Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Pagode Finale

I thought I'd never see this post.

Pattern: Pagode by Hanne Falkenberg
Yarn: Hanne Falkenberg No. 2 Shetland
Needles: Size 3
Colorway: Khaki/Straw/Ivory/Blue green/Flax/Rust
Cost: $130 from Knitswap email list
Cast on: April 2007
Cast off: April 28, 2010
Progress posts: Enabled, cast on, first rip, why oh why did I knit two identical fronts, ripped again, Finale!

This was a spur of the moment purchase through an email list. It was half price and I was bored at work. But I truly love the yarn and the unique design. It's all done in garter stitch on size 3 needles. The fronts (plus half the sleeves till where the colors end in the picture) are done in two pieces, and back is one piece, sleeves are picked up from the edges after shoulders are seamed.

The project took three years to finish, partially because it's all garter stitch and becomes quite boring after awhile. But because of the simple garter stitches, I mostly kept it in the car, as something I worked on during long car trips. Because of the simple stitches and unique construction and pattern writing, one small slip in reading cost me quite a bit of trouble. There were three major rips, first I switched colors (ivory and wheat) in the first front, then I forgot the pocket on the second front; then once the second front was finished, it looked exactly the same as the first. I didn't have enough yarn to knit two more identical fronts (why would I want to do that anyway?), and couldn't just flip it over and use the back side. I had to rip out an entire finished front -- 386 stitches on the cast on edge.

But really, look at the finished product, it's all worth it.

8 comments:

purple-power said...

Ah - beautiful!

Holly said...

It looks fantastic. Of her designs, this one probably has the most "knittiing." The rest will be a breeze after this!

JennyD said...

Very nice. Looks great

Anonymous said...

I wonder, would you be interested in selling the original pattern for the pagode?

If so, you can email me on
lisa_202@hotmail.com and I would be willing to pay via paypal.

Thank you

Anonymous said...

Hi there

I am just about to purchase a Pagode kit but I am dithering with the Gloria also.

Can you confirm if the Pagode is knitted in three pieces i.e. the back, two sides and sleeve ends picked up and knitted at the end?

Also, what was the maximum number of stitches you had on your needle - was it difficult to manage? Did you need to buy extra long needles? I'd really appreciate some insight before I splash out another £80

Thank you.

Emily said...

It's lovely. Well finished!

Denise/CT said...

Congratulations! It looks lovely on you. I am about to start this pattern myself...I may be calling on you to help answer a few questions if I can't decipher her instructions. Happy Knitting everyone,
DeniseCT on Ravelry

Unknown said...

this pagode pattern is very sober elegant for me,hope i will search it again.
zeltzentrum.ch