Even though I finished it in mid-April, we had a couple of days cool enough that I got to wear my new sweater, and I continue to love it SO MUCH. If the cardigan in progress also turns out to be a winner, I will have scored a trifecta on Lett-Lopi sweaters.
The designer who came up with my current favorite sweater designed two more sweaters using the same gauge-shifting of Léttlopi. Gauge-shifting means that she knits the yarn on much bigger needles than the yarn usually calls for, resulting in a lightweight-but-still-warm, drapey fabric. I went through my Léttlopi stash, ordered one single color (restraint!), bought the patterns, and cast on the first sweater.
Needles: US 9 (5.5mm) and 10.5 (6mm)
Yarn: Ístex Léttlopi in Dark Gray, Apricot, and White
Pattern: Mary Jane Mucklestone's Destination Pullover, from Modern Daily Knitting's Field Guide No. 17
Mods: I made the optional pockets (pockets!), I used a motif from my pattern stash, and I made symmetrical colors on the sleeves
I chose a motif that I found when packing up my patterns, from a Malabrigo sweater pattern. It reminded me of waves, but also of Janney couplings, and since I had just recently discovered a family connection to Eli Janney, I decided to use that instead of any of the many perfectly nice motifs offered by the pattern. I did put a little bead motif inside the pockets, for fun.
As expected, it fits perfectly. Fortuitously, the weather turned cold again and I got to wear it today. I love it so much! It took me less than a month to knit, and I've already cast on the next sweater.
This pattern and this yarn are such a good match that I've made the combination five times. Sadly, the second pair were for KD, so I only have four pairs.
Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm)
Yarn: Patons Kroy Sock FX, this time in Cameo
Pattern: Erica Lueder's Hermione's Everyday Socks
This was legacy yarn, and my sister had used some of the yarn, I think, because I played yarn chicken on each sock, and that's not something I usually have to worry about.
Here's my array. I've just noticed that the colorways are named in a pattern: Cameo, Copper, Cascade, and Clover. (I made Camelot for KD.)
There's Camel, Camo, Clay, and Cowboy, which are too bland for me. That leaves Cadet, Calla Lily, Canyon, Casual, and Celestial, none of which I own, but I will keep an eye out for. Celestial, especially!
I do have some plain old Kroy Socks, which are more regularly variegated in color. I'll probably cast on the blue (Singin' n the Blues) come fall. It's a constant surprise to me, given my love of symmetry, that I love this yarn and these socks even though it's flatly impossible to make two exactly matching socks. They match enough, it seems.
I made a hat. Not the hat I intended. I learned that "super bulky" is a really loosely-defined term in yarn weights. Also, that no one with arthritis (and possibly without) should try to knit three stitches together in super bulky yarn. But once I gave up on that dream, it was the matter of a few hours to knit up a hat that would fit the recipient.
Needles: US 13 (9 mm)
Yarn: one skein of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Stripes in City Lights
Pattern: made it up as I went along
That left me with two skeins of the same yarn. Since I didn't feel like making three hats, I posited that it was enough for a child's sweater, and Ravelry did not disappoint.
Needles: US 13 (9 mm)
Yarn: two skeins of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Stripes in City Lights
Pattern: Ashley Lillis's Cozy Kiddo Cardigan, size 2
I am really grateful to the knitter who pointed out a good method for attaching buttons to super-bulky knits: backer buttons! Each of those buttons is sewn to a smaller button of the same color (KD suggested mixing them up, but that hurt my brain), and the knit fabric is just sandwiched between.
