While
last year we were still wearing t-shirts at the end of October, this year Fall came really fast. It`s incredibly beautiful but I am again surprised how fast weather changes in New England. A month ago we were still in flip flops and now we are wearing coats. I am not ready to give up the prime sweater season just yet though especially since I have a brand new one to wear. Good thing it`s knit out of alpaca.
Riding to Avalon
Pattern: Riding to Avalon by Connie Chang Chinchio from Knitscene, Fall 2008
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk in Blueberry, 9 skeins with hardly anything left over
Needles: Size 3
I love pretty much everything about this sweater; the yarn is lovely and soft, warm without being bulky, the design is simple but with enough interesting details to be elegant rather than boring. Even though I usually prefer to knit and wear cardigans, I have already got plenty of wear out of this hoodie.
I made several modifications to the pattern. The main one was the gauge. Although Alpaca Silk is labeled DK weight, I prefer the fabric at a tighter gauger. I am a loose knitter so that might have something to do with it. Either way, I ended up using needle size 3 but following the pattern for my usual size hoping I would end up with a little bit of negative ease.
I also decided to start the body with a stockinette hem rather than a row of garter stitch. I thought that with such a drapy yarn, the garter stitch would not prevent the edge from rolling. Besides, I like hemmed edges on a stockinette sweater and the clean line they form.
My next modification was knitting a simple seed stitch on the sleeves, neckline and hood instead of the twisted purl stitch. When I was swatching the twisted pattern, for some reason it kept coming out too messy. Finally, I got tired of it and decided that seed stitch was going to work just as well.
More of a detail than a modification, my sleeves don`t close all the way. I originally sewed on all crochet loops but found out that the sleeves loose their flare when completely closed. I like the flared cuffs and the movement around my wrists so off went the first three loops.
The hood is one of my favorite features about this design. It is large and pointy and I love it. It drapes beautifully and I feel like an Elf when wearing it up. My last hoodie was Cardigan for Arwen with a similarly shaped hood, which I chose to modify into a rounder version. This time though and don`t ask me why, I completely enjoy the hood in all its pointy beauty and actually like wearing it up.
I don`t remember when I last made a pullover for myself but Riding to Avalon might be my favorite so far. There are so many little details that make this design special, many of them almost invisible like the subtle darts that shape the waist or the garter stitch faux seam.
Rhinebeck, I am ready!
