Pattern : Evia from Rowan #31
Yarn : Mission Falls 1824 Cotton (pattern calls for Handknit DK)
Color : 102 ivory, 207 chile, and 300 lichen
Content : 100% cotton; 50g; 84 yds
Gauge : 4.5 sts/inch
Needles : US 8
# of balls : thirteen + two + one
Designer : Kim Hargreaves
This sweater turned out a little more bulky than I think it would have with the Handknit DK. It was unfortunately ruined when it got wet - even with cold water, the chile bled all over the cream. So, I learned to test swatches in the wash, too.
Because Rebecca was kind enough to comment on on the floppy sweater, I will revisit the madness of it’s floppy-ness.
The colors of the floppy sweater don’t photograph very well - the red in the picture is actually more of a rust (called “Chile” in the Mission Falls line) and the green is more subdued. They are definately fall colors. Hopefully when it’s finally finished I’ll get a better picture.
Reasons it’s too big:
When I started knitting this I was a very tight knitter, as most beginers are (I’ve only been knitting since November 2001). But as I’ve been knitting this sweater off and on for the last 5 months my personal gauge has loosened, just in the natural process of becoming more comfortable with the needles. Consequently, I had to block the back to meet the front and the whole thing is at least 1 size too big. I knew it was going to be a little big because I was also reckless in my size estimation when I first measured my gauge - it was a little big (because the Mission Falls is thicker than the Handknit DK), but I figured my tight little stitches would keep it close enough!
If I could go back in time and send a whisper of advice to myself, I would still use the Mission Falls (I’m telling you, that is the softest, best quality cotton) but I would knit at a size below my measurements. I could have adjusted the pattern to fit my gauge, too, but with the stitch design, it wouldn’t have been exact.
Anyway, after discussing it, I’m feeling a little better so maybe tonight I will retrieve it from it’s banishment in the “ugly basket” and finish up the neck, just to be finished…
