The ‘Haley Special’

Today’s update is a rambling personal story without much purpose except to share a quirky, knitterly experience.  This project is the third sweater in an unintentional ‘series’, I’ve started calling them the “Haley Special”.

Once upon a time, a few years ago, I made a sweater based on the Elemental Pullover from the book Knitting 24/7. I say *based* because there is something seriously off with the tension of the pattern (it calls for Ultra Alpaca Light but I think it is supposed to be Ultra Alpaca Fine). I ordered the yarn especially, so being true to myself, I started playing around with the tension, and while I was at it I added some waist-shaping, some length, yada yada yada. By the time I was done I had made so many changes it had become a vanity project (a personal project I keep to myself because the changes are too complicated to download onto clients and people don’t really ‘get’ the yarn’s appeal).

Bunched up on the sofa.

What I did not expect was something I had never before experienced – a sweater I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE wearing ( and I’m a person who really likes wearing sweaters). When Ultra Alpaca Light is knit up it has a remarkable elastic quality which holds shaping, and the fabric has a slight halo which seems to prevent pilling.

I wore the crap out of the sweater, so much that I got sick of wearing the same colour all the time. Sooooo …. I consulted my cryptic notes in Ravelry and made another. (Normally when I share a project with you I make sure my Ravelry notes are comprehensible and comprehensive, but unfortunately I’m not as generous with myself.)

Up close and personal.

Fast forward to last winter, you know, the really, really long and incredibly cold one in 2014/2015. I wore both sweaters ALL season, from fall to early spring. They held up beautifully, and at the end I was still in love …. but my eyes started wandering all over the shade card. (I know, I hear you, this is approaching a “Big Love” moment, it’s getting to be a bit much.) Well, some time in February, nearing the end of this very warm, uninspiring winter, I managed to churn out yet another incarnation: Blueberry.

I think I’ve become so comfortable with the pattern and the yarn is so buttery that I can whip it up relatively quickly – it was very good knitting for February blahs. Next year I think I’ll expand the family with 4285 Oceanic Mix, which is really my favourite colour. Who knows how big the family will get, I don’t have a black or a grey one …. yet.

Incarnations

1. Fall 2012: Peat Mix
2. Winter 2014: Boysenberry Mix 
3. Winter 2016: Blueberry Mix
4. Fall 2016: Ocean Mix

After blocking but before wearing.