Ha. All last week and this week I kept thinking the 12th of December was Wednesday (yesterday). It’s my wedding anniversary. I was knitting like a madwoman, and then Matt pointed out on Monday night that the 12th was Thursday and I had a whole day to spare! That was a nice relief, but I still worked as fast as I could to get it done. I was ready.
I had it half seamed yesterday morning and Matt really wanted to wear it, so I worked as fast as I could to get the seams finished and ends woven in before he left for school. It wasn’t blocked, so I confiscated it later in the day to give it a bath, but it still looked good enough to let him leave the house in it. It was also lacking buttons, but I finished that later. Voila!
Behold, Hugo. I used Cascade 220 in Mallard and it took about 6.35 skeins, 1396 yards. WEBS was not able to match the dyelot when I had to order the 7th skein, but the dyes were so close that I couldn’t tell a bit of difference. There was no need to stripe at all! I love that. I hope I’m not boring the hell out of you all by using the same yarns over and over, but I’m a girl on a budget and these yarns fit that budget.
I cast on an amount for the body and sleeves exactly in-between the two smaller sizes to get a finished product closer to a 40″ chest. Matt doesn’t like as much ease as the second smallest size, and the smallest would have had negative ease. This worked out pretty well. The extra stitches were in the moss stitch, so it was very little adjustment.
I added about an inch in length to the front and the back. I left the sleeve length as written. When it came to decreasing and increasing on the pieces, I ended up making those more like the 41.75″ size more often. I didn’t take super specific notes at each step along the way, but my Ravelry project page has a little more specificity. I made buttonholes instead of purchasing snaps because I like the way they look, and I was snowed in for nearly a week and didn’t read the pattern closely enough to realize I’d need snaps! Ha. The buttons work well.
Set-in sleeves are quickly becoming my favorite, and I’m also starting to love finishing on sweaters. It’s a slower end process, but sometimes that’s nice. It’s like when you race to finish a really, really good book that was long and lovely to read. When it’s over, you’re a little sad. The finishing process of seaming and blocking a sweater helps you let go more slowly, and treasure your hard work for a few more minutes.
I know I’ve posted this before, but this video really helped me to understand how to seam set-in sleeves. Now I cut a super long length of yarn and after I seam one side of the shoulder, that extra yarn becomes the yarn that seams either the side of the body or the sleeve seam. I’m all about having less ends to weave in.
Matt loves it, I love it. I consider it a fine 1st anniversary gift.
it looks fab, such a fine work 🙂
Happy anniversary! He looks great in it (I love the last photo, it’s so hipsterish 🙂 and I can’t imagine a better anniversary gift!
Happy anniversary! What a great sweater this is. Love the color you chose!
That is a wonderful anniversary gift! You did a great job on it 🙂
Happy anniversary to someone who shares the same date as me. I wish I could knit even half as well as you and the sweater looks amazing!
Wow, what a great-looking sweater! Well done! And happy anniversary!
what a beautiful sweater!!! WELL DONE!! 🙂
awww so nice! i’m knitting my husband a sweater for christmas (he has many hats, scarves, and socks from me but this’ll be the first sweater!) and am scrambling to finish. great job and happy anniversary!!
wow, so nice! i’m knitting my husband a sweater for xmas so scrambling to finish! great job – happy anniversary!!!
This is .. amazing. I am lost for words, really. You husband looks so awesome in it and the sweater fits him really, really well!
That sweater really is a wonderful anniversary gift – may there be many, many more to come! 😀
I love the collar and the color. you are such a fast knitter, and everything always looks so lovely.
Cassy, this is so fantastic! It looks like a perfect fit, and that colour is to die for. A sweater is such an excellent symbol of what anniversaries celebrate.
As for using the same yarn over and over, whatever. Cascade is such a good price, and when you can get it in colours like that, you can’t go wrong. And besides, the real value is the talent you bring to a yarn. Happy Anniversary!
Fabulous Cassie! Matt looks SOOO happy in your wonderful creation!
O hell that really is a cool sweater, love the color and you really made good decisions on the size as well. Good job!!
What an amazing sweater. The fit looks perfect, a really hand crafted garment. He looks pretty happy with his new sweater, as well he should.
The fit is great,and after making way too many sweaters where the fabric is lovely, but the fit not quite right, I’m in awe. Your hubby looks very fab in it!
That turned out really awesome. I love the color.
Fabulous, you did well
what a great-looking sweater. My guy seems to prefer the plainer kind which is boring to knit.
Hope you’ve had a grand day ! I can totally see why he loves the sweater, wow !
and eh.. how could one be bored if you make the same yarn look so differently on all those projects ? 😉
Happy anniversary! The sweater looks great – the fit looks spot on.
Nothing wrong with using the same yarns when the yarns continue to be awesome! Also, your hubby is adorable for being that eager to wear it. Happy anniversary!
Looks good! Go,go,go!
Looks wonderful! That color is just lovely.
Great job!
Look what my wife created for me: http://masterekaterina.com/sviter_snud_mitenki/
hope can be useful for you
Holy, wow! That is goooorgeous!