I couldn't come up with a witty title today

First off, I've been entering blog contests like crazy -- hey, why not? Most recently, I entered one at House of Wool. Go play, and be sure to let the world know you heard it from me :)

And now, a story:

There once was a girl -- for the sake of the story, let's call her "Dove" -- who hated vests. "How pointless!" thought she. "My arms would get cold, and who wants that?" She particularly hated those Christmasy button-down applique vests (of which her mother once thoughtfully sent her TWO, so she could match her grandmother-in-law, and which now resides at the local Salvation Army, but that's another story and not one fit for this blog). But a close second were sweater-vests, which were just too dorky or too preppy for her tastes.

(The fact that she was a cell biologist and, therefore, entitled to a dorky wardrobe, somehow eluded her.)



And then one day, she met a vest pattern and fell in love. Her husband did not approve of the affair, calling the vest "ugly," most likely in a fit of jealousy, because when was the last time she looked at HIM like that?

But really, it was hard not to fall in love with this pattern. The gorgeous center cable -- "Dove" may hate vests, but she loves cables -- and the fact that the designer actually made the flanking cables mirror images. The twisted-stitch baby cables. And the basketstitch made such a lovely alternative to trinity stitch or moss stitch while being both interesting and quick to work. The square, deep neckline was what really sold her, though. Finally, here was a vest that looked cool. (Incidentally, it was the neckline that repulsed the husband -- he claimed it looked too much like a tank top.) Of course, there was still the functionality aspect of the thing, what with the arms getting cold and all, but "Dove" no longer cared. She was in love, after all!



Anyway, "Dove" and the vest pattern eloped (while the husband was conveniently out of town) and had a lovely vest together, with the help of Knitpicks Mainline (conveniently residing in "Dove's" stash until then). And if "Dove" and the vest can manage to love each other despite their general differences, then everyone else can, too.

The end.

(Pattern:Aran Accent Vest from Paton's Cables booklet.
Yarn: Knitpicks Mainline in Cocoa, 80% cotton/20% wool, just under 9 skeins.
Size: XS, and I am NOT an xs. And yes, I'm dead-on gauge. It's just the vest is very stretchy.
Needles: size 5 for ribbing, size 7 for the body.
Modifications: none
Comments: very straightforward pattern, nicely charted, no mistakes. Very quick to make, too -- this took a week from casting on to finishing, and that's with two nights devoted to the the circle cardi)