Winter Warmth

We’ve had this weird 50 degree weather in January but winter has arrived, just in time for me to complete and wear a new sweater.

Excuse the weird and fuzzy faces.  With the web cam and lighting it was me or the sweater.  The sweater won.

It’s Angela Hahn’s Alata from Knitty in KnitPick’s Swish Worsted (Superwash Merino).  I really like this yarn.  It’s soft and easy to knit with and pretty affordable.  The color is Lost Lake Heather, a yummy green.  I know from a sweater that I knit my mother that it pills fairly easily, so you do need to treat it with care and have a sweater stone.

This pattern was fun to knit, with just the right amount of interesting detail without becoming fiddly.  It’s knit in the round from the bottom up, with the sleeves knit separately then attached at the point they belong, and the yoke continued from there.  I really prefer that to a lot of seaming.  There is a side “seam” knit in as you go for structure.  At the end you graft the few underarm stitches.  The cable inset on the sleeves and front and back does “poof” out just slightly, even after blocking.  Be aware that this draws attention to any tummy problems — I’d better keep hitting the ab machine at the gym!

I adjusted the pattern a bit because I wanted the slightly more fitted and longer look that is popular right now.  Although my measurements fit the size S I went down to the XS size and #7 US needles for less ease (I think I knit a bit loose anyway).  In addition, I added a couple of inches to the bottom of the sweater.

Toasty and soft and just right for nights of -11 wind chill in Indiana.