Pattern Review: "Smuggler" Sweater

Now that we are well into January, it's high time to review the pattern I used for the boys' holiday sweaters...

This year I ended up knitting a free pattern from Ravelry called "Smuggler" by Sublime Yarns. In my hours of searching, this one really stood out in the crowd. I love the stripes, the boat neck, the drape of the DK weight cotton. It all works together beautifully. And, the pattern has the added bonus of being free...although I would have gladly paid for it.

On a scale of 1-5 stars I give this pattern a 5, seriously. I can't really say anything bad about it. Directions were clear, pattern was uncomplicated, and the finished product is gorgeous. It might have been nice to have been able to knit the body in the round instead of two pieces like it is written, but that is splitting hairs. And frankly, if I were more ambitious, I'm sure I could have figured out how to make that happen on my own.

Luckily I had most of the yarn (Rowan Milk Cotton DK) for these sweaters in my stash..."yea me!" for being sensible! Since I only needed to order a few more colors to make these sweaters happen, I headed out online to WEBS to see if I liked any of the other available colors of Rowan Milk Cotton DK to complement what I already had on hand. And then a shocking discovery... I don't know what's going on, but it seems like the folks over at Rowan might be discontinuing this magical yarn. Everything is on closeout.

I am a pretty calm chick but this ruffled my feathers a bit. I love this yarn and have used it for many projects. Then I discovered Viking of Norway Milk & Honey. Same sh*t, different label. Awesome. Ordered what I needed at only $5.29/skein and got on my way. If you've never knit with milk yarn, I suggest you give it a try. It is so soft and the drape is stunning. It can be a tad bit splitty and I suggest knotting your ends because they will not stay woven in, but that is the price you pay for it's softness. If Viking of Norway stops producing this line I will wear a black armband for a year.

I finished the second sweater Christmas Eve, on the way to our family gathering. Yeah, I am a master procrastinator. But all was well in the end so I can justify it!

–Cassandra

PLEASE NOTE: The official ravelry link to this pattern doesn't seem to be working. We have posted a copy of it here:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kx6GqScZqacsMNUCSEE_4qlUH9QNUvLPKZFV_b3aeL4/edit

Decisions, Decisions...

After much gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands, I have decided what sweaters to knit for the boys this season. (For those not in-the-know, I knit them new sweaters each winter.)  Last year the sweaters were cabled, so this year I thought that I would change it up and go with stripes. The pattern I decided on is the (aptly named) Boys Striped Sweater. And it happens to be free...score!

Boy's Striped Sweater photo courtesy of Prima Knitting Magazine.

Love the way it hangs, especially the straight bottom. I'm pretty excited to cast-on and can't wait until my yarn arrives from WEBS. And...speaking of the yarn...

Admittedly, my indecision on this yarn selection has been annoying to everyone around me. I have been pouring over cotton DK weight yarn choices online...looking for the perfect color/texture for the stripes. I know, I should be shopping at my local yarn shop (and I'd rather), but they aren't open after I get kids to bed. And lately, that's all the time I have.


The problem I have with shopping online is that the options are just so overwhelming. Color-wise, do I go with heathered, saturated or subtle tones? And when you can't see and feel the actual fibers, it's hard appreciate the qualities of each brand. I have been shopping online for this yarn for weeks. But I threw the gauntlet down (with myself) yesterday, I'd had enough. I needed to narrow the playing field so I could focus. Tick-tock. The leaves are turning already.


I decided to go with something I knew. Milk yarn. I love that stuff. I've made a couple things in the past out of Rowan's Milk Yarn. It knits up beautifully and time has told that it wears like iron. Sadly, when searching online, I discovered that my beloved Rowan was phasing out this line. They still seem to have it in "fine", but the DK is discontinued. Sniff.

Abel jumper knit in Rowan's Milk DK.

Farmer Fox was also knitted (and washed many times since) in Rowan Milk DK.

Luckily, a company called Viking of Norway is carrying what seems to be the same exact milk yarn fiber in a delicious array of colors. I stumbled upon them when searching on WEBS and promptly ordered 2 skeins each of green, blue, and brown to add to a couple of beige skeins I already have in my stash. It was on sale for $5.29/skein so I was pretty stoked that these sweaters weren't going to end up costing me a fortune. It looks just like the Rowan I am used to, hopefully I will fall in love when the package comes in the mail. I'm sure I will. I'm notoriously "easy" when it comes to soft, colorful skeins.

Viking of Norway's Milk and Honey collection...yummy!

Let's hope by the weekend I will be casting on for a green-beige striped sweater with brown trim and a blue-beige sweater with brown trim. My plate is very full these days dear friends...there will be so much to share here the next few months. :)

–Cassandra