Storm times need warm times.
It's been a bit stormy around here lately. And following the storm, a lot of rain (and snow for some parts). Lots of people were without power, and our flat lost a skylight. Having a hole in the roof makes life a bit chilly! From where i'm sitting right now I can see a patch of blue sky, and the rest of the week is meant to be sunny but cold.
When it's this cold I immediately turn to my favourite wearable hug - and the first garment I ever knit. The pattern is Thermal by Laura Chau from the Winter Knitty way back in 2006. It's warm and makes me happy whenever i'm wearing it.
Knitting Thermal was a big deal. Choosing out the yarn I had two options: cheap or expensive. As my first garment, I was worried about if it would turn out ok. Concerned that I would finish it, hate it and never wear it. Out of the two yarn options, neither had the colour I wanted. In the shop, tossing up between the two, it was either scratchy (cheap) or soft (expensive).
I weighed up the options. I could spend twice as much on the yarn and have something warm and snuggly. Or I could save money and knit with something not-so-nice. A 4ply jersey is a big time commitment, and I figured that even if I didn't love the end result, I could just wear it around the house.
I spent the extra, and five years later I rejoice the moment it gets cold enough to wear it again. The yarn has stood the test of time, and I thank my past-self for selecting the better quality option.
At Holland Road we only stock great yarn. I learned my lesson early on that investing in great yarn for projects is absolutely worth it.
Anyway: I need another one. Or, rather, I need a pullover / jersey / sweater that is light, long sleeved, and just big enough that it will go over a top but under a coat.
Hunting through Ravelry I have so many options!
Stasis by Leila Raabe / Bayside Pullover by Hannah Fettig
Raindrops by Tincan Knits / Framed pullover by Hannah Fettig
I think i'm leaning towards Stasis in Zealana Rimu Fingering, or Raindrops in Spud & Chloe Fine. Or maybe Knitsch Sock. Hmmm! Or both patterns? There's no such thing a too many hand knit jerseys, after all...
Oh, and when I finished Thermal - I wasn't in love with it. I was super judgey about how it fit, and all my old hang-ups about awful hand knit garments came to the surface. I forced myself to wear it anyway, and stopped caring about if it was flattering or not. Wearing something that made me happy and warm was the most important thing.
Image from They All Hate Us via Pinterest
Have a warm and happy and knitty weekend!
xx Tash
Comments
Aimee said:
Great post! I have yet to take that big step of knitting a jersey for myself. I have lots of possible patterns, but haven’t decided yet. Your post reminds me of an excerpt that I like from The Friday Night Knitting Club: “Wearing what you’ve made: this can be the most fun to show off some funky scarf that reveals your inner cool. And other times its just so hard to wear something that seems less than perfect or didn’t turn out the way you wanted to. But just put it on anyway; celebrate your hard work and your talent. And your love. Every knitter stitches with love, even when they’re just starting, all red-faced and frustrated. Why else would we create? Especially in a world that doesn’t need handmade anything. That’s when we need handmade everything. It never matters if things don’t end up just the way you planned. Every moment is a work in progress, every stitch is one step closer. When you wear something you’ve made with your own hands, you surround yourself with love, and all the love that came before you” <3