Neither Hip Nor Funky

Well, I guess I have to knock Autumn Rose off the top of the blog at some point.

I think this pretty little number is up to the task:

(The brown side is my favorite.)

Pattern: Tapestry Cowl by Mintyfresh (through Rav or pepperknit)
Yarn: Sundara Sock in Evergreen over Lime (thanks Ali!) and June club shipment
Needles: US4

I had never done any doubleknitting before this pattern, and I honestly had no desire to do so until I saw Minty’s prototype.

I still wasn’t sure until I happened on this color combo in my stash. Then, it was a must.

It always looked to me like it would be a bit fiddly but watching the tutorials that come with the pattern changed my mind. It actually flowed quite nicely while knitting.

I did have a few concerns about my color choices along the way. As will sometimes happen when pairing a variegated or two semi-solids, the tone of the colors were very similar at points. This caused the pattern to be less clear in areas. At first it bothered me. However, when I looked again at the color shifts in the green and brown it reminded me of the way the sun shines through the greens and browns of the Northwest rainforests, and that made me happy.

In the end, I think it is a nice complement to Minty’s bold version and subtle version. This one gives an idea of yet another way the look will change based on your yarn choice.

I think I just missed my second blogiversary, so I’ll celebrate with this accomplishment.

When I first started knitting about four years ago, the thought of this sweater would have made my head explode.

Two years ago, the thought would have given me an instant stress headache.

Now…well now I just think it was damn fun!

Pattern: Autumn Rose by Eunny Jang, size 37″
Yarn: Jameison’s Shetland Spindrift
Needles: US 2

Mods:

I raised the neckline to the top of the pattern repeat.  This is a common modification for modesty.  For my long torso and small bust, it was necessary. As the pattern was written, the scoop neck would have fallen below my bustline. (not really the look I’m going for)

I made my own size.  My gauge was slightly tighter than pattern guage. I knit to the 39″ for hips and redrew lines for waist decreases so that it then matched up the the 37″.  The sweater has a 36″ bust.

Other Suggestions:

Okay, so these are things I would do differently than I did.  This section is just for those of you planning to knit this pattern.   I realize that none of them are things that would make any exclaim “Oh my eyes! That sweater is hideous. I must avert my gaze and save myself!” They are just small changes I would make.

In raising the neckline, it would have been better if I stopped right at the last line of Old Gold and did not include the line of black. The neckline pulls up a little, and the black line makes it more noticeable than if it had ended at the gold line.

I should have shortened the armscythe by half an inch to an inch as some others have done. It is a bit long.

Come on, Autumn, I’m ready for you now.