Thursday 10 September 2015

The Swimsuit.

 
 

 
Hullo there,

I’m here (smelling salts, anyone?) and I’ve brought the knitted cossie along with me (Hurrah, crack out the sherry)!  Super exciting, no?
I stupidly joked on my last blog that I ‘may’ be back in three months to show off my next knitted… Ha! It is now nearly 5 months and I’ve only just put my fingers to the keyboard.

Well, we’ve had a wedding since the last post (not mine but my sister’s- they haven’t managed to get rid of me yet), so I have been busy doing little bits and bobs for that momentous day! Then the following four weekends were taken over by 1940s weekends- two of which were ones where I showed off some of my collection. Busy, stressful and exhausting ! It has taken me until now to get over it all, and even now I'm not feeling totally 'normal'.... but when am I ever?!
Anyway, back to the cossie. Weddings are all very exciting, but l lets face it girls and boys- a knitted swimsuit is far more interesting than any old wedding, right?!  (Joke, sister. Joke!)


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^ Isn't she just perfection?
 
The end of last year and the beginning of this year has become one big blur. I can’t remember much of the knitting (except that the sewing up took longer than the knitting). Let’s just say that it was started back in the month of I don’t know when (???) and finished a few months later.
 I do, however, remember how excited I was to finally find a suitable swimsuit pattern that ticked all of the boxes. (I've started about four swimsuits in the past) I also remember the time between finding the dream pattern and the day my wool arrived through the post… oh! The wait! I was like a kid who was desperate to use the little girls or boys room only to find it was engaged…you know how kids tend to jig about on the spot when they are bursting to ‘go’, don’t you?!...except I wasn’t desperate for the loo- just fidgety and itching to get my hands on the wool that was travelling all the way from bonnie Scotland! (I can hear all my English teachers sobbing after reading that last passage. Ah well…)
 
Okay, I was super excited and couldn’t even wait one second to start knitting it! Can you blame me for being a little impatient? Just look at the pattern... JUST LOOK AT IT!
 
 
"You couldn't find a swimsuit with more snap about it than this one! And it takes all the prizes on the practical side, too.... is simple to knit, fits marvellously and has the forethought to choose a stitch that doesn't stretch out of shape. The suit is low at the back, and in front the shoulder straps slot through the amusing little striped revers to tie at the base of the neckline; it has, of course, the regulation skirt with brief, almost legless trunks beneath."

Unfortunately I don’t have a private beach to hand, so all of the pictures have been taken in the back garden… oh, and by the shed too. Can’t forget the shed…

 And a close up. Possibly a little too close?
 

...and the back!
 I can't stop sniggering when I see this snap. It's a good job I can't see this side when I have it on, otherwise I would be going around the beach in fits of giggles! I don't know what it is.....
 

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^A b/w shed snap for good measure...

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 Close up of the Bramble stitch pattern.
 


  The brief, almost legless trunks!

Stocking Stitch… My nemesis. I usually stay away from anything with stocking stitch, as I can never keep it neat (I swear it’s because I’m a lefty who can’t hold the wool/needles properly). But on this occasion I thought I’d give it a go as no one would be able to see the messy stitches under the skirt... I'm sorry, under the 'regulation' skirt! 

 And finally, the dashing revers! Probably the best feature of this swimsuit. I did make a change to the pattern and gave it a crocheted edge instead of one without.
 
All in all, I'm extremely pleased with the outcome. I've given it a dunk in the tub (ahhhhh, now that was a shock to the system!) and I can safely say that it doesn't stretch too much or end up around my ankles- Hurrah!  All I will say, though, is that once you are out of the drink (bath, paddling pool... ), all the water heads straight to those brief, almost legless trunks! Just imagine... soggy pure wool.... nice!
And on that note, I think I'll leave you.....
 
 
 
Here's to the next time,
Your Tupney xxx


23 comments:

  1. Lovely swimsuit! Where did you get the pattern? And great to see you're back, I've missed your updates :D

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  2. Welcome back! And what a way to get back into blogging with that amazing swimsuit - you look wonderful in it; it's very flattering too. I love the appearance of bramble stitch, I've never tried it myself though, perhaps I should now after looking at your cossie. It would look perfect being worn at a lido.

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  3. This is AMAZING!!!
    -Madison
    www.1minniemuse.blogspot.com

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  4. My god that is one gorgeous swimsuit and you look STUNNING in it - what a figure! I wish I could knit :(

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  5. So cute! I've always wanted to see someone knit one of these up. :D

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  6. Totally gorgeous!!!! I've never tried one but I bet knit swimsuits lend themselves really nicely to shape-flattering...

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  7. This is fabulous! No wonder you were excited to get started. It looks super on you.

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  8. This looks fabulous! What a lovely pattern and you look great in it.

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  9. Absolutely MARVELLOUS! Well worth the wait for the wool. What yarn is it? A really wonderful pattern choice too, the revers add such interest. You are so like the models they used then.

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  10. Ooh, what a knit! Glad to see you back blogging - I've missed snaps of the shed... :)

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  11. Completely, entirely fabulous suit!!! Knitwear has never looked nattier in the summertime that it does here on you, dear gal.

    ♥ Jessica

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  12. You look so cute in your swimsuit! It's great to have you back. Do tell us more about the 1940s weekends!

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  13. DANG! This looks amazing! What kind of yarn did you use? I think you said wool, but is it itchy or uncomfortable?

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  14. What a fabulous swimsuit! The stitch pattern is lovely. And I am so glad to see you posting again Tupney! You have been missed!

    Cheers!

    Brigid
    the Middle Sister and Singer

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  15. Good to have you back, this swimsuit is amazing, you need to sell a pdf of the pattern as I'd be very interested.

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  16. Oh it's fabulous! I love it so much, and you just look like you've stepped right from the pattern in it! x

    www.pearlsandpurlsvintage.blogspot.com

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  17. This may be the cutest knit bathing suit I've ever seen! Absolutely adorable, and I must ask, where is the pattern from? Bramble stitch is so lovely -- one of my favourite sweaters is an early '60s style one done in bramble stitch which looks almost like it could be part of a Chanel collection.

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  18. Oo! This is so cute! I love the bramble stitch ~ it's so fun, and looks like a great one for a swim suit. I think you've done a marvelous job knitting this up ~ and it looks unbelievably lovely on you. ❤

    xox,
    bonita of Lavender & Twill

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  19. Welcome Back!!
    And oh man, that suit is tooo cute! The color is fabulous, and that stitch pattern looks fun, I kinda want to try it out!

    Carla, TinyAngryCrafts

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  20. Fantastic! You look (as always) as if you stepped out from a 40's movie. :)

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Ta very much for your messages folks!

Tickety Boo Tupney xxx

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