I can't remember why I thought knitting my exceptionally tall boyfriend, whom I only met a month earlier, seemed like a good idea in 2007. In hindsight, it was a brazen act which sent a counter-challenge to the infamous boyfriend sweater curse and misleading vibes of commitment and domesticity to my future husband given that I moved every couple of years and survived on take away.
That sweater was my first, big knitting break-through! I remember feeling a tremendous sense of accomplishment finishing it at two o'clock Christmas morning while Bill was in the kitchen finishing the Christmas pies. It was the first time that I successfully substituted yarn, knit in the round, and tried raglan shaping. It is plain, warm (knit with two strands of sport weight), and comfy; perfect for the very cold barn in which we live. I never loved the colour but Bill does; of his sweaters, this is, by far, the one he wears the most!
The opportunity to consciously try a new technique is the thing I love most about "the Christmas Sweater": new finishing technique (Berkshire Pullover), v-neck and cables (Delius), hand-dyed yarns (Clark), and short rows (Shawl Collar Sweater).
My second big-knitting breakthrough occurred when I read an article which claimed most knitters underestimate their skill-set. I tested that theory last Christmas with Marie Wallin's Cartmeal Mens. Turns out that my totally unscientific study corroborated the theory. On paper, this sweater was absolutely intimidating. I purchased the yarn and the pattern at least two years before finally casting on because the cables are so beautifully intricate and scary. On needles, however, it was fabulously fun, quick, and easy to follow. Truly, the most beautiful sweater I've knit (to date)!
So here I am on the fifth of November...five days, 12 cm, two border patterns, and one complete skien of the main colour into this year's sweater! It is a stranded knitting pattern, technically more nordic than fair isle, but absolutely inspired by my trip to Shetland.
I'm using jumper weight yarn from two of my favorite Shetland producers: Uradale Farms and Jamieson & Smith. As for the colours, I followed the ridiculously talented Mary Jane Mucklestone's sagacious advice when choosing my palette: look to the land.
Do you see the influence? Clearly, I'm still dreaming of and longing for Shetland!
Kathryn, It's going to be beautiful. It reminds me of your ponies in the field color way.
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ReplyDeleteThanks, Pat! Now that you mention it, I see the similarities to "ponies in the field", but I think that was Susan's colourway for the MaryJane's fingerless mittens. I'm going to have to snoop around her Ravelry project page to see if she ever finished ;)
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