March 4, 2010

A Question and a Sweater

 In the comments yesterday, Dawn asked this question:

You've made several sweaters in the last couple of years, which ones do you find yourself reaching for the most? Which are your favorites?

In the last few years I've knit a several sweaters,  maybe 7 or 8, but only a handful of them have stayed with me.  A few were gifts,  a few went off to be worn by others when they suited them better (coughRachelHcough)  and a few have become good friends that I've worn to death.   I love the Must Have Cardi and it's turned out to be one that I wear not quite everyday, but a few times a week. (I've learned that if I love them when I finish, that the glow usually lingers for a while.)  I wear my Guld Bohus,  I wear a bunch of them, but absolutely unequivocally, my all time ultimate favorite sweater is my Top Down Wrap Cardi from Knitting Pure and Simple.  I went looking through the blog to try and find it, and it turns out that for reasons that I can't explain,   I only ever took one picture of it, and it was this one:

I took it in the Seattle airport in June of 2007, which is pretty craptastic for a sweater that I love as much as it turns out that I do.  This sweater has been my best buddy for two and a half years.  I knit it out of Dream in Color Classy  in Strange Harvest, and in the intervening time, not only have I jammed it in suitcases, sat on it in on planes, used it as a pillow on trains,  wrapped a cold baby in it (twice, and two different babies) I've also washed it by hand at least 20 times, and in the washing machine at least 10 times (gently) on purpose and had it land in the dryer 3 times (not at all on purpose) courtesy of my husband who generally displays good sense and intelligence, but seems to have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to laundry.

I've spilled coffee on it.  I've slept in it. I've yanked it around myself against a chill and worn it for days on end with the sleeves rolled up so that I can wash dishes or type.  I hang it over the back of chairs,  I leave it in a crumpled heap.
In short, I love it, and it has served me well.  This is my go-to, grab and run sweater.  If I'm leaving the house and need another layer, I put it on when I get up in the morning when the house is still cold. 

It was the sweater that was handy when I went out the door to the hospital in an emergency, I've dried innumerable tears on the sleeve, and it is the sweater that I put over a tee shirt and jeans if I want to "dress up an outfit".  (I know.  My sense of fashion is devastating.. isn't it?)

I believe this sweater fits me fantastically (not that it really has a fit, but you know what I mean) and it's all the best things about a sweater.  It's cozy, it's pretty, it's durable, it matches everything in my wardrobe (though maybe not yours,  I do specialize in wearing clothing all the colours of 70's appliances.) and when I wear it, no matter where or when I wear it, I feel taller and rather thin.

I think that probably hundreds of you have seen me wear it in person.  I wear it that much.

I've used it as an emergency rag when a cup of spilled juice was headed for my laptop, I've waved it for emphasis during some rant or other directed at a teenager.  I've even used it as a potholder once, carrying a hot casserole to the table.  (That was a snap decision, and probably disrespectful to the sweater.) As a matter of fact, the only thing I've never done with this sweater is tie it shut (not even once) and it still looks... for a sweater that's been well used and loved for two and a half years.. like a million bucks, I think.

There you have it.  The sweater that is my favourite.  The sweater I'm wearing now.  The sweater that all of a sudden, I'm thinking about knitting again, maybe tomorrow. (Maybe in another colour.)

Thanks for asking Dawn.





Posted by Stephanie at March 4, 2010 9:00 AM