I Started A Thing

Maybe it’s the pandemic.  Maybe it’s the change in weather (I dislike summer).  Maybe it’s the fact that life has been so weird lately….  But to go along with the weirdness, I have another oddity to report, which I hinted at in my WIPs update last month….  I started knitting a sweater.  

I know, I know, I’m not a garment knitter but this design is beautiful….

KAL

My knitting bestie wanted to knit Cloudesley by Isabell Kraemer and, after seeing the design, I couldn’t say no to joining her.  I’ve always liked Kraemer’s designs – they’re simple but elegant, and not the least bit fussy.  I don’t like fussy sweaters.  

Besides doing this as a KAL, I have other reasons for knitting this pattern…

-Technique

This pattern uses very uncomplicated cables.  Considering all I’ve done with cables is learn about them in a class, I thought this would be a good way to brush up on  the technique.  And the cables in this pattern aren’t really cables.  I don’t really like cables, as they add to the fussiness of a pattern.  Kraemer uses them to create a simple, lovely pattern on the back of this sweater. 

-Yarn

Because I don’t knit garments, I don’t have a sweater quantity of yarn hanging around in my stash. But I was able to support a LYS and get some.  And it’s a new-to-me yarn that I’ve been wanting to try: Anzula.

One of my rules when buying yarn these days is that it has to be a new dyer for me.  Well, unless a dyer that I love comes out with new colors (ahem, Must Stash!).  

-Tackling Another Sweater

I don’t see myself knitting a bunch of sweaters, ever.  I’ll knit Cloudesley with short sleeves and most of the tops I’m interested in knitting are sleeveless or cap-sleeved.  I get too hot in sweaters, even in the dead of a Texas winter.  But I need to knit a second sweater.  After all, sweaters define the craft of knitting.  I shouldn’t be afraid to knit them.

Going Forward

Cloudesley will take me awhile to knit.  I’ve already had to take out rows and eventually undo the entire thing and start over.  Even then, I made a mistake with the first cable row….but I’m going to live with it.   I think, with patterns as complicated as this one is (mainly in how the instructions are formatted), my brain can only handle so much. Hence, a stupid reading mistake.  Ugh.  Note to my future self: read through ALL the instructions before beginning.  

I’ll keep you posted on my progress!  And keep your fingers crossed for me.  Since I started this over, I’m actually enjoying it. Go figure!!