Friday, November 7, 2008

Cade's Cove Cardigan

I've finally decided on a name for the jacket/cardigan that I knitted for Peter. Unfortunately, it's not one that anyone suggested, but I certainly appreciate all the input from everyone! To show my appreciation (and to encourage people to leave comments), I'm going to randomly draw a name from everyone who commented or gave a name suggestion for Peter's coat, and send a gift, but more on that in a later post.

(My take on leaving comments is like this: reading someone's blog is rather like coming into someone's living room. It's always nice to say a "thank you" or acknowledge the invitation. Perhaps you don't agree, and that's fine. It's simply my opinion!)

Anyway, we must trudge onward.When I was growing up, my family went camping all the time. I'm not sure if it was because it was cheaper than staying in a hotel (there were five of us, after all, and it's not easy to smuggle five kids and a dog past the hotel concierge - trust me, I can say this from experience), because the entertainment was better (I have very fond memories of a certain incident involving my sister Angie and a rubber tube and a river . . .), or because it was just plain fun, but camping was our primary source of vacation material. I have suspicions that it was a little of everything, and I would never, ever trade the memories for a "nicer" vacation spent at Disney World or some other artificial environment.

I mean, really, the magic of Disney cannot even begin to compare with this:
The Great Smokey Mountains was our usual camping location, and in particular, Cade's Cove. We did a lot of biking there on the "loop" which winds around several scenic landmarks and historic homesteads.We spent a lot of our camping time at Cade's Cove in the Fall months. Let me tell you, the colors on display in the Autumn in the Smokeys is breathtaking, to say the least. So, in favor of overwhelming nostalgia, I'm naming Peter's coat "Cade's Cove Cardigan". I thought it fitting, since the cables are loopy like the Cade's Cove bike route, and the colors are so reminiscent of Autumn in the Smokeys.Peter seems very happy with his coat. I put in a zipper front and pockets, too. I'm rather pleased with my pockets. I think they're warm for little hands, but I'm sure Peter thinks they're useful frog-holding containers.
I'm going to finish writing up the pattern, and perhaps next Fall I might try submitting it to Knitty. So far I haven't had any luck with publishing a pattern, but who knows, perhaps third time's the charm! If you're interested in knitting this, though, I could give you a copy of the pattern for "test reasons".
Pattern: "Cade's Cove Cardigan", my own design
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Bulky
Needles: US size 10
Gauge: 16 stitches/20 rows = 4 inches

11 comments:

hakucho said...

Awesome jacket and pattern, awesome photos, awesome name and awesome little happy boy :)

Ellen said...

This is such an awesome sweater! The color/pattern is so incredible! I agree, the pictures are also AWESOME. You do such good work, Rachel... love it. I also love how you chose the name... what a neat story for you to be able to tie to this beautiful sweater you lovingly made your son...

Explore-Science-Beyond-the-Classroom said...

How fitting that you named the sweater Cades Cove. We went there last weekend and did the 11 mile bike route. It was a picture perfect sunny day and the leaves were falling in blazing colors. The feeling of being able to ride out there after having the brain hemmorhage and then the subsequent vertebral artery dissection was more that I can articulate here. It was indescribable. And then to see my sweet Petsey wearing a sweater that you knit with that name is just, well, what can I say... perfect! God is good and life is sweet :) Love You!!

Mary said...

Such a lovely sweater. You are so talented. Good thing I never offered my Peter....Pumpkin.....Autumn...Sweater variation.

Happy Fall (brrrrrrrrrrrrrr)

Nikki said...

Wow, those pics are breathtaking! What beautiful scenery! I think the coat is pretty spectacular too, and I LOVE that color! ;0)

Wishful Acres Farm said...

I can't believe you finished the coat already! The pictures are beautiful - I love how you blurred the edges.
The coat is awesome.

SL said...

The sweater is fantastic! (And the pictures of the fall color are beautiful, too.) Very nicely done!

Sereknitty said...

Fabulous job, Rachel! I love 'untraditional' colours for boys and this one is truly lovely. If you need a test knitter, I'm definitely game -- just let me know!

Too Little Time said...

BEAUTIFUL - a copy for test knitting purposes would be wonderful :) K

Kit-bert: "semi" eevil HR Director said...

Rach, you are SOO SOO SOO talented! I'm so proud of you (and a tiny bit jealous) what an awesome sweater! and I love the name of it! You're the QUEEN of knitting! :)

smariek said...

Love the photos, especially that first one, great smile on his face. The sweater looks great too!