Faded Ribbons Jacket (with a Beanie)

Knitted by Gena Greene

Photo by Victoria Cooley

 

We wish Tori had photographed these two separate items separately, but we understand the time constraints under which she volunteered to snap these pictures.

 

About the sweater

 

In real life the colors remind me of sour candies--blueberry, grape, lemon, green apple, cherry...What shows as white on this computer is pale yellow in real life. The stripes are textured and give the sweater a strong vertical grain, almost like corduroy.

 

Size: Medium woman's (5'3"-5'7"; 40")

 

Material: 55% Red Heart acrylic, 45% miscellaneous including cotton and mohair

 

Care: Machine wash and dry carefully

 

Credits: "The 'Faded Ribbons' design appeared in Knitter's magazine...sorry, further details are not available. The original sweater was knitted with two handpainted yarns in different color combinations. This one was knitted with one Red Heart acrylic multicolor yarn and lots of scraps that harmonize with the colors, including scraps from the Hand-Painted Jacket."

 

[Update: It was the Spring 2008 issue of Knitter's magazine. The designer was Simona Merchant-Dest, who designed it as a pullover with a long, snug ribbed waist.]

 

Price: $50 + shipping

 

About the cap

 

Size: Small

 

Material: acrylic

 

Care: Machine wash and dry

 

Credits: "This is a basic beanie, the kind every knitter knows how to make. Cast on 72 stitches to make this size in this kind of yarn, knit 1" in garter stitch and 3" in stockinette stitch, then shape a round top to fit close to the head. I have made several of them. They take little time to make and little time to sell. If this one's sold before readers respond to the web page, I can make more of these beanies in any color. There could be one to match any sweater if I have enough yarn left. The price on the beanies is always $5--regardless of what they're made of--the profit on acrylic beanies offsets the loss when somebody asks for one made of a luxury material."

 

Price: $5 + shipping

 

Click here to buy the sweater or the cap.

Rock Creek Jacket

Knitted by Gena Greene

Photo by Victoria Cooley

 

 

In real life the colors are orange, yellow, and warm gray (not blue--the camera seems to be picking up the blue tone in that lovely old brocade chair). The two front sides are the same length, in real life. That pink-and-blue thing that shows on the front is a skein band containing the manufacturer's care instructions for the blended-fiber yarn.

 

Size: Large woman's (5'6" to 6"--sleeves may stretch; 44")

 

Material: Wool/acrylic blend

 

Care: Washing as wool is recommended, but instructions for machine laundering are attached

 

Credits: "A box of yarn from a wool shop's going-out-of-business sale included this distinctive boucle yarn and, tucked in with it, a paper containing four Paris fashion patterns printed in French only. At the time I didn't have a dictionary of foreign knitting terms, but just puzzled it out by the numbers and the picture on the pattern. This jacket was designed just for this yarn."

 

Click here to buy it for $90 + shipping.



Hand-Painted Jacket

Knitted by Gena Greene

Photo by Victoria Cooley

 

 

This short, bulky jacket is knitted in two hand-painted wool and mohair yarns from Cherry Tree Hill. It's recommended especially for those who want to avoid adding bulk below the waistline (we meet quite a few of these people in real life). Although fluffy, light, and lacy, it's very warm.

 

Size: Woman's large (5'3-5'10", 42")

 

Material: 50% pure wool, 50% wool-mohair blend

 

Care: Hand wash gently; dry flat

 

Credits: "The design appeared on the cover of Knitter's magazine."

 

PK: Which issue, and who designed the sweater?

 

"I don't know. I've misplaced the magazine and don't see it on Amazon."

 

Frugal tip for readers who knit: Always buy Knitter's magazine. Back issues actually gain value on Amazon.

 

Click here to buy the sweater for $180 + shipping.

Big Turkish Carnation Jacket

Hand knitted by Gena Greene

Photo by Victoria Cooley

Size: Large woman's (5'6-6', 44-48")

Material: Mixed; 80% acrylic

Care: Machine wash and dry

Credits: "In 1991, the Turkish Carnation Jacket in Glorious Knitting was the most challenging thing I'd knitted. Someone saw it and asked me to knit one just like it, only extra-large, for a big, tall woman who liked things oversized. I thought changing the gauge would have that effect. It did, with a few extra effects--the sleeves came out just long enough for a tall woman with no cuffs at all, just a gathered edge at the wrist, and the shoulders are wide. Although it matched the intended wearer's measurements, it was not the one (of a batch of sweaters that had been requested for her to choose from) that she ended up buying. It's just too big for the average woman, so it's still waiting for the right person to wear it."

Click here to buy the sweater for $65 + shipping, or to buy a copy of Glorious Knitting for $5 + shipping (includes $1 for Kaffe Fassett or the charity of his choice).