The intersection of food, fashion, and entertainment

We’re watching The Great British Bake Off 2012, on PBS’s streaming app. I noticed one contestant, James Morton, who is from Shetland. He has worn beautiful Fair Isle sweaters every episode. I noticed, I guess, because I’m a knitter. The one in #1 is very similar to one I knit about 25 years ago for my husband, in #6. My husband never wears it because it’s too warm. I designed it, knit it with steeks, and corrugated ribbing. I think his vest in #1 is probably not hand knit. I think someone in Shetland hand knitting a Fair Isle sweater would almost certainly knit corrugated ribbing. Steeks are when you cut your in the round knitted fabric to make openings for arms and neck, and corrugated ribbing uses two colors in each row.

ETA: After I found these various pictures, I found a Buzzfeed article showing them!

https://www.buzzfeed.com/scott.....xy-jumpers

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3 years ago

Bijou

Veteran

Janet, you are a woman of many talents. Your knit is absolutely beautiful. I am not really into cooking shows, but wow, James has great style and who could resist a man that can cook a strawberry shortcake like that!

rachylou

Right. Now I have to read up on steeks!

Tanya

Those are great sweaters. I keep meaning to start watching that show, but somehow never get around to it.

Staysfit

I have attempted to knit using multiple colors before but not a Shetland sweater. When I was in college I liked Kaffe Fassett’s patterns. I have never heard of skeets or corrugated ribbing!

chewyspaghetti

One of my favorite shows!
Love your vest- and am impressed you were brave enough to cut it. I knit a simple fair isle vest years ago, but only did the pattern on the front, so no steeking necessary.

Helena

Well he's as cute as a button in his sweaters, and you are so talented! Love how you've styled yours with the white boots; make it feel modern classic. YLF!

Anonymous

Your vest is beautiful! I have a soft spot for hand knit items. The Bake Off show is a fun series! Paul Hollywood is a cutie

JAileen

Okay, another interesting thing about these Fair Isle sweaters, is that Fair Isle is part of the Shetland Islands, where he is from. So he was an advertisement for Shetland.

Bijou, thank you. We’re also watching Waking The Dead, about a British cold case team. We started watching an episode of GBBS after the other. They’re kind of the opposite.

Rachy, ChewySpaghetti, you really need your nerve to cut steeks. I made another vest, of Noro, a Japanese self striping yarn of wool and silk. I used steeks rather than knitting back and forth so the stripes would match up in the front by the button band.

Tanya, it took us awhile to get around to it - it originally aired nine years ago! I like the show because the contestants are nice to each other. One said they thought it was because they’re competing for the honor, rather than money.

Staysfit, years ago I was in a knitting group with several knitters who knit Kaffe Fassett sweaters. Gorgeous.

Helena, thank you. I wear the vest from time to time, I love the white boots which are Lucky Brand.

Nikki, thank you.

JAileen, here’s a pic of a sweater that my MIL knitted. The photo is from February. I also had sweaters made by my grandmother and aunt. Those sweaters I gave to my boys

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Irina

Wow, what a beautiful vest you knitted! Amazing!
I’m not into patterns but I would wear any of these sweaters in a heartbeat!

Nikki, that’s a lovely sweater your MIL knit. It fits your Bohemian style very well.

Irina, thank you. I loved all of his sweaters. When I find sweaters like this at the thrift store, I buy them. Mostly I find the Scandinavian kind. They’re lovely, too, and often have reindeer knitted into them. The hand knitted ones are knit in the round, and use steeks, too.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Fun post! I loved the TV show Shetland.

You look KILLER fab! The white bookended boots are sublime

Angie, thank you! I don’t wear my husband’s vest very often. I loved Shetland, too. That’s why we ended up subscribing to BritBox. There are a lot of bleak mysteries streaming there.

Yes!

Have you seen C.B. Strike? We really enjoyed it. Currently watching Killing Eve. Very good, and both British.

No, but I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks. Right now we’re watching Waking the Dead. It’s about police cold cases. I think it’s very good except for the opening music which is overly dramatic but also immaterial.

Jaime

He's a snappy dresser and you look fantastic in your husband's sweater and white boots!

Joy

I had not known that The Great British Baking Show is done. We have been watching Grand Designs in which Brits build fabulous one-of-a-kind homes and Gardener’s World which is so soothing

Shevia, thank you.

Joy, I’ll have to look into the other shows. Thanks.

Zaeobi

That sweater vest looks lovely on you

I like how James' red jumper coordinates with his apron especially!

Lol @ BritBox for mystery - no one does bleak, grey & dreary quite like we do

RobinF

Love the British Baking Show! I'm pretty sure we saw that season and I didn't even notice the sweaters - and I am a knitter too! The show always makes me want to bake so I must have been distracted.

I have done color work but never dared to try steeking. No going back after that!

Zaeobi, it’s funny how I like my mysteries to be cold and bleak. One of my favorites was Bordertown. It was set in Finland, and was in Finnish with subtitles. The first season was in winter. It was always cold, dark, snowy, and of course, bleak. The next season was in summer and what a contrast!

Robin, the baking on the show is far fancier than anything I’ve ever made. Yesterday I wanted to make a rhubarb upside down cake. We’ve had a heat wave, but it’s finally passed, so I’m okay with turning on the oven.

Re steeks: read up on them, plan your project, and you won’t be so afraid. On the vest, I sewed on either side of the cut stitch with my sewing machine, so there was no chance for the stitches to run. I knit it pre internet, and talked to an expert in my knitting group, but now, there’s probably lots of information online.

I am tempted to give steeking a try but definitely with inexpensive yarn.

ChristelJ

You are such an accomplished knitter! I have read on steeks but don't think I will ever have the nerve. Love your outfit so much.

Robin, please use good yarn. Your time is worth something, you know. I forgot to say, you sew on either side of the cut stitch before you cut it.

Christel, thank you. Years ago I was in a weekly knitting group, and learned from the other knitters. If not for that, I would still be a mediocre knitter, wedded to patterns.

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