I’m still dreaming of more sweaters. I think I may be becoming a bit of an addict now. I am swatching for the Delancey Cardigan in Sublime Merino DK. I even washed my swatch the way I wash all my other clothes (without drying it), and the yarn looks good as new. I’ve never tested a swatch like that (or even wet-blocked one), but it seemed like a good idea.

I am getting gauge on a 7, but the fabric has a little more drape than I want. Sublime is also a superwash so although the swatch didn’t change in size, I bet a full-size adult sweater will stretch more when I wet block it. I’ve been perusing Ravelry project pages and many people have noted how much their sweaters grew, especially in length.

I always wet block because I don’t have good equipment for steaming and I love the way you can make the piece more exactly what you want with a good wet-blocking. I usually use some Euclan so I don’t have to rinse the item, and I let it soak for at least 40 minutes (or maybe just 20 if I’m overly eager) so the fibers get fully immersed. Then I place the item in a towel and roll it up and walk on it a bit to get out the excess water. Sometimes I use two towels. I don’t block everything, but sometimes it makes an average-looking piece look really polished, and sometimes I need to do it to make the sweater fit the way I want.

For the Delancey Cardigan, I think I’ll aim for the 36″ size with a size 6 needle so I can alleviate some of the expansion. I’m excited to knit this piece because many people on Ravelry talk about the unique sweater construction.

Other sweater dreams include Twigs and Willows from the Botanical Knits collection by Alana Dakos. I believe this is supposed to come out mid-February. I will snap it up as soon as it is available. She has designed many, many gorgeous pieces.

I’m trying to be good, and knit up some of the sweater-amounts of yarn I have in my stash. I will swatch with some Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed (classified as worsted weight on Ravelry) in Berry that was given to me years ago by my friend Lynda Jo. She’s not a fan of purple. I have had it lounging in my stash for about 6 years (yikes!) waiting to be something brilliant. This might be the sweater.

I haven’t forgotten about making Walpole out of the lovely Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock that Matt got me for Christmas, but I thought I should give my hands and wrists a break from another fingering-weight mile-long project right now. The yarn will keep.

I feel like I’ve done almost enough sweaters of different types to just design one for myself. I don’t know why this still seems so intimidating, but I’d like to accomplish it soon. Even though I love the mindlessness of top-down raglans and not having to seam things, I really love the polished look and fit of set-in sleeves. I may have to design something to knit for Matt because I have a man’s cardigan in my head that I haven’t found on Ravelry yet. But that will require a hefty yarn purchase…