FO: Flora

Pattern: Flora
Yarn: Cascade 220, less than half a skein each of Baby Rose Heather & Natural
Needles: 4.25 mm 16″ bamboo circ & DPNs

Cute! And a one-day knit, too, which is a nice bonus.

I didn’t use smaller needles for the garter band because I wanted it to flare out a little into more of a cloche shape, and improvised the decreases at the top so the hat wouldn’t turn out too long. The pattern had some missing information and errors, but they didn’t end up being much of a problem because I’d already made modifications and the colourwork was charted.

I really like the fabric I get from knitting Cascade 220 at 22 sts/4 ins. Just that extra half-stitch per inch snugs it up nicely, and it stays pliable while gaining a little structure. I’m sorta amazed at the amount of Rav projects I see with Cascade 220 knit at 16 sts/4 ins; maybe I just prefer my knits a little firmer than most, but I’d think that gauge would result in a fabric that flops instead of drapes.

I have more than half a skein of Baby Rose Heather left and I think I’m going to do a little cable-panel swatching. I have my eye on Kingscot, but I can’t seem to make up my mind with regards to yarn. I’m considering Cascade 220 in that same coral-heathered pink; I like it at 22 sts in stockinette, but the 23 + cables in the pattern will likely be too firm. I could drop it back to 21 and do some minor recalculations if I like the fabric, though.

It’d also be nice in a crisp cotton/linen blend, though, for more of an all-season sweater. I don’t think I’d use pure cotton for fear it’d stretch out too much, but a blend would be great. And of course there’s the recommended yarn, Berroco Pure Merino DK, which comes in fabulous colours. Even with the WEBS discount, though, the yarn would be over $100, and I’m not getting enough work in the next couple of months to even consider it.

Really, though, it’s not like I don’t have enough sweaters-in-waiting to keep me knitting. I have dark purple Classic Wool waiting (with two complementary colours) to be turned into the Bountiful Bohus from More Big Girl Knits, my much-loved bright blue Rowan Yorkshire Tweed DK destined to be a February Lady Sweater, plus several other sweater-quantities of yarn that don’t have projects yet.

I’m tempted to start that FLS soon; the yarn is discontinued, and it took me more than a year to find and snag the colour I loved. One thing’s stopping me, though–my weight is starting to drop again. This is a great thing, but it leaves me in a quandary about sizes. I don’t want to knit for the size I am now and have it be too big when I’m done, but I also don’t want to knit a size or two smaller and have it not fit because I hit another plateau.

… Maybe I should knit myself a pair of socks. My foot size hasn’t changed in a decade.