FO: Gathered Pullover

Sorry about the lack of posting. I got a new camera for my birthday that didn’t really do the trick (photos were very grainy) so I finally traded it in yesterday for this lovely thing and I’m so happy! It takes fabulous photos with little effort, but if I want to, I can also play with the aperture and have all kinds of manual setting fun. So I decided to have some fun and at the same time, start to come to terms with my stash. You can see my ever-growing stash here on Ravelry. I’m now committed not to buy any more sweater-quantity yarn till I use it all up or until the end of the year. And yeah, there’s plenty more to post.

And now, onto the good stuff!

Pattern: Gathered Pullover by Hana Jason in Interweave Knits Winter 2007
Yarn: Brown Sheep Top of the Lamb Sportweight, charcoal heather, 1 cone (1400 yds)
Needles: Addi Turbo US 8
Purchased at: Lorien Farms
Gauge: 19 st and 24 rows to 4 inches (I never get gauge!)
Size: 32″
Mods: turned hem, waist shaping, short-rows and three-needle bind off at shoulders, an extra inch above the cable motif.

The pattern: I overlooked this pattern in the magazine the first glance through, maybe because the model looked absolutely miserable in it, maybe because it was one of the last patterns and I’d felt like the patterns before it were a bit lackluster. But I’m so glad I gave it another look and waited to see the results on Ravelry. I’d seen some really fantastic versions with lots of different modifications, so I was able to easily see what would work best for me. Thank you Ravelry!

I really love the pattern as is, but I wanted it a little more fitted and a little less casual so I added just a smidge of waist shaping and omitted the rolled hem for a more finished-looking turned hem. It was my first time doing a turned hem, and it was a breeeze, although a little dicey at the “join in round, being careful not to twist” point. I absolutely love the way my sweater fits now. If I could do it again, I’d probably add another inch or two in length to both the body and sleeves, but I haven’t given it a really aggressive blocking, so I’ll probably try to add some length that way. Regardless, over a longer top, it’s perfect. Like a lot of other Ravelers, I dropped the cable motif down an inch by knitting an extra inch above it before starting the neck and armhole shaping and I’m really glad I did. The widest part of the cable hits just below the bust on me. Also, for anyone wondering, I left the little decrease/increase holes in, and they don’t bother me at all. It might be more noticeable with a smoother yarn, but I really don’t even notice them. For anyone having trouble deciding which size to make, I fell between sizes and ended up going with the 32″, which is about 2.5″ negative ease on my, and I love the results. (Did I mention I love this sweater?)

The yarn: I rarely knit with the recommended yarn and I’m not sure I’ve ever knit with the exact color the sample was knit in, but this combo was just too good to be true. First of all, I got a 1lb cone (1400 yards) at Lorien farms (link above) for $18.50 before shipping. Yep, that’s a whole sweater for less than $20 and I might have used half of it. I’ll try to weigh it later in the week.

This is my first time working with this yarn and I really enjoyed it. I’m usually a bit wary of 100% wool yarns because I think I’m a little overly sensitive and the itch drives me nuts, but this yarn softened and bloomed beautifully in the wash like nothing I’ve seen before! It’s ever so slightly itchy, but I wore it all day yesterday, which I can never manage to do with my Tangled Yoke, and it never bothered me. For anyone thinking of using it but unsure of its qualities, it’s a little bit thick and thin in places (just slightly) and is a bit fuzzy. As for the color, I know grey isn’t exactly the springiest of colors but it has tremendous depth and is really one of the loveliest greys I’ve seen.

The verdict: love it!  I’d recommend the pattern to anyone.

Up next: I’ve got a little something else on the needles to show you next week, but for now it’s time to head up into the hills for some skiing!  Have a great weekend!