sweater #10, 2016

This is one of those patterns you come across from time to time where you think, I must knit that right now! I ordered the yarn in the exact same colours and cast on as soon as I could (and this is running contrary to my recent endeavour to only use stash yarn, hmm).

There is something ultimately summery and hippy-fied about the design/colours; another knit that I would have loved to have worn circa 1970. ‘No Worries’ sounds about right for the time (through deceptively rose-tinted glasses, I’ll admit) and Solid Air, a favourite and evocative album. John Martyn was brilliant then, before his life seemed to disintegrate; my friends and I were fierce fans and we saw him play at Essex Uni, a wonderful memory to hold.

It’s a crazy-fast knit, using two strands of Alpaca Silk held together. I’m knitting the XS size as I don’t want the pullover to be too voluminous, though I have knitted it longer in the body to compensate. I’ve spliced all the stripe changes, so very few ends to sew in.

Mods: I’m knitting this bottom-up and in the round from the WS (ie knit side), omitting the extra seaming sts. Shoulders seamed with a 3-needle bind off. Sleeves: sleeve sts picked up at armholes with a 6mm (then immediately changed to 8mm) and knitted in the round, again omitting the extra seaming sts (so, 46 sts for XS size). I’ve picked up the sts from the reverse st st side (which will be the RS), through the back of the loops, about every other row/st; then turned the garment to the knit side again to carry on knitting. It’s just taken me a while to work out the sleeve stripe pattern and shaping in reverse!

FO: really nice, light and wearable! The photos are pre-blocking: it doesn’t need that much of a block, more to flatten out the bottom ribbing/side vents. ETA: blocking now and it actually looks quite a bit better - may take some more photos tomorrow…

A day later: I’m uploading some more photos as the pullover looks so much better post-blocking - the fabric has relaxed and softened, especially along that bottom rib (the last photo is from yesterday as a comparison). And I’m back from the hospital this morning with a clean bill of health from my thyroid weirdness - for now, anyway; so I’m feeling pretty chilled and upbeat!

more than a year later: proof that knits are worn and worn! This is a such a comfortable pullover and it resides at our seaside abode (ie caravan!)… perfect for summery evenings