5/29: No, it didn’t actually take me three months to knit this sweater. More like 3 hours, or at least that is what it felt like. This sweater came out so beautifully, though I can’t say I followed the pattern exactly (the numbers for my size got a little wonky so I just made it up). I absolutely LOVED this sweater, I finished it in time for a spring trip to Seattle. It would have been perfect, it was sexy but classic, warm but lightweight…

…alas. Somewhere between the airport garage and the security gate my Owls took flight. The saddest part is that the whole time I was in Seattle I thought…“it’s probably just in the car, or lying next to my car…” I took a red eye flight back and was running late for work when I got in so I couldn’t stop when I saw what I’m pretty sure was the sweater, all wadded up and dirty near the exit of the parking garage =(

I am pretty flipping sad about this, but am glad that it was so fast to knit. To be honest, I needed to tweak a few things anyway, slightly tighter gauge (it was kinda see-through) and a slighter large size (for comfort). Oh well. Now the only question is, do I try to knit it in the same color, using the yarn I already have or do I pick a new one…?

3/20 600+ Ravelers can’t be wrong! It’s been quite awhile since I’ve knit something for myself and this adorable quick knit fits the bill quite nicely. Cast on with size 9 needles since I always need to go down one size. After getting through the ribbing (1x1 by the way, chosen so I could test out a new cast-on method Norah taught me, a sort of cable cast-on that looks like a tubular cast-on) and switching to size 10 needles I noticed that my gauge was a bit off. Noticed that most people haven’t been able to get gauge with Cascade Eco Wool w/o it being a pretty airy fabric. I went up to size 10.5, did a little happy dance that it’s going to knit all that much faster and called it a day. It looks like it’ll fit me, it just might be a little tighter than I planned. I’m guessing this yarn will stretch a little when I block it.

I’m planning to knit it a lot like Gudrun’s. I like the tunic length and I LOVE the pocket =) I’m also thinking I should omit a few of the back increases (most people report a bit of bulginess there) and as for neckline, I think I’ll make it a little higher than the pattern indicates. I love the clean look of NotBeth’s boatneck version.