25.01.2016

I’m trying to make a garment similar traditionally worn in Runö Island, Estonia. Rosavamsa sweaters were usually white (sometimes blue or black), with 8-pointed stars knitted in purl stitches. Black sweaters (worn in mourning) did not have purl stitch stars that give the name to the sweater and I discovered that there is a reason for that: Ros pattern is hardly visible on black yarn. So my Rosavamsa is just a vamsa, without ros stars.

I do plan to make a white proper Rosavamsa, but I don’t have suitable yarn yet.

27.01.2016

Joined front and back parts now. The yarn is black like the January weather in Finland.

01.02.2016

My vamsa is progressing nicely. I have passed the waist and doing the side increases now. Only issue with it is that knitting with these thin needles hurts my hands and shoulders.

Hopefully I will be able to divide the front and back in this week.

03.02.2016

148 sts on front piece
147 sts on back piece --> inc 2 sts on both edges + 1

08.02.2016

Knitting the front piece now. I might have to add more length to back piece, IDK why I knitted it first. Its pretty much impossible to see if it fits while wearing it without someone lifting it up to your back. Front piece is definitely more easier to fit.

11.02.2016

Knitting neck decreases now.

24.02.2016

Knitting first sleeve now. I had to reknit the upper parts of body several times to make it look good.

27.02.2016

Second sleeve.

04.03.2016

Second sleeve is almost knit. After decreases I have now 106 sts which is exactly the amount in museum sweater.

To my disappointment I found out that the sweater is too tight around the bust. I plan to finish the sweater anyway and see if it will be completely unwearable. Oh well, its a beta version. I plan to knit the white proper rosavamsa and now I know what I need do differently next time.

07.03.2016

It fit like a dream after I added the sleeves. I’m struggling with the cuffs now. I had to decrease to 90 stitches before starting the cuffs. So close finishing this thing, I might as well stay up one night and just finish it.

09.03.2016

This has been “almost done” for almost a week now, but I keep frogging it. Yesterday I managed to knit the second cuff, but alas, the first one is larger than second and thus needs to be reknitted. I managed to knit the second one much more tightly and the difference is too great to ignore so I had to pull out the first cuff. At least the second one is not rolling like the first. I don’t know what will I do with my life when this is finished, this sweater has consumed so much of my time lately.

10.03.2016

The knitting is done, now I need to weave in the ends and steam it.