Sunrise, Sunset
March 3rd, 2007 at 6:37 pm (Finished Objects 2007, Sweaters)
I couldn’t resist. At least, I’m not going to break in to the entire “If I were a rich man” song while dancing. I think that I have mentioned my love for Annie when I was little and how my sisters and I used to perform the entire thing from start to finish. What I don’t think I admitted was how many musicals that I had memorized during my childhood. Fiddler on the Roof, the Sound of Music, Grease, and Grease 2 also make the list. I could have sang most of the songs from each of these, and, in the interest of full disclosure, probably still can. My best friend and I also performed a musical where we dressed in her mom’s old clothes from the 60s and pranced around. We called it the Sound of Music. It later turned out that my friend was so proud of herself because she thought that she had come up with that name herself.
My mom and granddaddy sang Sunrise, Sunset at my wedding. I realize that it is not a traditional wedding song, although it is sung at the wedding scene in the musical. It is a little more somber and moodier that most wedding music, but hell, I’m more somber and moodier than most wedding music. And to be honest, I think it is more fitting than most wedding songs because it talks more of the seasons being “laden with happiness and tears” which is much more accurate picture of marriage than just speaking of the former.
Now that we have a clear picture of my relationship with musicals, I will give you what you really came here for. (Unless you did come here to see me do my own renditions of musicals. In which case, feel free to correct me.)
Pattern: Sunrise Circle Jacket from Interweave Knits online
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Aran Tweed
Needles: Denise US7
Started: August 10, 2006
Finished: February 22, 2007
Notes: Yup, big gap between those start and finish dates. A big gap with no Sunrise Circle action. I finished one front in September, and I didn’t start the next until January. Which leads to problem number one, my row gauge changed. It didn’t change so much that it looks funny seamed together, but it did change enough that the jacket turned out larger that originally intended.
A few people asked what I was seaming with, I used DMC pearl cotton. I went to the store looking for tapestry wool, but I found this, which seamed strong and tightly wound. The sweater yarn was a little too prone to breakage to work well. This is the first time I have used a substitute thread or yarn for seaming, so feel free to tell me if this was a poor choice.
Problem number two was sleeves. I shortened them 3/4 inch from what the pattern called for, however I still had to rip back the sleeves and shortened them another inch after I finished the sweater. (I had pinned the pieces together to look at the fit, so I was able to do this before I sewed the sleeve seams.)
Pepperknit has some good notes on her experience knitting this pattern (twice) on her blog, definitely check it out if you plan on knitting this jacket. I followed her lead in do the single decreases instead of double on the back of the pattern to create less of a flair. However, since my gauge made the jacket a little larger than intended; it may have been better for me to leave them in for my version.
Overall, I’m happy with it. After I got used to the idea of it being a roomier fit than I envisioned I decided that it is very wearable. I also was suprised that I liked it open. It completely changes the look from a tailored jacket to a slouchy “I’m wearing my dad’s sweater” look. That is, if your dad wears oddly circular shaped, orange tweed sweaters. However, the slouchy look was a little better without the buttons.
The buttons are my one area of contention. I’m not completely sure about them. They aren’t actually wooden…just a wood look-alike. I also think they may be a bit too thick and kind of weigh the sweater down. I’ll use them for now, but I may switch it up. What do you think about the buttons?
knitopia said,
March 3, 2007 at 7:42 pm
I thought the buttons looked fine until you pointed them out. Now I’m not so sure. Actually, I still think they look fine in all the pictures but the last two. (In the last picture they look like clothespins.)
Are you seeing obnoxious Annie commercials on TV? If so, do you still like the music? Because I am hating Annie these days because of those damn ads.
reddirtroad said,
March 3, 2007 at 7:46 pm
That is the most gorgeous handmade sweater I have ever seen. Way to go! I love it AND the buttons. Perfect.
Karen B. said,
March 3, 2007 at 7:58 pm
You know what I think of L’Orange (love) and I think the fit is right on the money. I might have made a different closure choice, but if you’re happy then who cares what any of us say!
BTW, I’m a fan of musicals too. I’d play the albums (yes, vinyl) when no one was home and sing my heart out while doing interpretive dance. I’m weird that way.
knitopia said,
March 3, 2007 at 8:03 pm
I just realized I was unable to comment on your blog before. I’m using my husband’s computer this time, so there’s some key difference between our two machines that I will never understand.
I think the fit is great too and love the “tweedy goodness.”
m.c.cookie said,
March 3, 2007 at 9:31 pm
This is a wonderful piece. Found your nicely named site after the Lifehacker link to the wax-paper shirt, which is sweet. Remember that this is an unusual shape, and that most buttons would be not be able to hold their ground. Wood dowels, two or three inch’s long come to mind, but don’t seem as good as what you’ve got. Real wood sure sounds good though. What kind of fixtures are used in the Asian buildings with round doors? Beautiful work.
Brenda said,
March 3, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Fabulous! On first inspection I thought the buttons looked great, but then when you mentioned them, I started to waver. I still think these are fine buttons, but I wondered if a round shank button might look cool by replicating the round edge of the jacket.
I know most of the songs from Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Camelot, Fiddler on the Roof, Okllahoma and Grease. They are buried in some deep permanent part of my mind from when I was a kid. I also know almost all of The Cole Porter Songbook as sung by Ella Fitzgerald; that’s the only one that M will let me sing along with without complaining (he’s not real big on musical music).
Congratulations on the sweater!
Pikku-Kettu said,
March 4, 2007 at 12:41 am
That is one beautiful sweater! I think the buttons look good as they are, they add a little bit of something to the curving lines of the sweater.
kelly said,
March 4, 2007 at 4:44 am
I looove the orange tweed you chose. Looks fantastic!
I like the buttons but i’m wondering if maybe the same type but a smidge smaller would help. I still like it the way it is though :)
Terra said,
March 4, 2007 at 5:45 am
I loooove the sweater – the orange is perfect! I really like the buttons, but after you pointed them out, if I had to be ultra-picky…I would say that if they were flatter/thinner they would lay better. Mimi at the Loop (a halifax LYS) did the sweater and her buttons were about 1.25″ long flat wood rectangles, about 0.75″ wide, but quite flat…the reason I remember them is because they were so perfect for the sweater.
mel said,
March 4, 2007 at 6:06 am
This is one of my favorite sweaters that I would love to knit, but could probably never pull off. Your sweater totally affirms it – It came out great and looks fab, nice to see shots of it unfastened too. I like the look of your buttons, but whether they work or not does depend on weight, etc. (I have a sweater with buttons I love, but they are just too darn heavy and have to go). I would go with your gut. They look great in pics, but if you aren’t sure, maybe there is something better out there!
Great post too BTW, now I’m nostalgic for my show tunes era :)
kelly said,
March 4, 2007 at 6:20 am
wow, beautiful job on the jacket (and great photos, too!) I actually love the buttons – they were one of the first things I noticed about the jacket. And even if they’re not real wood, you fooled me! If they are weighing it down (which isn’t noticeable in the pictures) and making it uncomfortable, it might be wise to swap them out, though.
Cheryl said,
March 4, 2007 at 7:53 am
I think it came out great – it doesn’t look too large at all. I’ve loved that jacket since I first saw the pattern, and I’m glad to see that yours turned out so well.
Paula B said,
March 4, 2007 at 8:02 am
I am totally up for listening to you go on about your love of musicals and even breaking into a number (or 5) – would you mind if I join in?
The thing that jumped out at me upon first seeing the top pic was the buttons. So I agree that they are not quite right. Of course it would take me hours – maybe days – of dragging the sweater around town to find the ‘right’ ones.
Christine said,
March 4, 2007 at 8:48 am
The sweater is just beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. I kept reading on you blog about the sweater but couldn’t really picture it. Love it!
I like the buttons. But I admit that after you mentioned them I took a closer look. I definitely like the shape of them – I think round buttons would look…can’t think of the correct word so I’ll just say…maybe too many curves with the sweater shape? What about buttons the same shape but just a little smaller?
Gosh, the only musical I know by heart is the “Scrubs: The Musical” episode that aired about a month ago. I’m still singing “Guy Love”.
Shannon said,
March 4, 2007 at 9:42 am
The sweater looks great! I think it looks great on you and the color is wonderful. I like the buttons when the sweater is closed. If you are going to wear it open you might want something smaller, but I think they looks good.
tiennie said,
March 4, 2007 at 9:43 am
Oh wow! I’ve never seen a sweater like that one. It’s looks amazing on you. I do like it open and closed and I think the buttons are great but you have to be happy with it.
Mrs. Hipp said,
March 4, 2007 at 9:45 am
It is beautiful! The buttons do look sort of big when it is closed up. What about keeping the top one then making hidden closures where the bottom two were? It looks great open as well so you could just wear it like that.
Zonda said,
March 4, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Excellent work! It looks really good on you! :)
knittingphilistine said,
March 4, 2007 at 2:08 pm
I’ve never been a huge fan of this pattern, but it looks so great on you. I especially like that it’s orange. Why, I’ve been asking myself since seeing this post, have I never considered knitting something orange? It’s great! And very sunrise-y! (And sunset-y, too.) My final opinion is that orange tweed is cool.
Olga said,
March 4, 2007 at 5:02 pm
I think the fit looks perfect. Great job!
Carrie said,
March 4, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Wow that is just superb. I love the color and the tweediness and the shape and everything! Looks very comfy.
I hadn’t noticed anything off about the buttons until you mentioned it — maybe let them simmer a while and see if you still feel funny about them later?
The Feminist Mafia said,
March 4, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Wow. It looks great. And it looks great on you. I can’t imagine how it would look if it were tighter.
As for the buttons, I think they look great. But after you mentioned it, I obsessed a bit more. I still like them, but I can see what you mean. My eye is drawn to the buttons first, instead of the lines of the sweater. Maybe try something smaller and see what you think. Can’t hurt. But, if you’re looking for a bold tweedy look, these buttons are a perfect match, both color and style. either way, keep us posted.
KPL said,
March 4, 2007 at 9:26 pm
I like the buttons too, but I think wood buttons would look nice with the tweedy goodness. The sweater is beautiful and looks great. Excellent work. I have noticed you fraternizing with some hip folks, Mrs. Hipp for example. I was under the impression that your blog had nothing to do with anything hip or funky?
joko said,
March 4, 2007 at 10:19 pm
i love the jacket and the color is great! beautiful!
denise said,
March 4, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Another beautiful creation! It suits you perfectly. As for the buttons, I think you can pull off the ones already there just fine. However, I immediately thought of this type of button for a substitute:
http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/brea/brea.html
p.s. I’m coming to PDX at the end of the month. Let’s hang out!
MeBeth said,
March 5, 2007 at 3:14 am
I agree with the pro-button commenters above, I think they look great, as does the rest of the sweater!! It really is perfect and looks fantastic.
And I definitely know every word to the Sound of Music, even though I was cast as nun #37 rather than the role I tried out for (Liesel, of course).
Amanda said,
March 5, 2007 at 4:33 am
absolutely gorgeous! Totally wearable. And I love the buttons.
Ang said,
March 5, 2007 at 5:21 am
I danced with my dad to “Sunrise, Sunset” at my wedding, it was a big hit.
I think the buttons are fine, as others have said, it would be very difficult to find buttons for a cicular jacket, I think those look great.
Kirsten said,
March 5, 2007 at 7:09 am
Fantastic!!
If you aren’t happy with the buttons, I’m in NYC all the time and would be happy to stop into M&J Trimming for you and pick up a few of the wooden variety. (Although the look wonderful in the photos.)
Melissa said,
March 5, 2007 at 8:13 am
Wow so many comments already! My sister and I would reinact musicals and write parodys of Disney musicals that we would perform for family at holidays. LOL. Annie was one of our favorites though, and 90% of our barbie games involved runaway orphans scaling buildings and stealing cars (okay so that last part wasn’t actually in Annie–creative license!).
Anyhow, I think the Sunrise Circle Jacket looks fabulous, but I do agree that the buttons are a little too big. Something smaller in the same shape would be nice.
stacey said,
March 5, 2007 at 8:45 am
that came out amazing despite all the issues you had. the color is wonderful – the tweediness just adds to it…..I like the light buttons – but maybe some shorter/smaller ones?
Risa said,
March 5, 2007 at 9:01 am
Well done! I love the color, and I think the rectangular buttons add a nice contrast to the curves of the rest of the sweater. Congrats!
nova said,
March 5, 2007 at 10:51 am
Fantastic sweater! Great fit and the color is, of course, magnificent. I think the buttons add an interesting (and I mean interesting in a good way) flair; but, if you aren’t happy with them, you should change them (especially if it means you will wear the sweater more, it looks great on you!).
Jonassen said,
March 5, 2007 at 10:23 pm
Is that sunrise photo by Thomas Kinkaid, “Painter of Light”?
Dipsy D. said,
March 6, 2007 at 2:31 am
What an absolutely beautiful sweater this is! I so adore the pattern as well as the colour you’ve been using, and it seems to have the perfect fit! Oh, and the buttons rock big time! Congratulations on an awesome accomplishment!
parikha said,
March 6, 2007 at 4:44 am
When I first saw that pattern in IK, I didn’t really like it, but seeing yours has totally changed my mind. Great job!
Not Hip said,
March 6, 2007 at 6:36 am
Dude, if it was by Kinkaidit would need to also have a house with the lights on inside.
Lolly said,
March 6, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Okay, so I am a little late – but I will add my my voice to the chorus: BEAUTIFUL WORK! and what a stunning yarn to use too! I love it – everything about it. The buttons are great too ;)
Mintyfresh said,
March 6, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Looks excellent! Glad the work I did was helpful to you. I cast on to knit one for myself but after knitting it twice for my mom, I’m unable to bring myself to do so! Someday . . .
P-Funk said,
March 6, 2007 at 7:58 pm
Wow, your photos are so great! Who does them for you?
Not Hip said,
March 6, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Okay, so I think P-funk wants a shout-out. Thanks for taking the great photos honey. But I did take that sunset one, so you are not getting the credit for that ;)
Carson said,
March 7, 2007 at 5:05 pm
I think the jacket’s pretty fabulous and bold.
The buttons…I’m not so sure about.
Mabye a tad peg-like?
Wood is good..but maybe you could find someting a little smaller & curvier.
Ashley said,
March 12, 2007 at 4:37 pm
OK, week-and-a-half and 42 comments late, but wow. That is some super-tweedy goodness. I LOVE it, and it looks awesome on you.
Also, in our house we refer to “Thomas Kincade, Painter of Crap.” I recommend adopting it as much more accurate than “Painter of Light” unless by “light” you mean crappy little flecks of yellow paint.
Arianne said,
March 15, 2007 at 7:29 am
I never liked that Sunrise Circle pattern until now!! You have inspired me to make it! I think it looks terrific! I can definitely see its potential now! Thank you! It’s beautiful!
Also, what part of the PNW are you living in? Because my family lives in Bellevue/Seattle Washington and it is a great place!
Neither Hip Nor Funky » Blog Archive » Knitting, I love thee again said,
April 17, 2007 at 4:14 pm
[...] I tried to tell myself that I shouldn’t start any new projects until I finished it because everytime I started a new project I concentrated on it instead of this Blazer (It’s all your fault, Sunrise Circle, Little Child’s Sock and Ms Marigold. I’m looking at you.) I allowed myself the Baby Bolero, but then I tried to cut myself off of new projects. This didn’t really work, as I chose to avoid knitting instead. [...]
Sarah said,
July 11, 2007 at 9:33 am
How many skeins did you use?
rachelthepeach said,
January 13, 2008 at 10:40 pm
I was inspired by your sweater and yarn choice, so I bought me some Aran Tweed of my own. But I was wondering…is it especially itchy yarn? There are a lot of reviews that keep saying so, so I thought I’d ask someone who’s made the project I’m about to begin. Thanks!