Knitting From Your Closet

I took a course a while ago with Sally Melville, and while I disagree with some of the things she discussed in class, there was much in the class that I took home with me.  

One of the things she said was to knit the things you wear.  Favourite shirt?  Consider re-interpreting it in knitting.  Favourite sweater? Consider repeating it.  Favourite hemline on a garment?  Put that into your next innovative piece.

So there I was yesterday morning, digging through the laundry in the laundry room, trying to find a top to wear with the other garments I intended to wear.  I have enough summer short sleeve tops, with necks designed to wear pretty necklaces, great for showing off small shawls.  They have been fine up till now.  Our weather has been stunningly lovely for this late in the year.

But this week, everything changed.  Winter has arrived.  No point in gradually getting colder, gently acclimatising us.  No it lands in one fell swoop.  From +10 C down to -20C in one fell swoop.

As I was getting dressed yesterday I dug and wished for a turtleneck or at least a fake o' turtleneck.  It is time to cover my neck and wear it close so no body heat escapes.  Sort of.  

I need short sleeves.  Why short sleeves?  Because when it gets busy at the yarn store, you have to toss your layers, and get down to as little wool as possible.  There is also the middle aged woman thing, that means there are times when...well, just trust me.  If you are a middle aged woman, I need not explain about suddenly warm.  

In my eyes, the perfect winter top is a short sleeved turtleneck or high crew neck. The ones I used to wear are just not fit for wearing in public.   It hit me.  Knit the things you wear.

So I am on the hunt for finer yarns that will make great tops for wearing under sweaters.  It has to be just the right blend of fibres.  Pure wool very likely will be too warm.    

This is what I came up with.  Duett from Sandnesgarn, a washable wool cotton blend in a fine fingering gauge.  As soon as Mr. Needles sweater is done, as soon as my green vest is done, as soon as my black Elysium is done, I will begin the knitting of fine turtlenecks.  

And I just might get them done before the winter is over.