
It all started with a yarn bouquet................. A bouquet of yarn, rather than a bouquet of flowers.

It was my Birthday, and the day before, I had picked all these flowers from the garden. Hugo always buys me flowers on my Birthday, but this time I already had vases full of blooms.
So I came up with an idea for an alternative bouquet...............
I had seen this Twilleys Freedom Spirit yarn in my local wool shop, and it occured to me that the colours were similar to those of the flowers from the garden.
All I had to do was persuade Hugo of the merits of my idea..........

..............luckily, I was successful!

The pattern is no.9053, from Twilleys. The yarn is 'freedom spirit', by Twilleys of Stamford, in shade 508.

The knitting of this cardigan seemed to take forever because I kept on interrupting it with other projects.

But now it's finally finished.
I love the colours in this piece, and it's so warm. It looks complicated to knit, but the pattern repeat isn't too difficult to remember once it's sunk in. I made the collar shorter than the pattern specified. And rather than placing a button as instructed, I used the flower corsage, fastening it higher up.
I quite like the way the corsage relates to the story of the yarn bouquet.........

This story also led to me playing around with creating my little 'yarn vases'............. another use for yarn, if a little short-lived.
Instructions: Get a ball of yarn and stick some flowers in it. (Note: life-span of flowers may be short if they are deprived of water............... unlike many knitters, flowers cannot survive on yarn alone.......).
That yarn is so beautiful! I had to go online and buy some after seeing your gorgeous cardigan,its fab! You look great!:)
Posted by: Eithne | December 18, 2007 at 11:45 AM
The cardigan is gorgeous! I love that yarn, I have been wearing my Clapotis in it today. Its so cold.
Posted by: Lin | December 18, 2007 at 12:13 PM
What a fabulous cardigan! I would so steal it from you if I was a bit closer! I just love the colors!
These pictures are my eye candy for the day! Thank you.
Posted by: LisaAlso | December 18, 2007 at 02:26 PM
LOVELY COLOURS...
YOU LOOK REALLY COSY...AND
WHAT A BOUNTY OF FLOWER'S
FROM YOUR GARDEN...
I THINK I WILL WRAP..
MY FRENCH JAM JARS IN YARN...
AND SOME IN TINSEL...
YOU INSPIRED THAT THOUGHT
THANK YOU...{:>)
Posted by: RI | December 18, 2007 at 02:32 PM
lovely cardigan, and longer lasting than the flowers would have been!
the yarn "vases" are fun too!
Posted by: driftwood | December 18, 2007 at 06:20 PM
nice glasses lady! i fancy a change with mine, where from?
i love the "..flowers can't survive on wool alone.." he he xx
Posted by: hazeljoy | December 18, 2007 at 06:25 PM
Lovely summer colours to cheer us in winter, so dreamy, and they remind me of the lovely pages from summer issues of CL which I adore...can I come and stroll through your garden next summer, the flowers are soo pretty!
oh, you too, you look very serene in that photo!
xx
Posted by: Lucy | December 18, 2007 at 06:49 PM
Respect! That looks like a very challenging pattern - whatever you say!
Posted by: Alice C | December 18, 2007 at 10:13 PM
What a beautiful idea! I love the yarn bouquets, and I love that your DH's name is Hugo. :)
Jen
Posted by: Jen | December 19, 2007 at 01:18 AM
The cardigan is amazing! Such beautiful colours for winter.
Posted by: melinda | January 14, 2008 at 09:23 AM