Have you missed the knitting? So have I. Somewhere along the line I stopped knitting, probably about the same time I stopped reading blogs and blogging, but it is all rather vague now.
I started knitting a sock a few weeks ago and rapidly got about 5 or 6 inches along before I realized that it was too large for the recipient (G) and ripped it out. It is now progressing at a snail's pace as I've just been too preoccupied elsewhere to give it the attention it deserves. The fact that I am knitting in 2x2 rib deserves mention as well; ribbing remains my least favorite thing to knit despite forcing myself to do it occasionally, and I am sure that when I am tired at night, endless ribbing does not inspire me to knit deep into the wee hours.
I did finish the purple sweater that was blocking in early January. I am fairly pleased with the outcome.
This is basically a boxy sweater shape, inspired by a sweater I saw on the Eileen Fisher website. I just wasn't sure about the actual size of the original, the actual color, or if it was as I imagined it so I knit my own, naming it Eileen in honor of the original. By the way, I have since seen the original, and although it is lovely, and I would have worn it had I purchased it, I like my own Eileen sweater much better.
I wanted a lightweight mohair sweater with a bit of a melange effect. I knit the body using a light fingering weight mohair (Classic Elite Giselle) held together with a lace weight variegated merino (Ella Rae Lace Merino), both in purple shades. I love the way the two yarns worked together to form a soft blending of related colors.
I wanted the collar to be a bit more substantial than the light airy sweater, and I wanted solid color that harmonized with the colors in the sweater. Neither of the yarns used for the body was appropriate. Luckily Rowan's Kid Classic, an aran weight wool and mohair blend came in the perfect color and weight. After the body of the sweater was knitted, blocked, and assembled, I picked up stitches and knit the collar about 8 inches deep.
I love the generous width of the shawl collar and the sweater is lovely worn as shown in the first photo. However, that has been a little too warm for the Knoxville winter as I have experienced it so far this year. More often I have just been letting it hang open, which gives it a nice drape, either with the collar rolled back as above, or just left flat.
'Though as you can see that didn't work with this particular outfit.
