Wednesday 12 June 2013

Icelandic Overblouse

and voila, a finished sweater.  I am not blocking this one at all and will let it be what it wants to be.  I am in fact wearing it as I write.

I started this sweater with a few very specific goals.  

First, to knit from stash.  I had a huge tub of miscellaneous Cascade 220, assembled as I was trying to sort out colours for Mr. needles vest.  A whole huge tub full and not a single plan for any of it.  I don't like that feeling, that yarn that really doesn't have a plan feeling.  I wanted the sweater to be only from stash, and I accomplished that, thanks to a reclaimed project but I accomplished that.  

Second, I wanted to knit something from the books and magasines I have in my library.  Mission acomplished.  The Icelandic Overblouse is from Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knit One Knit All.  

I wanted something I didn't have to think a lot about.  Garter stitch, anyone?

I wanted something causal, just for home.  Something that I could throw on in the early mornings to take the chill off.  Something I could put on over other sweaters and shirts and jammies, that I could answer the door in if I had to.  I got that.  

Its casual and just this side of sloppy large.  It could  have been knit a inch or two smaller and it still would have been fine.  It looks great, much better than I hoped for and it is comfortable.  Every other sweater that I knit was for work, or for when I was out, but this one?  This is a just for me snuggley sweater.  It is the return of the 80's but in this case I might be ahead of a fashion trend rather than way behind.  It is the sweatshirt of sweaters.  It is the macaroni and cheese of sweaters. It is the cats meow. 

And I love it already.

3 comments:

Brendaknits said...

You are right. I am way more impressed than I expected to be. I love the colour combo too. I might finally have to treat myself to that book. It is the only EZ book I do not own.

Sel and Poivre said...

What a brilliant and handsome purpose "built" garment!

Sigrun said...

I love what you did with the unspoken-for yarns. I replied to your post on my blog.