Debbie Bliss, I love you. I hate you.
You are my nemesis. How many times have I been tempted by the beautiful simplicity of your designs only to be smacked in the face by your woeful quality control when it comes to tech editing your patterns? And yet…and yet…
I keep coming back. She designs things I want to wear. Simple as that. So far so good with the two Debbie Bliss jackets I have on the needles at the moment. No horrific errors or ambiguous wording in either pattern so far. We’ll see. It’s one thing to read a pattern through before starting, and another thing entirely to read it while executing the stitches, yes?
I’m knitting this from her Simple Living book. Using the same yarn and color as shown in the pattern photo for the first time ever. I couldn’t help it. That color is perfect. And I don’t even like blue. Go figure. It’s Cotton Cashmere. Here’s my progress so far (the back and left front done):
I’m also knitting this little wonder from the new Cotton Angora book. Can you guess what this oddly shaped lump o’ yarn is growing into?
It’s the back, which is knit from the left side seam to the right, using short rows for shaping. The pattern calls for short row shaping, knitting from side to side, shaping by changing needle size…it’s brilliantly engineered and–forgive me–doesn’t seem like a Debbie Bliss pattern at all. Does she have some fantastic new designer on her staff? One has to wonder… I’m loving knitting this thing, watching it grow in its odd sideways manner, one edge reaching out way past the rest like a strange tenticle. I’m just plugging away and trusting that the pattern will lead me to the intended final shape for the back. It’s been SO much fun to knit.
I also love this yarn I’m using. It’s the cashmere merino that I bought at School Products when Rachael was visiting. Soft and chunky. Perfect for this jacket. I can’t wait to wear it.
Yes, I still have that baby sweater waiting for just the last side seam and some buttons. And yes, my mom’s LL Flames socks are stalled four inches into the leg of the second sock. I’ll get back to those soon. Really. But for now, for today anyway, it’s just me and Debbie.
Oh…and work. Yeah, guess I should do some of that too.
You are making the sweater I want to make! I must hear all about your progress. I’ve been working on Elise which is tank sweater underneath. I plan to post an update on that later today when I find some time 🙂
Posted by: Rebecca
I just finished Rosy. It is a lot of fun to knit. The seaming was a real challenge though. I wish mine was in cashmere. Nice choice.
Posted by: Jessica
Would it shock you to know that I covet both those patterns? (No, me neither.)
Posted by: alison
That makes me want to do something with my cashmere/merino… Oh, yeah! I think I ordered a DB book, maybe it’s the cashmere one…. with the chunky cabled jacket on front? I wanna make that with it. Yum.
Posted by: Rachael
I’ve also been wanting to make that jacket from Simple Living, so I’ll be interested to see how it comes out, and if you encounter any major pattern snafus along the way.
Posted by: susan
Hmm…I’m wondering if she uses the same pattern drafters as Kim Hargreaves? Gorgeous designs, but boy, oh boy do those patterns lack in the clarity department sometimes!
Posted by: Becky
I know the feeling of being “wacked” with a pattern! I am just the same with my ‘Cul de Sac’ E. Lavold vest pattern – I finished the back put it to one side and now – have no idea how I read the confusing pattern in the first place – I need more caffeine! :¬)
Posted by: lydia
Hi, Are you using Debbie Bliss cashmere merino for the jacket?? Have the same pattern book and trying to figure out if you found a substitute yarn that wasen’t Debbie Bliss??
Thanks
Posted by: Cindy
You are making the sweater I want to make! I must hear all about your progress. I’ve been working on Elise which is tank sweater underneath. I plan to post an update on that later today when I find some time 🙂
Posted by: Rebecca
I just finished Rosy. It is a lot of fun to knit. The seaming was a real challenge though. I wish mine was in cashmere. Nice choice.
Posted by: Jessica
Would it shock you to know that I covet both those patterns? (No, me neither.)
Posted by: alison
That makes me want to do something with my cashmere/merino… Oh, yeah! I think I ordered a DB book, maybe it’s the cashmere one…. with the chunky cabled jacket on front? I wanna make that with it. Yum.
Posted by: Rachael
I’ve also been wanting to make that jacket from Simple Living, so I’ll be interested to see how it comes out, and if you encounter any major pattern snafus along the way.
Posted by: susan
Hmm…I’m wondering if she uses the same pattern drafters as Kim Hargreaves? Gorgeous designs, but boy, oh boy do those patterns lack in the clarity department sometimes!
Posted by: Becky
I know the feeling of being “wacked” with a pattern! I am just the same with my ‘Cul de Sac’ E. Lavold vest pattern – I finished the back put it to one side and now – have no idea how I read the confusing pattern in the first place – I need more caffeine! :¬)
Posted by: lydia
Hi, Are you using Debbie Bliss cashmere merino for the jacket?? Have the same pattern book and trying to figure out if you found a substitute yarn that wasen’t Debbie Bliss??
Thanks
Posted by: Cindy