It has been over two months since I last wrote a post! But I haven’t been idle, honest. Much has happened, including a Seattle-San Diego road trip, several classes, and the flu (despite my flu shot). Still, it is now March and, with spring on the horizon, I am building back to full strength. 
Let’s talk cozy. Nothing like a warm sweater to make a person feel cuddled and indulged.
My husband and I have a road-trip deal: I knit and talk and he drives (and Toby provides joyful companionship). This trip was down the west coast and from Washington through Oregon it poured! It rained so hard, I couldn’t see anything from the passenger side windows meaning I could knit up a s
torm. Virtually the whole sweater front was completed in a single day – leaving the California coastal drive for scenic viewing par excellence. We even stopped in Morro Bay to visit Morro Fleece Works (where I send fine fleeces like alpaca for excellent processing). It was fun to meet her and see her location. Check out the Morro Bay rock and Toby being very patient!
Speaking of fleece, the yarn I used for this sweater was and is a joy! Created by Abundant Earth Fiber based on nearby Whidbey Island, WA, the yarn knits like a dream, has lots of loft, and provides great stitch definition. The sweater is an Alice Starmore pattern Inishmaan from her “Fisherman’s Knits” book. The pattern is a fun knit because those little circle cables that run the length of the sweater provide an easy way to keep
track of your place in the pattern. The central cable is different for the front and the back to provide a little interest as one’s enthusiasm flags. I finished knitting the back on the drive home. Funnily enough, the rain started when we hit the Oregon border and was at deluge strength by the time we re-entered Washington. So lots of knitting time – enough even to start the sleeves – 2 together to make sure they matc
h exactly and to ensure I finish them both.
The neck went together smoothly with the circle cables continuing into the ribbing. I extended the ribbing a bit to make sure my neck would be warm. The up side of the flu was that the sweater was finished before the month was out and I was able to snuggle into it right away.
Now the winter is winding down and I am getting ready for spring. I have been weaving and spinning away as well, but I have worn this new sweater as often as my sweatshirts. It is cozy and warm. For once, it fits exactly as I had planned. And the off-white is a great antidote to all the color I am playing with elsewhere in my fiber life. Next time – BABY PREP! I leave you with a little sandscape from one of the many dog-friendly beaches we visited.
Oh Lisa–this sweater is so beautiful! The exquisite detail is awesome! And we stayed at Morro Bay last year–lovely place.
Thank you, Ann! We had never been to Morro Bay before – what a spot!