Natural fibers, first attempt
So, here's my first attempt at a sweater in non-acrylic yarn:
That's Lily 100% cotton yarn (Lily being the brand name; Lilly is wearing the sweater). Colors are grape, hot blue, hot green, and hot orange. At $1.27 per skein, I used not quite six skeins, so the grand total was $8.23 with tax. I keep track of these things because my goal is to make the perfect sweater for under five bucks (can you tell why I've shied away from natural fibers in the past?). The yarn was great to work with; I finally got smart and got some bamboo needles too, which are in fact much easier on the hands. The pattern was from Lion Brand; couldn't find their cotton so I had to use Lily's (and changed the colors); sorry guys, but the pattern was great, thanks.
Here's a rear view, slightly less rumpled:
And another front vew, because my daughter is too cute:
So, so far, I'm sold on cotton at least. But I've started another sweater in some totally funky jive-ass Red Heart acrylic, don't ask me why. I have this fetish for acrylic yarn, partly because it's cheap and easy to get, partly because I enjoy the challenge of trying to make something out of acrylic that doesn't look like shit with buttons on it. Maybe it's the same impulse that drives people to reform alcoholics or run for elected office; I don't know. Maybe it's because I have a 98-year-old great aunt who made afghans for my family for 40 or 50 years, always in acrylic yarn, so I feel I'm being true to my heritage. Perhaps it's because I'm currently blessed with a small and uncomplaining daughter who will wear anything I make her, but who will also get everything she wears totally filthy, so washability is important. Anyway, just to keep you guessing, here's the pattern I'm working from; now you can stay up nights trying to imagine some combination of yarns that wouldn't look utterly hideous in this pattern.
And yes, Lilly's eyes do look red in this photo--she had eye surgery a few days before the picture was taken. That's one reason I finished the sweater in, I think, eight days: compulsive hospital knitting.
That's Lily 100% cotton yarn (Lily being the brand name; Lilly is wearing the sweater). Colors are grape, hot blue, hot green, and hot orange. At $1.27 per skein, I used not quite six skeins, so the grand total was $8.23 with tax. I keep track of these things because my goal is to make the perfect sweater for under five bucks (can you tell why I've shied away from natural fibers in the past?). The yarn was great to work with; I finally got smart and got some bamboo needles too, which are in fact much easier on the hands. The pattern was from Lion Brand; couldn't find their cotton so I had to use Lily's (and changed the colors); sorry guys, but the pattern was great, thanks.
Here's a rear view, slightly less rumpled:
And another front vew, because my daughter is too cute:
So, so far, I'm sold on cotton at least. But I've started another sweater in some totally funky jive-ass Red Heart acrylic, don't ask me why. I have this fetish for acrylic yarn, partly because it's cheap and easy to get, partly because I enjoy the challenge of trying to make something out of acrylic that doesn't look like shit with buttons on it. Maybe it's the same impulse that drives people to reform alcoholics or run for elected office; I don't know. Maybe it's because I have a 98-year-old great aunt who made afghans for my family for 40 or 50 years, always in acrylic yarn, so I feel I'm being true to my heritage. Perhaps it's because I'm currently blessed with a small and uncomplaining daughter who will wear anything I make her, but who will also get everything she wears totally filthy, so washability is important. Anyway, just to keep you guessing, here's the pattern I'm working from; now you can stay up nights trying to imagine some combination of yarns that wouldn't look utterly hideous in this pattern.
And yes, Lilly's eyes do look red in this photo--she had eye surgery a few days before the picture was taken. That's one reason I finished the sweater in, I think, eight days: compulsive hospital knitting.
posted by Susan @ 1:12 PM
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