Labour of Love: Snow White Waistcoat

As soon as I saw the book Labour of Love : Over 20 Knitting Patterns for Treasured Girls by Vibe Ulrik Sondergaard, I instantly fell in love with it.  Vibe, who was brought up in Denmark by her mother who was a fashion designer, was taught to knit from a young age by her grandmother.  In her book, she talks about how her desire to combine knitting, children’s wear and photography (some of my favourite things…!) sparked the idea for the book.  She describes her collection as an accumulation of ideas of shape, texture and colour rather than a collection with a set direction and it was this combination with some beautiful photography that sold the book to me!

Vibe’s book contains patterns for girls ranging in ages 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 and includes sweaters, cardigans, dresses and tops, skirts and snoods and accessories.  Beautiful techniques feature on every page, such as the fan stitch cardigan, bobble stitch skirt, cable and little branch dress, frost flower lace cardigan, and layered leaf skirt teamed with gorgeous colours such as geranium, pale sky, lemon, moonflower, cottage rose, snow drop, pearl and poppy.  Even my little 3 year old has been lingering over the pages exclaiming at the ‘pretty patterns’!  Are you tempted yet?

I had just enough Mirasol Sulka yarn in Snow White to to try out the simple but stylish Penelope Garter Stitch Waistcoat.  I wanted something quick and warm to knit up (something simple : good TV knitting!)

Here it is nearly finished, with ribbon chosen from the local craft store by Miss F:

Trying for size and showing off the pretty gathered detail at the back:

And finally finished (and Ravelled here):

I love the texture of the garter stitch which is really brought out by the Mirasol yarn, and the combination of knitting with crochet: the sides of the waistcoat are finished in double crochet.  I’m very tempted to try some of the other patterns in the book, they are stunning.

Vibe’s designs have been much admired and luckily for me and those other knitters out there who have been inspired by the beautiful shapes, textures and colours that feature in Vibe’s childrens designs, Vibe has just published patterns for grown ups together with Rowan Yarns: a short sleeved jumper in Frost Flower Lace and a summer shawl.  What a fabulous collaboration!

Happy weekend, whatever you are creating! X