hanging with the shaping. Jerks.
Posted by: mia | April 25, 2005 at 04:06 AM
It looks beautiful!
Too bad the pattern sucked, a smaller version would be cute for Girlfriend.
Posted by: Trina | April 25, 2005 at 05:10 AM
Wow. You're good. After all my whining, I still failed. You saw, you knit, you kicked some ass. You are my idol.
Love the Bolero, and love the photo!
Posted by: heather | April 25, 2005 at 05:13 AM
Love it, love it, love it!!! I could never have achieved those results without precise instructions for BOTH sides: you rock!
Posted by: Jenny | April 25, 2005 at 05:31 AM
you kill me... i havent even had coffee yet and i'm laughing, that photo rocks...
ps. i just realized you knit socks with a dutch heel flap! i'm starting my first pair of socks ever and chose that kind of pattern cuz my Oma is Dutch, and she used to knit a million socks...
anyways, i'll let you know when the yarn comes in!
yadda yadda
~missa!
Posted by: missa | April 25, 2005 at 05:37 AM
great job and excellent photo! your bolero looks perfect. i despise poorly written patterns, but you made the very best of it.
Posted by: lynette | April 25, 2005 at 06:40 AM
I agree; the photo is wonderful, as is the sweater. How nice it must be to have such an obliging hubby! I love the chocolaty-brown color you picked for the sweater, too.
Posted by: Deb | April 25, 2005 at 06:51 AM
amazing!
Posted by: uglyagnes | April 25, 2005 at 07:03 AM
Love it! And the photo rocks - esp. the tomato. I had a friend who's former college boss used to call good looking women tomatoes - as in, "That's a mighty fine tomato just walked by." Also, if you invent such an 18-hr lipstick, I'll buy a case of it.
Posted by: June | April 25, 2005 at 07:33 AM
I often wonder why I can concentrate so much more and store so much more knowledge about knitting than economics. 10 hours? That is impressive. It looks great.
Posted by: Lauren | April 25, 2005 at 07:45 AM
I was there with you yesterday, although just trying to work out color changings while working in the round. (Is it even *possible* to get stripes to line up or is there always going to be a stairstep element???)
I watched the redigitized version of both Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back on tv. What's that...at least six hours. Plus they had long sneak peaks of the new movie coming out.
And really...never been a fan.
Posted by: mollysusie | April 25, 2005 at 07:52 AM
Stunning! Your version looks much better than the magazine's and that tomato is much more interesting that a silly slice of cake. Another fabulous knit and entry!
Posted by: lyn | April 25, 2005 at 08:13 AM
Your description of the knitting process was so fuuny!
I love how you copied the magazine photo. Clever girl.
Your sweater is perfection.
Posted by: Miz Booshay | April 25, 2005 at 08:21 AM
Thanks for sharing the experience. It's beautiful.
Posted by: Carolyn | April 25, 2005 at 09:18 AM
I love your bolero...I will remember NOT to knit this as I can't handle a poorly written pattern...!
A little off topic here...but..what size did you knit your Orangina in???
I'm doing mine in the Jaeger Cotton as well and I only have 5 balls and am doing the M sizing...
Is there hope?? Or should I scour the city for another ball?
Posted by: Jessi | April 25, 2005 at 09:49 AM
Oh, my dear, you are tantalizing! Well done knitting, well done photo styling, as usual. I wonder how that sweet little bolero would look on someone who has, well, big boobs? heh.
Posted by: Karma | April 25, 2005 at 10:03 AM
Awesome, beautiful work! Thank you for the humor in the morning!
Posted by: Skylar | April 25, 2005 at 10:37 AM
Ok, I am in love with this! So beautiful! Great job Wendy. And as usual, thanks for putting that laughter into my morning!
Posted by: Skylar | April 25, 2005 at 10:37 AM
Hilarious post. Gorgeous job. I hate when pattern writters are lazy and sloppy. I paid for a full pattern -- give it to me in boring detail!
Posted by: Gina | April 25, 2005 at 01:40 PM
Love it! I have often thought of modeling my finished projects just like the picture too! I am working on a Rebecca Cardigan, I have to be running on a beach, with my eyes closed and not a care in the world.
Beautiful finished bolero thingy!
Posted by: beth | April 25, 2005 at 02:34 PM
Lovely bolero and definitely worthy of the yarn. The brown suits your coloring.
Now that I know the pattern is sloppy, I probably won't keep this so high on my "wannabe" list.
How in the world to you get so much knitting done in such a short time? You're doing what? a garment a week? plus socks?
Posted by: Stephanie | April 25, 2005 at 03:53 PM
Well at least your pictures make it look like you had not a care in the world. Well done, it's beautiful.
Posted by: mary | April 25, 2005 at 04:26 PM
Thanks for your comments. I do knit fast, but I don't really finish a garment a week. Maybe one every 10 days or so (if it is a quickie). I just happen to have a bunch of things on the needles at one time. That bolero was probably on the needles for at least three weeks!
Posted by: wendy | April 25, 2005 at 05:12 PM