First, thanks to everyone who sent congratulatory wishes this weekend. It was really nice; really really nice. It's wonderful to have friends and readers who are so supportive.
I did celebrate on the weekend. We started by opening that wine. It was a 1995 Cabernet Franc from Chateau des Charmes, a nice vineyard in the Niagra region. I purchased the WINE (I originally wrote and posted yarn) around 1997 and labelled it "Ph.D. wine, open 2000+". I was a bit later than I anticipated, but the wine was lovely. We drank the whole bottle. Then I went for dinner with Craig and some friends, then off to a martini bar, then off to a lovely patio (at Allen's for the Toronto crowd) to meet up with other friends for beers and good conversation. I ended the evening with a Belgian Framboise beer that came with a champagne cork. It was $13.50 a bottle, and that's close enough to champagne for me!
I was feeling a wee bit rough on Saturday. My cold which politely subsided for the defense came back with extra moxy and I was a tad hung over but I felt good. We spent the rest of the weekend doing nice leisurely things, which for me, meant Klaralund.
Ain't she pretty? I love it. I wasn't so sure while I was seaming and trying on. This sweater really needs to be finished to fit properly and see the clever construction. Basically there is two squares for the front and back that come just under the bust. The sleeves are long and wide (no shaping at all) to form the shoulders of the garment. They're sewn straight across the top of the body pieces like this:
And the back is sewn up to close up the v neck and shorten up the sleeves to the right length. I love how the back looks:
When it's all together you have a happy woman with a new snuggly sweater:
I have to thank Katherine for introducing me to this yarn. I've made a scarf and hat with it, but it's really meant for fabulous sweaters. I have a bit more stashed away and can't wait to use it. And, while I'm loving the summer weather we're having, I would like a cold evening so I can snuggle up in this one, maybe while I'm drinking a Guiness to celebrate or something.
oooh it's gorgeous! That's the colorway I chose as well. Just waiting on the pattern book so i can get started!
Congrats!
Stella
Posted by: Stella | September 13, 2004 at 11:50 AM
Your sweater is gorgeous! I'm just beginning the extended garter of the first sleeve (as you'd know from the KA list). And pardon my delay in wishing you CONGRATULATIONS, Dr. Roy!
Posted by: maggi | September 13, 2004 at 12:03 PM
Wow, it looks amazing! I love the colours on you. And huge congrats on your PhD!
Posted by: Dani | September 13, 2004 at 12:09 PM
Hmm very nice...Did you plan the location of that dark band or is that just Karma?
Posted by: bruzynski` | September 13, 2004 at 12:56 PM
Wow. You've got it goin' on! Congrats on your PhD and your sweater! (Only a knitter would elevate the sweater to PhD status for congratulatory purposes.) Way to go.
Posted by: Mary Beth | September 13, 2004 at 01:22 PM
LOL, you "purchased the yarn around 1997?" Hmm, a slip of some sort? :)
Posted by: Sharlene | September 13, 2004 at 02:17 PM
Thanks for pointing out the Yarn as Wine mistake. I changed that in the post (but left in the mistake because I like that kind of Freudian slip).
And bruzynski, that dark stripe is all about good Noro karma.
Posted by: Steph | September 13, 2004 at 02:27 PM
it looks fabulous!! can't wait to finish. now i know what it will look like in the color i'm using!
great job!!!! looks wonderful on you!
Posted by: froggy | September 13, 2004 at 02:56 PM
I'm a little late to the party, but congrats on the PhD! Or maybe I should say "Welcome to the club, Dr. Roy!"
Karalund is gorgeous, too. Those colors look great on you -- something of which I am intensely jealous because I love that Silk Garden colorway, but could never wear it myself.
Posted by: Theresa | September 13, 2004 at 03:08 PM
Congrats Dr. Steph! I love your Klaralund and had been thinking about making mind in this colourway too. Can't decide though between this colour or the blues/greens used in the original pattern!! Very inspirational!
Posted by: Cheryl | September 13, 2004 at 04:42 PM
Love the red! It's a very good looking sweater. Great job!
Posted by: Margene | September 13, 2004 at 04:54 PM
Lovely sweater -- colours look gorgeous on you. I'm suffering serious Noro-lust now!
Posted by: Aven | September 13, 2004 at 05:21 PM
WOW!!! Congrats on your PHD!!! And, congrats on finishing your Klaralund sweater. You are Mistress of this universe!! Love the color too.
Kim
Posted by: Kim | September 13, 2004 at 06:16 PM
Hey, that looks good. I'm liking it better than I would've thought just from perusing the pattern.
Posted by: claudia | September 13, 2004 at 07:43 PM
YAY! for the PHD, and YAY! for the finished Klaralund. I'm so slow I'm still not done with my first sleeve yet.
Posted by: Elabeth | September 13, 2004 at 09:05 PM
The Klaralund is gorgeous. Thanks for posting the photos. I can't wait to start on mine now that I have seen how beautiful it is.
Jeannine
Posted by: Jeannine | September 13, 2004 at 09:33 PM
Congrats Dr.!!! What an accomplishment...and a great looking sweater. Seeing yours makes me want to get going on mine! Hey, if you can do it in the midst of doing your dissertation...I can find a little bit of time to knit mine:)
Posted by: Stacey | September 13, 2004 at 11:35 PM
Doc, you look wonderful - love that color. You have also made a believer out of me. I must have been the only knitter left on the planet who thought this design only looked good b/c of the yarn and the artfully posed model. It just looked impossible sack-like to me. But it looks great on the body. You've obviously selected the "just right" size too!
Posted by: Pubah | September 14, 2004 at 07:41 AM
Klaralund looks fab on you! and congrats on your PhD. Great work on both of them!
Posted by: monica | September 14, 2004 at 08:31 AM
Oops - belated but very heartfelt congratulations on your doctorate.
Now, go get your bank and credit cards all updated with 'Dr.'!
Posted by: jacqueline | September 14, 2004 at 08:37 AM
Oh Steph, it's beautiful! Such a lovely sweater. And congratulations on the successful defense. It's such a huge accomplishment!
Posted by: Karen | September 14, 2004 at 09:06 AM
Ooo! Yay - I get a full-blown preview of my Klaralund (been working too much on WORK work, not much time to knit in the past week...*sniff*)...looks awesome!
Posted by: Eklectika | September 14, 2004 at 09:10 AM
Congrats on both the PhD and the sweater -- seeing yours finished, I can see now that it fits better than one might think.
That's a great colour, too...
Posted by: katherine | September 14, 2004 at 10:33 AM
Congrats on the PhD and the beautiful sweater! The colors are great and it looks so nice and cozy.
Posted by: amanda | September 14, 2004 at 02:47 PM
Oh, how lovely! It looks so easy. Fantastic job on the sweater. I bought the same colorway and I can't wait for it to get here.
Posted by: Lynette | September 16, 2004 at 10:44 AM
Congrats! Mmm love Belgian lambic, try the peach, s'cuse me, peche it's better...
Posted by: Allyson | September 16, 2004 at 05:28 PM
I love your colors. It looks great on you.
Posted by: Jessica | September 17, 2004 at 03:56 PM