Playing Turtle, a turtleneck sweater

Yesterday's knitting went along very well.  I'm below the arms now and was just starting the second round of the third colourwork pattern when the cable on my needle unglued.  When I have had something happen to  Knit Picks cable before, it has snapped at the join, but this one just unglued.  It isn't really surprising.  I have had these needles now for at least eight years.  A little epoxy or other should repair it nicely. 

What wasn't so nice is that as I was picking up stitches, I missed one and am now in the process of taking out the two colourwork rows.  It gives me a chance to do a better job on the tension of the lost cable row and it is just 2 rows.  Easy peasy. 

Today I will show you my turtleneck.  I am so in love with this garment.

I have worn it several times here at home and while babysitting my kiddies, and I cannot imagine how I got along without it.  

Seriously.

You can see a bit how I do all the massive number of increases I need.  You can also make out how very little space there is between bust line, sadly, going lower as I age and my hipline. You can see that I place a set at the side of where I join at the underams and there is a corresponding set at the back of the under arm.  You can also see that in the critical area, I sneak in another set of increases at the center of the underarm.  But putting increases in several places, my sweater sits better, with no flare out the side seam.  It just drapes naturally around my body.

It struck me as I was wearing it the other day, that it reminds me a lot of my much worn and many times washed Custom Woollen Mills sweaters.  Surprisingly so, for they are very different creatures.  Both yarns have such a deep intense kind of warmth.  You put them on and you know you will be warm.  But not over warm.  They are just right.  

This is only the second sweater I have knit where I planned it for next to the skin wear.  The green gray sweater was the first.  I need more of these, and that send me back to look at my stash.  

The first yarn I think of is the Custom Woollen Mills Mule Spinner Two ply I purchased in the fall.  It may change my plans for that yarn a bit.  I planned some soft colourwork for the yarn but it means I may very well change the neckline and shoulders for a closer fit. Crew neck for sure.  Maybe more.  My stock of dark green  Mission Falls 1824 Wool will be great for a project like this too. Mission Falls will be really nice to wear close and it has  lovely drape.  Plus, I have lots if I want to do some cables.  And there is that lovely cotton  and wool blend fingering weight, Duett from Sandnesgarn.  I had been making a pair of baby monster pants for Emmett with it but I changed out the yarn.  I have colours enough to make me a Sock Arm sweater and I could easily set the fit for close to the body wear.

There are other things to knit first though.  I am itching to get started on my Briggs and Little Sport sweater with the gold and teal and seafoam.  I've searched and looked and debated about the design, but I know what I will do now.  I don't know why it took me so long to sort it out because it was right there, staring me in the face.  And I really want to work on a couple of shawls for spring and summer to say nothing of a summer top or two.  It may well be summer till I get there.   

But that is ok.  I have this lovely sweater and so many other good ones in the sweater cabinet.  I'm warm and toasty and that is always what I was aiming for.