Knitting Progress

I began this sweater in March of 2013 and it has taken me this long to finish it.  From the picture in the magazine, I thought it was a fairly simple pattern. But once I began knitting, I found that I simply could not commit the pattern to memory, so I was forced to continually read the directions to make sure that I was doing it right. 

After finishing the back and fronts, I packed it away. I couldn't face two sleeves with the same pattern. But this fall, while recovering from a second hip replacement surgery, I bit the bullet and dug it out.  I was determined to finish it, as it really is lovely and the wool, the colour, the pattern were everything I would want in an aran cardigan. It took a long time to complete, but it was well worth it.

Knowing that it was going to be a snug fit for me, I finished it as a gift for a daughter. She doesn't know about it yet, and I will mail it to her this week with a bottle of Eucalan.  Along with strict orders on how to wash hand-knit sweaters. I have reservations about knitting for others, because people who don't knit or sew are not usually aware of the care that must be taken with certain items.  I will even offer to wash this for her whenever I visit, so that it will be last a long time.

The collar is really lovely, nice and high. It makes this sweater into a jacket really and it will probably be too warm to wear indoors.  Where she lives, the fall and spring weather will be perfect for this kind of sweater.

The pattern was from Knit Simple Winter 2012 and most of the patterns are simple, just not this one!

This is the sweater as pictured in the magazine. I will ask my daughter to send me a photo of her in the cardigan when she gets it. I am pretty sure it will fit her. I do hope she likes it.