As soon as I realized that summer would soon draw to a close, I cast on for my first sweater. After two months of toiling, I finally have a finished Thermal to share with you.
So how did Thermal, knit at such a small gauge, end up on my needles as my first completed sweater? Well, a while back, I had this great idea...I would learn how to hand-dye my own yarn. After all, wouldn't it be great to create my own colorways to use for my projects? Clearly, all that buzz circling around about dyeing yarn with Kool-aid got to my head. Eager to get myself started, I purchased 5 or 6 skeins of Knitpicks Bare Merino right away. It was definitely one of those impulse purchases, because I never really got around to actually dyeing the yarn. It sat around, untouched, for nearly a year.
Well, in mid-July, I decided to get real with myself...the natural-colored yarn would probably not get dyed any time soon, if at all. I poked around looking for a pattern that would use up quite a bit of fingering weight yarn...Thermal immediately popped up. I cast on.
I wanted my sweater to be more fitted than in the pictures on Knitty, so I went down to size 1 needles for the body, and 0 for the sleeves. Midway through my project, I got my invite to Ravelry, and happened across this lovely version. I fell in love with Winnie's mod to shorten the sleeves (and her Thermal's color!). I ended up knitting 3/4 length sleeves. I had initially wanted to dye my sweater dark grey, but Winnie's version convinced me to go for more bluish color. I dumped a touch of black and a glug of blue acid dye into a bucket of hot water, and ended up with a faded blue color. (Dyeing, by the way, was a piece of cake. Part of me is kicking myself for not dyeing all the yarn like I had originally intended. I do have 2 more skeins leftover though, so I'll probably dye those after all, hehe.)
Although I don't have any close-up photos of them, I found the perfect buttons for it. They're a pearly pale blue color, and they really match the color and texture of the sweater. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I love everything about this sweater: the fit, the look, the color, the buttons. I know I'll be wearing this sweater a lot.
Wow the sweater is gorgeous!!! I love the color and the 3/4 sleeves too. It fits you so nicely but 1's and 0's!!!! I am impressed all around.
Posted by: Nubiancraftster | September 30, 2007 at 05:05 PM
I can see why your so pleased with this sweater...You've done a fantastic job!
I love the colour...mmm you may have given me the inspiration I need to try wool dying too!!
Posted by: mumi | September 30, 2007 at 06:09 PM
Wow!!! That's gorgeous, and size 1 and ZERO needles for a sweater??? You're my latest knitting hero!!
It looks so good on you, and those buttons compliment it perfectly! Lovely, beautiful and classic - what a great first sweater!
Dyeing's so much fun, but I hadn't thought of dyeing after knitting! A whole new world is opening before my eyes! LOL
Posted by: Kari | September 30, 2007 at 08:38 PM
That is so gorgeous! Beautiful work (as usual)!
Posted by: Lori | October 01, 2007 at 11:55 AM
Oh, Shirley. That is absolutely gorgeous!
Posted by: lera | October 01, 2007 at 03:02 PM
Wow, that sweater is freaking awesome! I love the fit. It's unbelievable that this is your first sweater ever. I'm so nervous about my first sweater; I don't think it will turn out half as professional looking as yours. Great job.
Posted by: chancy | October 01, 2007 at 07:55 PM
I cannot believe you knit that with your own two hands. wow. Wow. WOW.
Posted by: *karen | October 03, 2007 at 11:48 PM
This is stunning! The color is fabby! I have been wanting to dye for ages but have been to frightened is it really easy? the shorter sleeves totally set it off!
Posted by: Wibit (Brie) | October 13, 2007 at 11:55 AM