My brother's vest

My little brother turned 29 last weekend. I remember the day he was born. My grandfather collected me from school in the little town in Tasmania where we lived and said that Adele and I had a little brother and his name was Keith David.



Twenty-nine years later, he's probably got less hair (by choice) than he did that day in 1979.

He also happens to like my handknits.


This is the second vest I have made for him. The first was presented around this time two years ago but photographed a year ago and it's survived well, considering the treatment it's received, including being washed in the machine by one of his friends after a cat vomited or pissed on it. I'm not sure which and I declined to find out more.

This one was by request and I was pleased to oblige.


Conveniently, after George gave me the pattern (Patons booklet #1266) I saw that Donna also made it and that she converted it to be knit in the round instead of flat. I've always wanted to do this and conceptually understood it, but some of the finer points needed a little help and Donna kindly obliged.

In the end, it came together in ten days. Yes, ten days. Blissfully, satisfyingly fast. Having his birthday as a deadline helped. I only missed it by 2 days.

Here are the specs:

Yarn: Bendigo Woollen Mills 12ply Rustic in 'Earth'
Sticks: 6mm Knitpicks Options
Start: 10 May - 20 May 2008
Modifications: Knit in the round up to the armholes where it was then divided and knit flat, front and back. That was so damn easy. I'll be doing that again. I always thought it would be a method that would suit me and now I feel really good about having converted a pattern. What a confidence booster!

And here's a funny thing. My mum is knitting a vest for my dad and she called one day recently to tell me she ordered from Bendigo Woollen Mills and she had ordered Rustic in the Earth colour.

Too funny. We have both chosen to knit vests for the two men in our family and have separately chosen the same wool in the same colour. Bizarre.

I'll have to get her to take a photo of Dad in his vest and we can see the boys in their matching vests.

I think Keith likes the idea of being a shaved headed guy with tattoos and big biker boots (which you can't see in the photo) while wearing a vest knitted by his sister. It's a bit of a strange, contradictory look but I think it works. It helps that he's so handsome.

Bells