I was so excited when my LYS got it's shipment of this yarn in. I was able to swatch it up with a shop sample and that's when I fell in love with it. It's called Cloud 9 by Cascade Yarns and it's made of 50% wool / 50% angora. It's not a bouncy blend but lovely to work with none the less. As far as getting the fur up my nose, in my eyes or being covered with fuzz when working with it, I'm pleased to say, its not bad. I've only once had to fish a strand out of my, there's no easy way to say this, nostril.
I chose this pattern from a vintage booklet I've had for years. After my recent move, I started leafing through my collection of leaflets (yeah, I meant to say that) and thought this was cute. It's worked from the top down but the original version is supposed to have a zipper at the back neck area. I'm skipping that and working it totally in the round--I'm sure it's going to be big enough for me to pop my head through there. The main modifications will be a mock neck instead of a full turtle and I may do 3/4 sleeves and shorten the length of the body. I don't think I have enough yarn on hand and I don't know that I can get more of this dye lot. Since it's top down, I can try it on as I go.
I'm also finishing up this sweater. It's from the premier issue of Love of Knitting. It looks to be a promising magazine--not too trendy and modeled on people who look like you and me (no offense if you're a supermodel). This sweater is called Teal Shrug (turn to page 17) designed by the Berroco team. I couldn't get my hands on the yarn they called for so I'm substituting Ecological Wool (shade 8020) by Cascade Yarns. I'd like to mention at this point that this yarn is quite the bargain. This sweater is using no more than 2 skeins (okay, they're 250 gm skeins, but still) which in the end cost me about 30 bucks plus tax. Not too shabby. Yes, the wool is rustic but I'll use the sweater as a layer, not next to my skin. I mean, who'd wear a cropped wool sweater like this without somethin' underneath? The collar and front bands still need to be done but that's it--except a touch-up steam block.
Now's the time I want to share some cheap yet helpful hints. See those clippies holding my side seams together up there? Those are those tiny hair clips you get at departments stores. Probably cost me a couple bucks for a tidy batch of them. Another item from the hair-doo-dad isle are tiny rubber bands. Here's what I use them for:
When I made my sleeves (2 at a time, hey that's another helpful hint), each time I made an edge increase, I put a rubber band at the beginning of that row. It's keeps me from having to use a stitch counter or tally sheet. And I have to say, it makes my project a little more cheery with all those bits of color mixed in. I'm thinking about adding some colorful buttons on the front bands of the sweater when I get that far along but I haven't decide for sure on that yet.
I chose this pattern from a vintage booklet I've had for years. After my recent move, I started leafing through my collection of leaflets (yeah, I meant to say that) and thought this was cute. It's worked from the top down but the original version is supposed to have a zipper at the back neck area. I'm skipping that and working it totally in the round--I'm sure it's going to be big enough for me to pop my head through there. The main modifications will be a mock neck instead of a full turtle and I may do 3/4 sleeves and shorten the length of the body. I don't think I have enough yarn on hand and I don't know that I can get more of this dye lot. Since it's top down, I can try it on as I go.I'm also finishing up this sweater. It's from the premier issue of Love of Knitting. It looks to be a promising magazine--not too trendy and modeled on people who look like you and me (no offense if you're a supermodel). This sweater is called Teal Shrug (turn to page 17) designed by the Berroco team. I couldn't get my hands on the yarn they called for so I'm substituting Ecological Wool (shade 8020) by Cascade Yarns. I'd like to mention at this point that this yarn is quite the bargain. This sweater is using no more than 2 skeins (okay, they're 250 gm skeins, but still) which in the end cost me about 30 bucks plus tax. Not too shabby. Yes, the wool is rustic but I'll use the sweater as a layer, not next to my skin. I mean, who'd wear a cropped wool sweater like this without somethin' underneath? The collar and front bands still need to be done but that's it--except a touch-up steam block.Now's the time I want to share some cheap yet helpful hints. See those clippies holding my side seams together up there? Those are those tiny hair clips you get at departments stores. Probably cost me a couple bucks for a tidy batch of them. Another item from the hair-doo-dad isle are tiny rubber bands. Here's what I use them for:When I made my sleeves (2 at a time, hey that's another helpful hint), each time I made an edge increase, I put a rubber band at the beginning of that row. It's keeps me from having to use a stitch counter or tally sheet. And I have to say, it makes my project a little more cheery with all those bits of color mixed in. I'm thinking about adding some colorful buttons on the front bands of the sweater when I get that far along but I haven't decide for sure on that yet. 
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