a collage with different knitted sweaters
knitting | making

week 1: bedford sweater progress + new cozy sweaters for winter

January 9, 2022

Hi! I finished the first section of the Bedford sweater I started on Dec. 27. I am really enjoying this project. The resulting fabric is super soft. I am a bit baffled by the fact that I had to go down a needle size to get the pattern’s gauge and the fabric still looks pretty lose. I don’t know if it’s this yarn, or the stitch pattern, but my knitting feels and looks more relaxed than ever. Could it be that I am finally benefiting from my hobby and slowly turning into a more relaxed person? Ha, ha. Doubtfully! But still something interesting about this yarn, which I am liking a lot.

The yarn I’m using is Berroco Ultra Alpaca, Peat Mix (06277), which is 50% alpaca, 50% wool. The pattern calls for Brooklyn Tweed 100% American Targhee-Columbia wool and although I would typically try to use the yarn called for in the pattern, I had just the right amount of this green wool sitting in my closet and it was time to use it up! Both yarns are considered worsted weight yarns and so far, it seems like my substitution will work for this pattern. It’s always a bit scary to use something different than what the design was made in.

Today I started working on the sleeves, so hopefully by next Sunday I’ll have at least one to show you.

This week I had to exchange some sweaters I got for Christmas. I hate having to exchange things, but I hadn’t been shopping in a very long time and these were all gifts. When I was asked what size I wore, I said a size bigger than last year for sure! I’ve put on so much weight since the start of the pandemic; so I just took a guess. It was a bit of a relief to see that some of the sweaters were too big on me, and I was very happy that the others looked good even if they were a bit large.

I was definitely in need of some new sweaters and I love the ones I got. In a perfect world, I would knit all my sweaters, but at my pace, that is pretty impossible, at least for the time being. I did see a pattern that sort of matches one of the ones I got, so perhaps in the future, it will be on my needles.

WINTER 2022 SWEATERS

#1: Honeycomb Rollneck sweater by J.Crew: Super warm and soft and I love all the texture.

The Bedford sweater I’m making has a very similar construction to this sweater as well as an overall textured pattern. Perhaps I could learn how to add the little rolled neck at the end? It really is quite similar.

#2: Relaxed Rollneck pullover also by J.Crew.
This one looked awesome on Sarah so we got it to share.
#3 Italian Wool-Cashmere Blend Tunic Sweater by B.R. Mine doesn’t fit as closely as on the model. I could try a size down, but I also like the loser look with jeans and a t-shirt.

ON MY WISHLIST

Vandre Pullover
Knit in Woolfolk Far color no 19 // Vandre is designed by Lori @versaciknits

This one is a little like the brown rollneck sweater I got, but I actually think I would love to have this bigger turtleneck design, and this wool color is gorgeous.

Woolfolk Vandre