Dull Knitting

I've been doing more to improve my knitting than simply using up older stashed yarn. I have been trying to produce practical sweaters that I will wear often. Here's a catch-up listing of those, as proof that my knitting projects are not all brightly colored. As always, complete details are in my Ravelry projects. Most of these were knit in 2016.


Lifesavers Cardigan pattern, Tanis Blue Label yarn
I never thought I'd knit a sweater with fingering weight yarn, even though I bought it in Canada for that purpose.  Once I finished it, I found I like it. It is just warm enough and very comfortable.

Portage cardigan pattern, Zara yarn
This superwash yarn makes a heavier sweater.  It doesn't have buttons, so is wearable despite the weight.

Wanderling pattern, Elsa Wool fingering weight yarn
This is a fabulous yarn for a sweater, soft, warm, light and lovely to knit.  The pattern is cute, but the cables pull in, affecting the fit in the shoulders.  That's a small defect, though.  I love wearing this sweater.

Lightweight Raglan pattern, Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine yarn
Lovely pattern, good in this yarn, but would probably be better in a less elastic blend.  It is a practical sweater, simple and comfortable except for a small itchy spot in the front of the neck.  I can loosen the neckline a little--I tightened it up by shifting the stitches at the welt--or put in a facing in a softer yarn.

Yoke sweater of my own design using cvm yarn from local mill
This wool is very itchy, making it a challenge to design a sweater that I can wear comfortably.  I think it is a success but will know for sure after next winter. 

Gehry pattern, Brooklyn Tweed Loft yarn
This sweater wasn't quite done when I took this photo, but it is completed now.  I have worn it, but wish I'd knit a smaller size.  The yarn is nice and light, but too itchy for me.

Truss pattern, Cascade Cloud yarn
This pattern is not as flattering as I thought it might be and the yarn is heavy. Still, it is a comfortable weight and goes with all my black and gray, as well as blue jeans.

Definitely Susan pattern, Madeline DK yarn, the single spun
Gosh, I love this.  It took me a couple of years to get around to knitting the scarf.  I'm so glad I finally made it because it makes the sweater a lot more fun to wear.  The yarn is superwash but the sweater is so small that it isn't heavy.  Or maybe the Tosh Merino DK is just a lighter spun yarn.

There they are, the sweater output brought up to speed.  I'm glad I listed them, as it points to an issue I've been ignoring for years.  I can't wear most wool comfortably.  I tried to buy more rustic yarn last year, but I found them more itchy than the superwash yarns I've bought in the past.  Since I'm tired of working with the way superwash stretches out of shape, I've concluded that I should explore (shock) acrylic or acrylic blends as well as confining my purchases to alpaca, merino, cormo, or other soft yarns.  Now that I've knitted up a backlog of sweater yarn and explored some of the new options, I can make my purchasing more practical, as I've done with my choice of colors and patterns.