Unpacking and laundry are done, and re-packing to leave tomorrow for VK Live in Chicago has commenced. I didn’t even put the suitcase away, just left it in the middle of the living room.
I have no idea how I can be stressed and delighted to be leaving at the same time, but I have this cramp in my tummy that’s screaming "Wow!" and "Whoa!" all at once. (The by-product of this is not being able to tell if I’m hungry or not and then trying to fill the void with coffee. It’s not helping, but I’m about a half cup away from being able to feel my hair growing.)
Let’s pause then, and spend a minute with something lovely, calming and perfect… shall we? I gave you a sneak peek yesterday, but here’s Miss BB in all her glory. 
Pattern: Miss BB. Yarn: Classic Elite Waterlily. (It’s discontinued, but Webs has it here in two colours, both stupid cheap.)
This was such a great knit. Fast, fun, and as always with Chic Knits patterns, spot on perfect and easy to read. This, as always, didn’t stop me from changing a thing or two, and so the back cable isn’t quite as written. It’s like a sick fetish – but I did the cable wrong by accident the first time, and decided I really loved it my way. (I only mention it because I don’t want some poor knitter up late trying to figure out why mine doesn’t look like hers.) I knocked the purl stitches out of the centre. 
Other than that, and shortening the sleeves to match my actual arms (which it turns out are so hobbity short that it is nothing short of amazing that I can buy clothes at all) and shortening the torso a little before the waist (also hobbity short) I knit it as written -right down to the shawl collar I didn’t think I would love, but do.
In the end, the arms weren’t the same length, and aren’t in these artfully posed pictures. (All photo credits to Caro Sheridan, photographer and purveyor of funny knitting shirts. Careful arm placement by Stitchy McYarnpants. Together this duo made Knitting it Old School 
(Here, Stitchy attempts to smooth my hair- her skills are mighty, but my hair has more will than she expected.)
All in all, a sweater in less than a week, and a great fitting, nicely flattering one at that. I’m especially proud of the fit through the shoulders, my clear acceptance of where my waist is (or isn’t) and my ability to finally learn to seek V-necks so that I don’t look like the worlds most hobbity linebacker.
I love it when a sweater works out- and especially proud that this one has no charred bits.
Beautiful!
Love it!!!
This sweater is gorgeous. I haven’t done one of the ChicKnits patterns yet. I blame my queue and the vast quantity of sweaters unfinished that I need to do first, but I think I’ll have to jump one of her sweaters higher up my list.
Thought the title was a Hunger Games reference — disappointed in your lack of arrows. Work on it.
The sweater is gorgeous! I LOVE the shawl neck and am currently researching the pattern as I’ve been wanting to give sweaters a try.
It’s always a treat to see your awesome work!
Knew you could do it! A sweater in under a week is a fine accomplishment 🙂
Great sweater. Very flattering.
Re: Ranier Heather: It’s not really dark, but it is a subtle color, with gray tones. I think it would work, especially with Hank’s (natural) coloring. You could always run it by him.
I misread the price as $2.00 and thought, “Wow, that’s a ton of yardage for that price!” I was all set to buy some until I checked again. LOL
Carol
Love it, great shape and colour on you. :0)
Great sweater! Would love to know what pattern Stitchy is wearing.
I love the sweater and I love the color! And LOL to no charred bits! 🙂
Beautiful. I love that shade. My goal for next year is to learn to cable … too caught up in Christmas knitting to do it this year!
Gorgeous sweater. I’m also 5′ tall and commiserate with your fitting issues.
That is truly lovely, and I adore the pictures! Someday I will be brave enough to knit a sweater… until then, I bow to your prowess (a week… sheesh, I can’t even knit a pair of socks in a week, but everyone works at their own speed…)
Gorgeous! I love the motivation of Rhinebeck to knock out a fantastic sweater for yourself at least once a year. Poifect. (Next year, give Stitchy full control of your hair and you will be aaah-mazed. She’s the best photo assistant / smoother / hair wrangler ever. LOVE YOU, STITCHY.)
Beautiful! Gorgeous!! You have every right to be proud of that one. And I love the photos, too.
What’s the sweater Stitchy is wearing? It’s also lovely.
Miss BB looks fantastic. Love the colour. Have the pattern – should make it. Looks perfect for fall leaf colours.
I have 37″ sleeves. I think I got some of your arm length.
Beautiful! Your knitting this pattern brought it back to my attention, and I have yarn for a lovely heathered green version.
Do you know what pattern sweater Stitchy is wearing? She doesn’t have it on her Ravelry project page, and it doesn’t appear to be in her book either.
beautiful sweater in a perfect color for fall. But, I would have to start a year ahead–not just a week.
Wow, a beautiful sweater in a week. I’m on my first sweater and I’ve been working on it for months and am still not done on the back of it.
Spurn not the Hobbity figure for only those of Hobbit proportions can even HOPE to finish an entire sweater in 10 days!!! I was seriously chastising my lack of knitting stamina when I heard of all these folk churning out sweaters like nobody’s business… until I realized that most of these people are from the land of small and have therefore, less knitting to do! So…Count your blessings!
your sweater is so pretty….love that color! also, the last pic with the dark sky in the background, fence, silo, etc. really makes your color pop. I LOVE IT!
Absolutely beautiful, everything, fit, color, yarn, everything!
I agree with April that the photo with the dark clouds really enhances you and the sweater.
But you, and Miss BB, looked wonderful at Rhinebeck! I saw you “and your people” several times over the course of the two days. And I was happy to see that the sweater had made it to the “Big Show”!
Any way to find out what sweater Stitchy is wearing (if its a handknit one, that is)?
Lovely and inspiring as always.
I also have short arms and tend to knit 3/4 length sleeves, so I can always get away with a ball less. Also, tell me what Stitchy is wearing. It’s so classy and uncrocheted!
Hi Steph! I can attest to your sweater’s beauty, as I was 4 people behind you in line at the Italian counter. I have to give credit where credit is due; I knit a sweater vest and Girl it was way too hot for me to wear it Saturday at Rhinebeck. Not to whimp out, but I do have a few years on you and after the first “hot flash” that morn, I opted for a long sleave t-shirt. Hope you had a great time. Safe travels. Shele
Your humor always makes me smile 🙂 The sweater looks AMAZING, love the color, and you totally made it in under your deadline, a true inspiration!
Have always admired Miss BB (as a Chicagoland native, I have a bias towards Chicknits). Your version is lovely.
Stitchy’s sweater lovely too!
The pics of you in this sweater look like an ad for a “Knitting your way to True Happiness” self- help book. beautiful!
You are a perfect handknit sweater rockstar. The sleeves totally aren’t noticeable.
Yes, no charred bits is definitely a bonus. Congrats on finishing a Rhinebeck before Rhinebeck!
Beautiful sweater. Makes me believe my hobbity self could wear a shawl collar too.
Your Rhinebeck sweater is lovely. So glad you perserved! Would also love to know what sweater is being worn by Stitchy in the photo shoot……
Your Miss BB is terrific! Both the color and the fit are very flattering to you.
Your arm comments made me laugh. My family teases me that I have ape arms (I’m 5’9″, but since I add 3″ sleeve length as a rule, even I have to admit my proportions may be a tad off). My daughter refers to her proportionately short appendages as T Rex arms (her wrists are about even with the top of her hip bones).
Amazing the variability possible among such close relatives!
This sweater is perfect! I love the way it looks on you, and speaking as one hobbity armed person to another, it is nice to see the sleeves aren’t hanging down to your knees. 🙂
My husband, and therefore some of our children and grandchildren, has extra long arms. Makes for jokes about knuckles dragging on the ground.
This sweater is gorgeous. Absolutely. Color, fit, shawlcollar – everything. And it looks great on you!
Stephanie!!!! You are so very gorgeous (and that sweater is heavenly fine, especially with your talented mad mod skills!)
Love that sweater! The color choice is great for you.
The sweater looks excellent, and the color is so you. Awesome job.
Beautiful Steph and a great color for you. You continue to amaze me with all that you accomplish.
And it looks wonderful. I marvel at all you do (I did read the blog about what you don’t necessarily accomplish, btw I don’t have a pristinely clean house or a completed sweater). Keep up the blogging, I enjoy these posts so much. Thanks
Oh, how beautiful! A thing of beauty.
Hi Steph – I don’t Twitter so could not reply that way to your question about Purple. Ask Hank. He is old enough to let you know what he thinks. I think Ranier is lovely but Amethyst is also lovely. But he might not think it is dark enough.
BB is lovely. And you in it, too!
I continue to marvel at your prolific knitting…and the wonderful results. It’s clear from the last several posts, however, that your secret is this: you never sleep!
Love your sweater, Steph. Can you tell us which pattern is Stitchy’s sweater and where to find it?
Absolutely lovely sweater – I feel the inspiration making my fingers itch, but I MUST BE STRONG and address all the Christmas knitting first. (We’ll see how long I can hold out…). Something tells me some of the Christmas knitting is going to be a little less ambitious than originally planned…
Between Bonne Marie’s pattern and Caro’s photos, you can’t lose! You look amazing and needed hardly any primping. You were have a Good Hair Day!
I noticed a bunch of people asked about the sweater I’m wearing, so I figured I’d mention that it’s one of Amy Herzog’s designs (AmyHerzog on Ravelry). It will be available in her upcoming book to be released in Spring/2013. There are a metric TONNE of gorgeous patterns in there. I was delighted to have the chance to wear this on Sunday. I even bought enough yarn to make one of my very own.
I can’t believe you actually wore a sweater to Rhinebeck. It was SO HOT that I wished I was wearing shorts!!
I can’t imagine EVER creating a sweater that fits and suits me as well as that one does you. In less than a week? Inconceivable!
A friend of mine has short arms so we say she has tyrannosaurus arms! Thought it would make you laugh…
Serious sweater envy here. Love the knitting, the color, and the fit is perfect on you. Great setting for photo ops too. So glad it worked out the way you planned it!
Love the sweater on you. Lovely mods, I would have done the same with the back, though I could never have knitted in your alloted time. Great photography.
Want to ditto all the above comments, including the stellar background sky. Clearly you planned it that way. As luck would have it, I, too, am planning my first sweater and have been seeking a suitable pattern. I’m short as well and well enough endowed that a v-neck cardigan is kind of a must. Wonder if this would be a suitable pattern for a first sweater (I’ve cabled, and actually done some baby sweaters, though not especially well).
Fabulous sweater, truly made to measure. it shows. and the photos are awesome!
Absolutely beautiful sweater! It almost makes me want to knit one for me. Operative word being “almost”.
Fabulous sweater, and you look great in it! I especially like the pic in which you’re showing the back cabling – you’ve got such a great smile on your face. Rhinebeck does that…
I noticed a bunch of people asked about the sweater I’m wearing, so I figured I’d mention that it’s one of Amy Herzog’s designs (AmyHerzog on Ravelry). It will be available in her upcoming book to be released in Spring/2013. There are a metric TONNE of gorgeous patterns in there. I was delighted to have the chance to wear this on Sunday. I even bought enough yarn to make one of my very own.
Looks beautiful. I long ago discovered your secret: that you have a full staff of elves who knit all day and night for you in order for you to pass yourself off as some superfast, supergreat knitter who encourages the rest of us to just keep pluggin along. It works — but…shhhhh… I won’t tell anybody. AND…important…to “Lucy” who contacted me about something I posted…I’m so sorry…it went to my Spam folder and just as I hit the Delete button, I saw your name and “Yarn Harlot” flash by. Please repost, if you see this.
Gorgeous! That color looks wonderful on you!!!
It turned out beatiful. I too am rather “Hobbity” which is why I usually stick to accessories. But you’ve inspired me; time to start a sweater.
Very flattering pattern & color! I do envy your speed. I get muscle cramps just thinking about knitting a sweater that quickly. (But then I’m taller & have monkey arms.) I’m about halfway done with Aidez for DD’s Christmas gift. (She’s even taller, with even longer arms.) It’s been a month so far. . .
I have to admit I bought and downloaded the pattern and gave up after I got three inches into a sleeve because the pattern confused me. I probably need some more practice before attempting this again. So I’m making an EZ sweater that is supposed to be easy. Yours makes me mighty envious, though. 🙂
I’m in awe of your mad sweater knitting skills. But I am more amazed by your finishing skills, the shoulder seams are impeccable! Is that practice or, please please please tell me there’s somewhere that I can learn how to seam that well?
Great sweater! I am SO curious about the blue sweater that Stitchy is wearing-what is the pattern???
From one hobbit to another, be glad you are not the type of hobbit with the right weight in kilo’s, only the length too short for those same kilo’s, like me! I always have the right weight (15 years the same) alas my length does not meet the same rightness.
Do you realise your hair looks gorgious in these pictures, not dry, nor fatty, just behaving. New shampoo or is it that the water in your house is lacking residues it had before the big change in your cellar with the waterpipes? Some armypersonnel notice changes in their haircondition every time they have to move, so they have to change their shampoo too, f.i. chalky water versus very soft water. Just noticed.
It looks beautiful on you! What a great photo! I wish my photos of FOs were so good. I love the color too. 🙂
I saw you and your lovely sweater while you were walking around Rhinebeck shopping. Even though the blog photos are really lovely, you two look even better in person! I left you alone to shop in peace so I just thought I’d tell you now how nice you looked. I can’t believe you knit that sweater in a week! It would be a six month project for me. Have a great time at VK Live!
Best vegetarian joint in chicago: the Chicago diner, on Halsted near Addison. If you have not been, you need to. It makes living here tolerable.
Gorgeous sweater! I love that colour on you!
Love the sweater,and the hair.
Gorgeous sweater! I love that pattern and it looks so perfect on you. I, too would love to know the pattern for Stitchy’s sweater.
Congratulations on a sweater in a week!
Moreover, I must also confess my jealousy that you can wear orange. It’s such a happy color and so very few of us can pull it off and have our skin NOT look jaundiced.
The only those that would glance good being dressed in these fugly things might be Ferrari opening crew whilst in the pits.
Gorgeous sweater! Perfect autumn color, too, and it looks great on you. I’m still dumbstruck that anyone can knit a sweater in a week; I consider it an accomplishment when I can finish a dishcloth in one evening. Lucky for me it’s not a race, eh? 😉
P.S. Being able to feel your hair growing ought to be the definition of “too much coffee.” LOL
Lovely photo shoot – kudos to all. 🙂
Great looking sweater! Thanks for the update on the sleeves – I’d been wondering how they turned out.
The more pictures of your Miss BB sweater I see, the more I want one. I’ll be ordering that pattern for sure. I just happen to have a sweater’s worth of white handspun BL in the stash…here’s the question: Does it stay white?
A lovely sweater, and you look great in it. I’m glad the sleeves turned out right; you have mad skills, finishing the sweater in a week.
You deserve to be proud. You and the sweater look terrific!
Do I ever hear you on the linebacker thing. It is so frustrating not being able to wear a lot of female-cut shirts because they are scoop neck, or boat neck, or any of a hundred other necks that make me look anything but feminine. While a nice v-neck is ever-flattering, as long as the V doesn’t dip too low.
Stephanie,
Just as beatiful in person, you looked great in it. I was the knucklehead that interupted your Sunday shopping ( and asked about the arms)- Some how every time I see you I loose all propriety and manners, forget the excuse or even introduce myself. It must be your general awesomness and I am totally intimidated by the fact the you can knit a sweater in a week! You did inspire me though and I was about an hour away from finishing my own Rhinebeck sweater. My apologies and thanks for the inspiration!
Gorgeous sweater! Be sure to bring it go Chicago. Mid 70’s right now (F) but will be mid-40’s this weekend. Dutoo about the Chicago Diner.
You look wonderful and so does your hair!
Do we know the name of Stitchy’s sweater pattern in that picture? It’s gorgeous!
I have trouble with shorter arms and height also – there should be a “petite” size for knitting as well as in the clothing shops! And I’m finally losing the baby weight (he’s 19) but not everything is going back the way it was, so my self-image has conflicts – the skinny pre-kid me, the chubby mom, and the now-me!
Maybe I should stick to socks for a while? But you look so lovely in that gorgeous sweater, I’m going to get that pattern anyway!
” hobbity linebacker”…. Ha!
Your sweater is beautiful, but so is Stitchy’s! Do you have any idea what it is? I tried to find out, but couldn’t. Any ideas?
That turned out beautifully! And speaking of beautiful, what sweater is Stitchy wearing in the photo? I think I’m in love with it. Deets, please!
Lovely! 🙂
Steph: How much difference between the yarn you used and Plymouth Encore Worsted??
Darn it! I love the sweater and want to make it, and I can’t wrap my head around the gauge differences. (Sigh).
Stephanie,
Your sweater is exceptionally lovely and perfect for this time of year.
what a lovely little girl she is!Follow me.Can I help you? Bob has always had a crush on Lucy.Why not? Come to see me whenever you like.Combining exercise with the diet may be the most effective way to lose weight.Another cat came to my house.The sun comes up in the east.I heard that you’re getting married
mulberry
Hello Web Admin, I noticed that your On-Page SEO is is missing a few factors, for one you do not use all three H tags in your post, also I notice that you are not using bold or italics properly in your SEO optimization. On-Page SEO means more now than ever since the new Google update: Panda. No longer are backlinks and simply pinging or sending out a RSS feed the key to getting Google PageRank or Alexa Rankings, You now NEED On-Page SEO. So what is good On-Page SEO?First your keyword must appear in the title.Then it must appear in the URL.You have to optimize your keyword and make sure that it has a nice keyword density of 3-5% in your article with relevant LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing). Then you should spread all H1,H2,H3 tags in your article.Your Keyword should appear in your first paragraph and in the last sentence of the page. You should have relevant usage of Bold and italics of your keyword.There should be one internal link to a page on your blog and you should have one image with an alt tag that has your keyword….wait there’s even more Now what if i told you there was a simple WordPress plugin that does all the On-Page SEO, and automatically for you? That’s right AUTOMATICALLY, just watch this 4minute video for more information at. Seo Plugin
Wow! A sweater in a week! I thought you’d pull it off but it’s still amazing! I really like stitchy’s sweater too. Do you know what pattern it is?
Beautiful! And it’s not brown!
Love the sweater on you. Lovely mods, I would have done the same with the back, though I could never have knitted in your alloted time. Great photography.
This sweater is gorgeous. Absolutely. Color, fit, shawlcollar – everything. And it looks great on you!