I know that one would not expect the title “End to Beginning”, but that is the story of this particular sweater. It began as a great project, a cocoon type sweater, from a super cute pattern, and a yarn I really like. It’s a very inexpensive yarn from the local big box store, acrylic, but I like the colors a lot, and it has a very soft hand, which I also like. I thought this sweater would be great! Comfy, big and soft. It has a pretty stitch pattern, and nice collar shape. It is so cute in the photos and I would totally recommend it for someone else, it just did not turn out to be my style, and was actually much more restrictive and confining than a standard cardigan, which was definitely not the feel I was going for. It had the added misfortune of looking (and feeling!) like a saggy diaper from behind. Some of this is likely due to my body type, which we won’t go into here… At any rate, this particular sweater was a classic “Pinterest Fail”. If it were a food item, it totally would have been on “Nailed It!”
No one wants a lot of extra things lying around the house, particularly things which remind them of an unsuccessful attempt at something, and things which make one’s butt look so bad! I decided that, since I really like the yarn, that I would deconstruct the sweater, choose a different pattern, and re-sweater it! I am currently pondering on sweater options. I initially thought a hoodie-type pullover would be great, then I started thinking about seams. Which I hate. I love sewing fabric, I hate sewing knitted and crocheted fabric. I just can’t get behind the notion that you knit or crochet something, then sew it! I mean, if I was in the mood to sew, I’d have started out by sewing in the first place. So I looked at a few seamless top down sweaters. Now I need to decide if I want to knit or crochet. I’m looking at a couple of patterns, the first is the lovely Flax Sweater from Tin Can Knits http://www.tincanknits.com/pattern-SC-flax.html . I have a Flax Light that I knitted a few years ago that I wear all the time, and get loads of compliments on. I really like the very clear instruction in their patterns, and the ability to really size it the way you want it, even if you’re not a super proficient knitter. Which I don’t consider myself to be! I knit a lot, I don’t necessarily knit well! The second that I’m looking at is a crochet pattern, the Karamell Sweater, by Anna Erlandsson, https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/karamell-sweater. I have not made her patterns before, but I like the simple shape of this sweater and the funnel neck. I’m not a huge fan of high necked, turtle-necked, or cowl-necked sweaters, but my neck does get cold and this one doesn’t look like it will make me feel like I’m strangling. So, knit or crochet? Flax or Karamell? Drop me a comment and vote!
