I know it's July and I know it's hot in most parts of the country. But here in the Pacific Northwest, even if the days are hot, the evenings are chilly. I finished this sweater back in May, but it still hasn't made it into my closet yet...just the end of the bed where I can grab it on my way out the door.
This was my first time working with Acadia from The Fibre Co. and I'm in LOVE. It's a blend of merino wool, baby alpaca, and silk and it is a dream to work with. I worked on some socks for a bit while taking a break from this sweater and when I came back to it, my fingers were thanking me. So so soft and it feels amazing to wear! It does seem like it might pill a little more than other yarns that I've worked with, but that's an easy fix with the right sweater care.
Some wool yarns can feel kind of stiff when they're knit up and not really move with your body. Not this one. This yarn is soft and pliable and drapes beautifully. It almost seems more like a sweater knit that I've worked with while sewing instead of knitting!
My gauge was a little tight, so I decided to make one size up from what my measurements called for and it fits perfectly. It's a just snug enough in the sleeves and loose through the body, which is exactly what I was hoping for!
I didn't make too many major adjustments from the original pattern, just a few small things here and there. I knew I wanted to make it a little longer than the original, so I used a provisional cast on and only knit a few inches of stockinette before starting on the charted section. Once I had finished the front and the back yoke, I was able to come back to the body, add length, and try it on until I had a length I was happy with. I think I ended up with about twelve inches of stockinette between where the charted section ends and the ribbing begins.
I decided to size down one needle size for the ribbing at the hem and it's the one thing I wish I could change on this sweater! Because I sized down, it pulls in just a bit instead of falling to my sides. I doubt anyone else would notice this, but it bugs me just enough that I'm considering re-knitting the ribbing. Someday. Maybe.
Instead of casting off at the shoulders after finishing the front, I transferred the stitches to some waste yarn. I then knit the back and used Kitchener stitch to finish them. This makes the shoulder seams nearly invisible.
I knit the neck last. The pattern calls for a simple i-cord bind off, but once I had the sleeves finished, the neckline seemed really wide. I decided to knit a 1x1 ribbing for about an inch to bring it in a little and I'm really happy with the result.
Last but not least, I left off the rig and furrow section on the sleeves.
I love how basic this sweater appears and yet it has just enough texture to keep it interesting. The charted section was addicting to knit (just one more repeat...just one more repeat) and I absolutely love the result.
I'm a simple girl and would probably be happy with a closet full of stockinette sweaters, but this one seems to have stolen my heart. I've knit my fair share of sweaters over the years, but there's always something I'm unhappy with and I actually have more sweaters to frog than I have to wear. But this is the perfect combination of yarn + pattern that I know I'll wear for years to come.
