Time passes, children grow, seasons change. It was time for Maggie to get a new sweater.
I purchased some beautiful heathery purple Ella Rae Classic yarn during Webs’ summer yarn sale. It was $4 per ball or thereabouts and I used about 2.5 balls for this sweater. All the colors in the yoke, various worsted weight wools, came from stash. At $12 a very economical sweater, indeed.
The pattern is Elizabeth Zimmerman’s yoke sweater, found in various books and pamphlets. Some time ago I bought the version known as Spun Out #4 – Child’s Fair Isle Yoke Sweater, a single sheet of legal-size paper covered front and back with EZ’s typewritten and hand-drawn pattern. You can still buy it, as part of the Spun Out Collection, from Schoolhouse Press. I have knit the pattern before, when I used the charts provided. This time I charted my own design.
I labored away on the sleeves and body for a few weeks. When I hit the yoke it was a race to the finish just to see what it would look like. I am very pleased with the final design, which differs slightly from the original chart because it was muuuuch too long and had to be unknit and altered for a quicker neckline.
The thing about knitting an EZ sweater is the sudden urge to subsequently knit all the other EZ patterns ever. There is neither enough time nor wool for such endeavors. Just kidding, there’s totally enough wool.
At the moment, we’re experiencing Autumn in NC. There’s no promise for cool temps to continue, but I remain hopeful for a good, prolonged cold snap. Maggie, at least, will be ready.
