We seem to have rocked through to November really quickly, Halloween has been and gone and we're fast on our way to Christmas. With Armistice Day next week, I thought it was apt to write a quick blog about my Colourwork Sweater with Shoulder Buttons.
I designed this sweater just after Armistice Day 2020 and finished the pattern and knit in February 2021. My inspiration was to create a fair isle / intarsia jumper designed with a string of hearts and a row of flowers, consisting of red poppies with white pearls, with the pearls strung between and through each poppy.
My original thought was to have a full patterned colourwork sweater, which incorporated the shaping for the waist and bust into the pattern without breaking the rhythm of the design. The sleeves were a fuller sleeve, reminiscent of the leg of mutton sleevehead of the Edwardian period, and again, this was to be added into the design without breaking the pattern.
Creating this was no mean feat! My original thought was to go for a collar and button opening at the front; but as I knitted this sweater I was drawn to keep the pattern of the hearts, poppies and pearls and not break this with a buttoned placket fastening. Although this meant my design changed from the original idea; I'm really pleased with the result.
There's also a story behind my design which honours an event which may not be so well known.
During the first Armistice Day in 1918, the Red Cross sought to honour the lives of every solider who fell, through what became known as The Red Cross Pearl Appeal. Every woman in the UK who was lucky enough to own a pearl necklace was asked to donate a pearl to the appeal to remember their own (or a closed friend's) sweetheart, husband, father, brother or son. The first Armistice Day on 11th November 1918 was a time for remembering rather than a time for rejoicing the victory of the Great War; and the Pearl Appeal was an acknowledgement of this sacrifice and loss. 41 necklaces were created in all from the donated pearls, and these were sold at Christie's in London with the proceeds going to the Red Cross to help tend the wounded.
So this year I shall wear my sweater with pride - representing the poppies, and the pearls that came before them.
More about the Pearl Appeal can be found here https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/a-first-act-of-remembrance-the-red-cross-pearls/
The downloadable PDF pattern for this sweater can be found in my shop
With much love, Anna x
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