Funky Sweater

In a previous post I mentioned that I was making myself a sweater for a change. I've thought about this sweater for some time, especially how it's not something I would wear to anything like work. (Unless I was a circus clown, I suppose.)

I had to stop when I ran out of red

I have a habit of picking up crafting books (heck, any kind of book, the more weird and obscure the better) at thrift stores, and that is where I found this pattern. It is from "Knitting" by the Editors of the Ladies' Home Journal (1977). I couldn't even get a photo of this book by Googling the name or ISBN. So I took my own photograph:

Now the world knows what it is missing

And then I snapped a couple bad shots of the joys to be found inside. 1977 was an interesting year for knitwear, because they didn't seem to realize how horrible Orlon acrylics were yet, especially as swimwear.

I have worse patterns for bathing suits. Trust me.

There was also no moderation as far as patterns were concerned, or color choices. They could have learned a lot from Buddha about the Middle Way, but I think they may have been too far into cocaine and disco by then.

.

Is a Tom Petty video coming to mind here?

Ugly, plus duck. Everything is better with a duck.

I have no words for this one.

There is just a hint of lingering 1920's nostalgia, which is one of the saving graces of this period. (Thank you, The Great Gatsby!) 

Getting ready to go punting on the Thames

But I have not completely lost my mind. I am heavily modifying the charmingly subdued sweater you see below:

I have no excuse to offer.

Instead of using ten colors, I'm using seven, because that was what I happened to have. This required a bit of thinking on my part, which may or may not work out. (At least I did a lot of the thinking before I cast on. Seems to always work out a little better that way.) The other modification is making it a hybrid of Paisley from Kim Hargreaves A Season's Tale; the body will be longer. There will be no cowl, just a deeper scoop neck.