Hey look, I finished another sweater! What does this make, 8? Give me another year and I’ll have all those nasty arcylics in my closet replaced with glorious handknit wools, woohoo.
As boring as this name is (“Peacock Pullover”? Really? Whatever, you should know by now that I’m not imaginative with my garment names), calling something a pullover will always make me think of this:
Which is pretty much one of the best things (from one of the best movies) ever, amirite? Unfortunately, this sweater isn’t very exciting. You could stop reading this post right now and still get the general gist of it. It’s a basic raglan pullover with a crew neck. Snore.
But y’all know I’m a big proponent of making ~basics~. And this is totally a basic sweater, but hey – the color is fun, yeah?
This pattern is the Ladies Classic Raglan Pullover. Obviously, mine looks a bit different than the pictures on the project page, and I’m not just referring to the color. Mine is much more fitted as I prefer to have a bit of waist definition with my sweaters. It wasn’t too hard to get the fit adjusted, although in my first go, I didn’t try the sweater on enough and after finishing the waist I realized that it was WAY too big. Ugh! I spent an entire week ripping out about 30+ rounds of stockinette. It’s still a little big – there’s some weird bagging on the sides of the chest where the ease suddenly becomes positive instead of negative – but it fits pretty well for the most part.
If this is starting to look like deja-vu, that’s because Tasia recently(ish) knit this pattern in brown. I swear, I had it in my queue long before I saw her finished project, buuuuut I fully admit that her pictures were what moved the pattern to the top of the queue. God, she always knits the best stuff. I gotta stay out of her Ravelry or else I’m going to start looking like a total creeper, ha.
Anyway, I’m just going to glean over the basics here (if you want the full deets, check out my Ravelry notes). This is a size 33, with modifications to the waist and arm width. I used Plymouth Galway in a lovely peacock blue; it’s similar to my beloved Cascade 220 except a bit cheaper (and this was REALLY cheap, as I picked it up during the after-Christmas sale at Haus of Yarn). I started it during my flight to NYC, and finished earlier this week. It would have knitted up much faster had I not spent a week unknitting my boo-boo, but oh well 🙂
Next time I make this, I will probably go down another size, as well as make more decreases. It’s still a little too baggy for my liking.
At any rate, this is a great pattern – quick to knit, easy to customize (look at the other Raveler’s projects; some people have made their with STRIPES. Ooh!), and fairly mindless stockinette. I think this would make a great first-sweater pattern. Bonus – it doesn’t use a whole lot of yarn! Which means I still have like 3 skeins of that peacock blue laying in my yarn stash. Uh.
Sorry these pictures are bad, by the way! I took these yesterday as soon as I got home from work. Lesson learned – wait until the brightness of the sun goes down JUST A BIT. And yes, I am totally wearing shorts with my wool sweater. Whatever, it was like 80* outside and this is my blog and you can deal with it :B
But hey, spring is totally in the air. Here I am looking at the birds fussing at each other in the tree above me.
And lest you think I live in a mud pit (naw girl, that’s just the one part in front of my nasty-ass shed, ha), here is proof that the rest of the yard has exploded in green. I just realized that bush behind me is honeysuckle, and you have no idea how happy that makes me.
I like, very much! Yes, spring has finally sprung in the South, thank Gawd.
GIRL, make yourself that owl sweater I lurked on your ravelry. I bought the pattern months ago, but ended up being crazy busy (but I now have a Masters degree!) I don’t even like owls, but I’m obsessed with that sweater, and if you look at the creators blog she seems really sweet. This one looks so awesome, I think you could pull off the owls in no time.
Oh, I absolutely want to – it’s been at the top of my queue for months (and I don’t even like owls either – I just think it’s REALLY cute haha). The only reason I haven’t made it yet is because I can’t find a good wool yarn that is actually affordable and not a heinous color. Either it ends up costing $80, or the only colors available are horrid. I’m still looking, though 🙂
And wooohoooo congratulations on getting that Masters!! So awesome!!! 😀
THANK! Also, idk if you’ve ever watched Twin Peaks, but if I make that thing (right on the crazy expensive part) I’m totally calling it “the owls are not what they seem.” I haven’t checked eBay in a while for yarn, but I do have a couple of thrift store sweaters I plan on trying to salvage from by unraveling.
OMG I never even thought about getting knitted sweaters and unraveling them! Thanks for the tip!!
Before too much longer, I won’t need any store but thrift stores for EVERYTHING in my life haha!
I’m actually knitting that owl jumper right now- it knits up really quick! Do it 🙂
Ooo! I’m making the owls right now! I’m using Cascade Eco+, which has been really nice to work with. Comes in a lot of nice colours too (plus yay Cascade!!). I was just thinking of recommending owls to you while reading this post, but I’m not surprised you’ve already heard of it (or had other rec it).
Cascade 220 is 50% off at yarn.com until the end of May! I bought enough to make me an Agatha for less than $30!
Nooooo don’t tell me that!!! Ahh, there goes my paycheck…
If my paycheck must suffer, so shall yours. Mwahahahahahahaha!
I think I may end up making an order for a 2nd sweater’s worth of yarn with my next paycheck as it’s so cheap right now.
I’ve made Owls! In fact, it’s blocking right now. And it. Was. So. Easy.
I did it in a charcoal-grey chunky wool (Naturally Naturelle 554 – I figured I live in New Zealand, land of sheep, so I really need to make a special effort to buy New Zealand wool) and it looks fantastic, I just want it to hurry up and dry so I can wear it because it’s getting cold.
Valley Yarns Northampton Bulky (WEBS’s house brand) is $5.99/skein and comes in a ton of colours, and you’d only need 4-5 skeins depending on if you’re making size 1 or 2.
MY HERO. Bookmarking this now, thank you!!!
I’ve knitted several ‘mini-owls’ for my daughter – I have yet to knit an Owl for myself, But yeah they are AWSOME and easily done top-Down as well in order to adjust for bust darts and depth of the armholes.
‘Owls’ is absolutely worth making -in any size
Lovely jumper – love the colour. That is one of my favourite things so your screen caps made me laugh out loud 🙂
Things? WTF? I meant favourite films!
Yet another gorgeous sweater! I’m currently in process of making the Agatha and you can take all the credit for making me believe I could do it as my first sweater. Definitely has been no small feat but its looking better everyday! Keep up the great work
Yay!! Once you finish that Agatha, you’ll feel like you can knit ANYTHING (and you probably can, ha ;)).
I’m neglected my knitting since the sun came out… but high five to you for finishing (all in the name of replacing your stash with real wool!).
Love the fit on it. Have you actually knitted it by hand or used a knitting machine? I only have a sewing machine and overlocker so I guess I am restricted doing these kind of garments and would not have the patience to do it by hand! http://www.design-closeup.com/
Oh yeah, it’s knit my hand – a little piece of love in every stitch 😉 haha!
Next time you have to pull back a lot of rows (particularly in stockinette, I have a trick for you! Apparently this is a well-known trick, but I figured it out when I thought that you should be able to insert a lifesaver line at any time (in any row needed). And then I thought ‘why can’t you just insert your needle into whichever row you need to pull back to’. Here’s a link to my blog post about it, complete with pictures (because I’m totally not explaining myself properly).
http://sewingonpins.blogspot.ca/2013/03/how-to-rip-back-knitting-project.html
Another method I usually use is to take it off the needles and rip to one row before where you want to be. Put it back on the needles with too much worrying about the stitches. Then tink (unknit) the last row, You can pick up any missed stitches and all will now be on the needles in the correct direction,.
You know, I considered doing this but I was afraid I’d lose track of my rows and get the stitches all twisted so I went row-by-row. I did do a bastardized version where I shoved a bunch of stitches on the needle at a time, unraveled, and then went to the next set. This would have been quicker, though. Thanks for the link; I’ll keep it in mind for future reference (hopefully I won’t ever have to use it though, because = unknitting, BOO!)
Oh crap, forgot to say that I LOVE your sweater! I know it’s basic, but basics get worn more often then fancy sweaters, and the colour is awesome! You’ve really inspired me to get into knitting sweaters. 🙂
Do it! Knitting sweaters is so satisfying and granny-like 😀
Haha I have two sweaters on the needles right now and yarn to knit two more (plus some knit picks yarn eyeballed to make a summer cardi)! OBSESSED. 😀
Yep, I need to learn how to knit. I love that style, and it’s so hard to find well-made, basic sweaters that fit so nicely. The blue is lovely!
Best line in D&D: “I fell off the jetway again.” 😀
I’m working on that same sweater right now (my first!) and for something so easy, it is taking forever! I finished the body a few weeks ago and discovered that it was weirdly baggy in the back and looked horrible so I frogged it and started alllll over. And now I’m in California and it’s 70 degrees every day so I have no motivation to finish! But yours looks so nice that hopefully it’ll be the kick in the pants I need. I’ll be spending lots of time in trains/buses/cars this weekend…
Yeah, mine was like that too! HUGE in the back! Rework those decreases and consider going down a needle size too. And you can dooo it – just think, knit now and you’ll have a lovely sweater ready to wear when it gets cold again 🙂
Very cute, I love that colour! I also love honeysuckle, my nan had it her garden so it always reminds me of her 🙂
It smells so good! I am going to spend all day in my yard now, ha!
It may be basic, but that color makes it really amazing! I added this to my queue when Tasia made it, and tried to add it again just now… maybe it’s time to finally venture into sweater making!
I love it! That color looks so good on you and the raglan sleeves are way too cute.
Oh this is an ace jumper. I’d basically hurt someone if necessary to get one in mustard! (not really, but I do love yours!)
I think you should start knitting! C’mon, bring that Me-Made wardrobe full circle 😉
Gorgeous and a great color on you.
Totally sweet! Peacock blue is one of my favorite colors, so even if your sweater looked like crap (which it doesn’t), I would love it. Easy to knit, eh? Maybe this is the year I finally make a sweater.
Your shed looks like a barn. I thought you were going for the “rustic chic” look lol. Cute sweater! Everyone needs more cake.
I wish it was a barn, but it’s just a shitty, old, falling-apart shed haha. It is nice for storing all the crap I keep accumulating, though 🙂
You should join me on the crochet dark side — ripping out rows goes lickety-split. Ask me how I know. 😛
Your sweater is so lovely. That’s a great colour!
Haha, I actually learned how to crochet first 😉 I’m not very good at it, though (I kept skipping stitches so I have to count every.single.stitch – not good for tv-watching!), so I moved to knitting. I like knitting better, but I do miss how easy it was to rip out crochet stitches!
Great classic sweater!! Looks comfy, and the color is beautiful on you! And, damn girl, I am just so impressed with your handknit sweaters! I feel like I’ve said it so many times that I’m starting to bore myself – but – you totally inspire me to learn how to knit! Also – honeysuckle is the shit!! Prepare to be swept off your feet by amazing smells…
I love the colour of your sweater, its so gorge! Its a classy piece! love it!
I like it! It’s such a beautiful color! It’s so fun to discover a plant you didn’t know you had in your yard. I just figured out that I have a lilac in mine. Don’t know how I didn’t notice it last year. It smells fantastic and the butterflies love it. I just want to sit by it all day! 🙂
Omg I wish we had a lilac plant in our yard! Those are so beautiful and they smell awesome! Totally jelly right now 🙂
Ace! Shorts and jerseys are totally legit – legs don’t feel the cold as much as sensitive kidneys 🙂
Ohh yes, I like your way of thinking! 🙂
I have no patience for knitting but you are swaying me girl!
Yay! I love the idea of having a bunch of basics. I am tempted to make another Francis Revisited cowl neck…. I do love the colour you’ve chosen. 🙂 I find it really hard to find yarn that’s a) the right weight, b) the right composition of fibres, and c) the right COLOUR!
So what I’m trying to say is this looks great 🙂 lol. Well done ripping back those rows, I hate doing that too 🙂
That’s my favorite color! I wish I could knit but I don’t know how to do it 😦
Love the colour! And a good basic is always a good thing.
Hey Lauren, just wanted to say that I am so proud of you for actually ripping back once you noticed a sweater had problems! Also super jealous that you manage to actually finish your damn knitting projects, I have plastic tubs full of lovely yarn that never became whatever I started at age 18.
Thank you! I’m just glad I caught the problem in time to fix it – although I wish I’d caught it, oh, 30 rows back 🙂 Better to rip back than spend a lot of time knitting something I’ll never wear, I suppose!