After risking a child’s size, I had to put into practice what I had learned and knit a sweater for myself. I did it during the last months of 2020. It was a piece of joy to wear it in the first months of 2021. Despite the unique year that we went through, 2021 brought us knowledge and perspective.
Materials and patterns to knit a sweater
My hand knitted sweater was made using the Fortune Sweater pattern by PetiteKnit. I used double yarn from Isager Yarn’s Silk Mohair yarn in color 00. It is light, does not itch and is so warm that it made me forget the cold of a lockdown winter.
How to “knit a sweater” during lockdown?
After finishing my knit sweater, I think I placed more confidence in myself, a reflection of what has been happening throughout this pandemic period. It is true that all our plans left us last year: ones more than others. But there are always dreams to chase that keep us whole. It is just a matter of opening horizons and, “knitting one point after another”. We are on our way to materialize a project that is increasingly bigger. Our “handmade sweater”.
What seemed like a huge disaster in March 2020 forced us to be resilient. Forced us to reorder and refocus the contents of our daily lives. It also forced us create new dreams and new challenges for which we had to count on ourselves and on those with whom we cannot part with. Don’t get me wrong: I won’t be missing this crazy period. Nothing can erases the suffering so many of us have been through. Is was like an earthquake that hit the whole entire world. But it is a period to show us what we are capable of: to surpass, to discover and use our hands to make dreams come true.
An emotional review of my handknitted sweater
I took these pictures on the first day that the sun peeked out after two big winter storms. My sweater felt like a hot cloud against the harsh climate, the icy waves the sand full of marine litter that did not stop arriving … It was like a raw reflection (that I preferred to assume in the photos) of the impact that we have on the world. A harm that didn’t pause in the middle of a global pandemic.
The winter season is here to stay. And my goddaughter keeps growing and growing! She needs clothes. Good and confortable clothes to keep her nice and warm when she is exploring outside.
So I decided to knit a sweater. I used the Flax Light free knitting sweater patterns from The Simple Collection by Tin Can Knits. This is a basic cut sweater that makes this model very versatile. The sweater is knitted seamlessly from the collar. It is the perfect project for your first knitted sweater experience! To knit the sweater I used two balls of Cool Wool Big Color by Lana Grassa that I brought from the sweetest little yarn shop in Delft, in the Netherlands. A very soft 100% merino wool yarn, perfect for children.
I knitted a sweater in the size 1-2 years because I think it is possible to extend the time of use of these projects using a good thread and a good pattern. Opting for a basic pattern that is both much wider and fairer makes the margin of error generous. Plus it is possible to adapt the use of the pieces for a longer time. Speccially at a time when children grow up visibly from almost a week to the other. So, hopefully, the sweater will serve her well during this season, may be the next season too. Who knows for how long could will it be wearable!
The pattern is very well designed, easy to follow and has beautiful results. Another great advantage of this free knitting sweater pattern is that it has sizes ranging from baby to adults. This means that you can also knit a matching set for your whole family. The pattern is also good for both male and female. You will only have to choose your yarn to please all the family members!
Tenho a certeza que já compraram aquela lindíssima meada de lã tingida à mão (ou mesmo fiada à mão), que encontraram num país diferente, numa feira de tricô que só acontece uma vez em cada milhão de anos, para a qual não têm nenhum projecto pensado, que custa “os olhos da cara” mas que não podem deixar levar porque “é a meada mais bonita que já viram em toda a vossa vida!”
E por isso mesmo ficou depois bem guardada na gaveta, à espera, tempos e tempos, daquele projeto tão especial que teima em não aparecer porque a quantidade de uma meada de lã não é um número assim tão flexível para um projeto que lhe faça juz. Eu sei que muitos de vocês se vão reconhecer: todos nós temos, por vezes, compras deste tipo!
Foi o que me aconteceu com a meada Halloween da CookstonCrafts em Aberdeen. As cores eram subtis, a lã era macia, e iria para sempre lembrar-me um país onde prometi regressar. Não sabia como, mas havia de transformá-la numa peça especial.
Há uns meses atrás dei-me de caras a usar uma parte muito especial do meu stash te lã, de tecidos, de materiais e, a meada de Halloween da CookstonCrafts foi uma das que me saltou para as mãos. Eu tinha de arranjar um projeto lindo para usar pelo menos a maior parte daquela meada e não me apetecia fazer nem meias nem luvas! Ainda por cima armei-me em esquisita! Se os meus critérios todos se traduzissem efectivamente em filtros de pesquisa, creio que a internet me mandava dar uma volta… Felizmente, ao que parece, eu não sou a única que tem estes impulsos e, no meio de tantas exigências consegui encontrar o projeto perfeito para a minha meada de lã! O xaile Storm é da designer Joji Locatelli e é o projeto perfeito para uma meada de lã filha única. Não me aborreçam com “outro xaile?” porque eu vou fazer xailes as vezes que me apetecer: além de os achar peças muito femininas, são extremamente práticos (podem ser usados com xaile, como cachecol, etc), dão carácter a um guarda-roupa e fazem lembrar as mães e avós que nos vinham consolar a meio da noite ao despertar de um pesadelo. Os xailes são extremamente românticos e contam histórias!
Este xaile é leve, deliberadamente feito com agulhas grandes para o recomendado e com pontos abertos que permitem criar alguma transparência, algum interesse visual e aquele carácter romântico. Acho que ficou uma combinação cinco estrelas com a minha meada da CookstonCrafts! Depois de o bloquear ele ficou com 180cm de comprimento e cerca de 60cm de largura, o tamanho ideal para mim!
I’m sure you also already bought that beautiful skein of hand-dyed (or even hand-spun) yarn, that you found in a different country, at a knitting fair that only happens once in a million years, for which you have no project yet although it cost you the earth, but that you can not let go because “it is the most beautiful skein you have ever seen in your entire life!”
And for that very reason it was well kept in the drawer, waiting, times and times, for that very, very special project that never comes because the quantity of a single skein of wool is not such a flexible number for for you to be able to choose a thing. I know that many of you will recognize: we all have made that kind of purchases!
That’s what happened to me with a skein of Halloween by from CookstonCrafts in Aberdeen. The colors were subtle, the wool was soft, and it would forever remind me of a country where I promised to return. I didn’t know how, but I would make it into a special piece!
A few months ago I started using a very special part of my wool stash, my fabrics stash, and other special materials. The only skein I had of Halloween by CookstonCrafts as one of the ones that jumped into my hands. I had to come up with a beautiful project to use, at least, most of that skein and I didn’t feel like making socks or gloves! Yeah, on top of that, I was picky, right?! If my criteria were all effectively translated into search filters, I believe that the internet would told me to get lost! Fortunately, it seems, I am not the only one who has these impulses and, in the midst of so many demands, I managed to find the perfect pattern for my beautiful skein! The shawl Storm is from the designer Joji Locatelli and is the perfect design for an “only child” skein of wool. Don’t bother me with that “another shawl?” because I will make shawls as often as I feel like: besides finding them very feminine pieces, they are extremely practical (they can be used as shawls, as a scarf, etc.), they give character to a wardrobe and reminds us of our mothers and grandmothers who came to rescue us in the middle of the night when we woke up from a nightmare! Shawls are extremely romantic and tell stories!
This shawl is light, deliberately made with large needles and with that open stitches that allow to create some transparency, some visual interest and that romantic character. I think it was a five star combination with my skein by CookstonCrafts. After blocking it it is 180 cm long and about 60 cm wide, the ideal size for me!
A primavera chegou mas, o tempo extra em casa dá vontade de usar todo o stash para tricotar!
Desta vez usei uma meada de Malabrigo Rios (Arco Íris, mesmo a calhar!) para tricotar um gorro no modelo Tied Knots de uma das minhas Designers favoritas, a Justyna Lorkowska.
Neste período em que ficar em casa é a regra fomos todos apanhados de surpresa pelo que foi muito bom saber que tinha um stash the fio para usar enquanto as coisas não se endireitassem.
A qualidade da lã Malabrigo é já conhecida de todos, as cores são intensas e memoráveis! O modelo é belíssimo, sem erros e muito fiel! O resultado foi um gorro colorido mas sóbrio que vai alegrar os últimos dias frios e receber-me com um sorriso quando o frio voltar.
Spring has arrived but I am using my extra time to knit anyway! So I’ve been working some wool!
This time I used a skein of Malabrigo Rios (Arco Íris, just perfect!) to knit a hat using Tied Knots pattern by one of my favorite designers, Justyna Lorkowska.
In this period when staying at home is the rule, we were all taken by surprise! So it was great to know that I had a stash of yarn to use until things got normal again.
The quality of Malabrigo wool is already known to everyone, unbeatable! The colors are intense and memorable, the pattern is just beautiful, no errors and very faithful! The result was a colorful but sober hat that will brighten up these last chilly days and welcome me with a smile when the cold returns next fall.
