Jaeger Siena+$52 = Vintage Bolero

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Progress Report:

• I love Jaeger Siena, I read it is being discontinued. The stitch definition is beautiful. My knitting looks flawless (which of course it isn't).
  
  


• 8 skeins and a long sleeve pattern makes for a heavy garment.
  


• The knitting instructions were poorly written. What was I misundertanding or were there errors? I wrote to yesterknits hoping my questions would be answered by "them" or Sarah Dallas. No one responded (my spam folder was checked). I searched online for help and came across one review from a knitter who wrote that she found errors in most of the patterns, there was no one to contact for corrections and shedid not suggest the book for beginners.
  


• I frogged the lower front sides a couple of times each (both sides mind you!) and used common sense to get me through to the next step.
  


• Funny! I dreaded the thought of knitting 50 inches or so of 1x1 rib and then having to hand sew it around the entire boloero. Guess what! It was the best part of the project. The rib made the garment very special and that is what vintage knits are all about.

Vintage Long Sleeved "Biker Chick" Bolero

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I have always had a fondness for vintage clothing and textiles. So when I came across "Vintage Knits" I settled right down on the book store's floor to have a look. I counted 8 garments I must knit and they all have their own distinctive style.

My first choice was the vintage long sleeve bolero (for a gift) and the second project will be the camisole in Jaeger's 100% pure silk 4 ply. Unfortunately the bolero pattern uses a now discontinued yarn, but a suggested substitute was Jaeger's Siena 100% mercerized cotton. Now that I have knit it up, I suggest a blend.

This stylish bolero will add some warmth to those cool summer nights out on the road.

In the saddle bag: One copy of Vintage Knits and 8 skeins of Jaeger Siena in Black.

Jaeger Siena

100% Mercerized Cotton

Approx. 153 yds/50g

Weight: Fingering

Gauge: 7 sts/1in

Needle: Addi Turbo US 3

I actually started to keep track of the number of stitches....staggering....half way through the project I decided I did not want to know!

Biker Babe Flames Hat

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Try To Set The Night On Fire

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BIKERCHICKNIT's FLAGSHIP - HOT! HOT! HOT!

Progress Report:

• It took a few rows of knitting before I got the Fair Isle knitting groove on.

• I somehow managed to carry the yarn a little too tight in the center rows which made even blocking impossible.

• Instead of knitting with cut lengths of yarn wrapped around an intarsia bobbin I knit with full skeins (if I frog the entire piece I want full yardage).

Cotton Classic+$32 = A Burning Flame

Inspiration for my Fair Isle knitting project came from my fondness for flames and years of motorcycle swap meets and bike events where attitude and style was as much in the bike as the biker. Bikes flaunting bright, flashy airbrushed flames has always grabbed my attention. 

The one constant thought for my blog was that my banner had to be flames. Searching through my personal collection of graphs, decals, patches, photographs and sketches I created my banner flame chart, but then a friend showed me a small photograph of a vintage motorcycle tank depicting flames that he found (free) on the internet.  The flames were small and had been generated into a chart (unfortunately he didn't have any info and nothing popped up in my search).

Using this photo-chart as further inspiration I made my flames smaller in my banner chart and reduced my colors from 7 to 5. I was ready to buy yarn.  I used Tahki Stacy Cotton Classic for one long  "flaming" guitar strap so that was the obvious choice for yarn. The colorways are vibrant and 100% Mercerized Cotton, Gauge 6/5 sts @ 108 yds.

The Elegant Ewe in Concord NH had exactly what I needed in colors and the mercerized cotton had the hint of sheen I was looking for. The one staff member on duty that morning was kind, patient and helpful.

In the Saddle Bag: 5 Skeins of TSC Cotton Classic and a pair of very cool hand made black leather bag handles.

*Fair Isle knitting: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Isle_%28technique%29