I alternated between knitting projects during the week. One night I picked up the mohair but it was already late and I was messing up the simple 2×2 rib and the decreases so I just put it aside and zoned out in front of the TV. It was that kind of week really, terribly busy and at times terribly frazzled. Sometimes I just wanted to sit and dream, or read. There was a terribly large amount of reading too with the new budget proposals and everyone's opinions on them. I am already exhausted from it all.
As you can see, despite all this business, the depression of doing taxes (it galls me to have to pay money I no longer have on gains that have disappeared into the ether) and worry and general upheaval I did manage to finish the mohair sweater. Here it is on Matilda late last night. She demanded a try-on practically the instant I finished the seaming, and it was good because it looked so tiny lying in my lap.
But of course it is mohair on fair sized needles. 9's for me, but I went down a size or two from the pattern. and the top and sleeves are ribbed, which accounts for their apparent narrowness.
I like the way the shaping turned out as well. I think there were one or two places in the pattern where I was supposed to K2tog when I felt a purl would be better, but really those were the only minor adjustments and could have just been my knitting rather than major problems with the pattern.
I wore the sweater today and just love it. This will be a favorite and a basic in my wardrobe. And considering that it is supposed to be cold all next week at least, I think there are still ample opportunities for wear. I am going to Tennessee for a week after that, and I hope I don't need to take it with me, or wear it upon my return, but I am not counting on either.
Unfortunately the best picture of the sweater on me is the one where I decided to shift at the last minute and I was looking down just as G snapped the photo. The sweater was knit in pieces up to the yoke where it was joined on circular needles and finished in the round. You can see the nice shaping in the decreases on this photo.
Pattern: La Gran Ribbed Yoke Pullover
Designed by Debbie Allen
in CEY Autumn book1
I knit a size medium and used not quite 7 skeins of yarn.
[edited to add that I did add about an inch and a half of length through short row shaping at the bust in the front ribbed section. It seems to have worked out quite well. I did not make any alterations to the back, although I considered taking out a little back length. I don't think it was necessary in this sweater.]
I am incredibly happy.
I like this sweater so much that I would consider making it again, really the ultimate praise. Not that I probably will ever make it again, but you never know. There are too many new things to make. I do tend to wear the same kinds of sweaters over and over though, and someday this one might need replacing. Mohair usually wears well, and I have a few ancient LaGran sweaters, so it probably won't be for a long time.