Time To Revisit The Fife Sweater By Kim Hargreaves

The Pattern

Time to revisit the Fife sweater by Kim Hargreaves, a design for Rowan that is part of the ‘A Seasons Tale’ collection. 

First published in 2001, I knitted this sweater some twenty years ago. The pattern is still  available to make, and it has not dated at all. Regrettably, I never wore it.

This was not because I did not like the design, I actually loved it! I am also a huge fan of Kim Hargreaves designs. Once it was finished, it was sadly too bulky, tight, and short for me to wear. The size came up extremely small with little ease. I can only assume in the photo that the model was wearing a sweater two sizes larger than the recommended size. 

It lay in my cupboard for many years looking back at me, and eventually was stored in the loft along with other unloved items. However, I could not part with the sweater due to the investment in wool and the time it took to make it. 

When I looked at other reviews of Fife on Ravelry, I was comforted to discover that I was not the only person experiencing these same issues. With the exception of one review, everyone else had fallen in love with the design, only to leave it unworn as well.

Pattern Details

Yarn weight: DK / 8 ply (11 wpi) 

Gauge: 21 stitches and 29 rows = 10 cm in stocking stitch

Needle size: US 5 – 3.75 mm / US 6 – 4.0 mm

Yardage: 1308 – 1744 yards (1196 – 1595 m)

Sizes available: To fit bust 32 – 40 in.  

The Wool

I substituted the suggested yarn (Rowanspun DK) for Debbie Bliss DK which I had in my stash from many years, previously purchased in a sale. 

Knitting the Sweater

It soon became obvious that the sweater was heavily textured and coming up far too small. Despite this, the photo in the pattern book encouraged me to keep going. I hoped that once it was produced, I would still be just as in love with the final product. 

Fife is a straightforward sweater to knit, and due to its sizing, it makes up quickly. 

The negatives are:

A. The design which drew me to the pattern, although texturally interesting, actually makes the sweater bulky to wear.

B. The sizing comes up extremely small with very little ease, and this seems to be a common problem.

C. The bulk of the sweater makes it very unflattering to anyone with a medium to large sized bust! You certainly need to be reasonably slim to look good in this sweater. 

D. The sweater is short, and if you are over 18 and do not have a very slim stomach, it is extremely unforgiving and far from flattering!

Conclusion

I love this design, which I believe has stood the test of time. Regrettably, it wasn’t meant for me. I would say that it is more suitable for someone who is very slim and who can wear a close-fitting and bulky sweater comfortably. 

I have chosen to review Fife 20 years later, because I have now decided to deconstruct the sweater and re-cycle the wool. On searching through my stash of wool, I found another five balls of Debbie Bliss DK that I had not used. I immediately began my search for a suitable pattern to use the re-cycled and unused wool in my store. I have thankfully discovered a suitable pattern, and will share this very soon.

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