Cardigan C-01

Sometimes projects just have to completely ripen before they are finished.  This sweater was started in January 2013 but lay around, stuffed in a knitting bag for four years.  It was finally finished in January of this year.  It is fitting that I start my yarn stash decreasing with this sweater.

I included this sweater as my first cold sheep project for 2017.  I considered any project that is completed and wearable in 2017 as part of this year’s finished projects.

As I mentioned above, this sweater was started in January of 2013.  Due to real life getting in the way, I never completely finished it.  I had finished the body in stocking stitch,  button bands, pockets, and neck ribbing.  I just never did the finishing.  This poor sweater would be moved from my office to the bedroom and back numerous times until I finally took a good look at it and realized it was almost done.

After two evenings of finishing work, which included mattress stitching the button bands on, weaving in all stray ends, and attaching buttons, I finally washed and blocked it.

Yarn for cardigan C-01 and socks S-01

When I wore it for the first time, I realized that it is one of the most comfortable sweaters I have knit.  I am wearing it now as I write this entry.

Now for the interesting part.  I bought all 8 skeins of this yarn from Rose Spring Farm at Rhinebeck (also known as the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival) in 2007 or 2008.  It sat, ripening and aging nicely in my stash until Early 2013.  It is a blend of border leceister, finn, and mohair.  It knits up easily.  The yarn is a worsted weight.  Each 4 ounce skein contains 218 yards.  I used US 7 (4.5 mm) needles to get 5 stitches per inch.  The color is called Hot Nights.

Socks S-01

After completing the sweater, I still had 3+ skeins of yarn.  That meant I had enough for a pair of matching socks.  I love to have socks match my sweaters.  I normally buy enough yarn so I can make a pair of matching socks once the sweater is completed.

The socks were knitted from the toe up using my standard K2P2 rib toe-up sock pattern.  I used size US 3 (3.25 mm) needles.  Once the toe was completed, I had 44 stitches on the needles.  The socks were started on January 6th and finished on January 8th.  Worsted weight socks work up very quickly, that’s for sure.

Total yards used for both cardigan (1241 yards) and socks (218 yards) is 1449 yards

Thanks for reading and more cold sheep projects are coming.

Barbara