Having wrapped up multiple projects for others lately and said “see you next year” to the bulky cardigan I started in December and won’t need till next December, I’m at a rare moment: A clean slate. And rather than rushing into anything that hadn’t been sufficiently thought through (which resulted in No. 2 below), I’ve been taking my time making my plans. But this is how they’re crystallizing:
1. The shawl-collar vest
After some deliberation (and discussion with you all) about using mismatched wool from my stash versus acquiring a more wearable cotton blend, I decided on the latter. I’ve bought a handful of skeins of Rosa Pomar’s Mungo — 50% recycled cotton and 50% recycled wool, all preconsumer mill waste — swatched a couple of ways, and am ready to cast on. The fabric is nothing at all like the Balance I know and love — it’s much more summery, more cottony, lighter — even though they’re both 50/50, so I’m eager to see how this goes.
2. The Luft mystery project
In the absence of any specific plan or outcome, and the presence of this swoony black Luft, I’ve been knitting it into a garter-stitch triangle, which may become a rectangle or a square, or may simply be ripped out. Only time will tell. But no moment spent with this yarn flowing through my fingers is wasted. It’s a therapy unto itself.
3. The navy pullover
I haven’t even so much as swatched, but I’m pretty certain the ultra-plain little navy pullover I’ve been wanting will be knitted from two strands of this deep dark blue Bummull. As it will probably be a simple stockinette top-down — a good pick-it-up-anytime project — I’m thinking of casting on and planning to knit it here and there between now and next fall, when I’ll be wanting it again.
4. The “kimono” jacket
While multiple brands have renamed their “kimono jackets” to the more accurate “haori,” the fact remains that this Assembly Line pattern I’ve purchased bears the name Kimono Jacket. But name aside, I’m super obsessed with this pattern, the shape of this jacket, and am planning to sew it up in navy linen, which I have a lot of in my stash from Eliz Suzann’s $2/lb garage sale a couple of summer ago — I’m just waiting for the pattern to arrive at my mailbox. This will be an excellent all-purpose garment throughout the year.
5/6. The pants
As previously noted, I’ve been thinking for a long time of sewing a pair of woven Hudson Pants, and think the guinea-pig fabric might be that stripe in my stash. (I still have those Jenni Kayne pants in my head.) But there’s also still the goal of the Carolyn Pajama pants in navy linen with black piping, for street wear. Not sure yet which will come first; either/both will be awesome with the jacket.
That should keep me busy for a little while!
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PREVIOUSLY in Queue Check: January 2019
That “kimono” jacket would make a great bathrobe if extended a bit. Hmmm….
Today is the International Day of Happiness and so I am just going to give thanks for a yarn called “Bummell” which made me smirk.
Who knew!
Not me until a friend e-mailed this morning bidding me happiness.
Ah, I love seeing Mungo in your queue check. I’ve been thinking it’s time to cast on with that yarn, and so I’m glad to know it feels summery.
If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was 100% cotton, or maybe some linen content. It’s definitely not woolly.
That cotton blend swatch looks so crisp and clean! Is that after washing, or before? It’s going to make a beautiful garment.
And I never knew there was such a thing as International Day of Happiness, but I’m 100% behind the idea!
It’s after washing. In fact, I initially soaked and air-dried it, then measured for gauge. Then out of curiosity, I washed it in a delicates load and dried it in the dryer on low. It remains unchanged from pre-blocked gauge!
What size needle are you using for Mungo? I’ve been looking at Mungo for knitting seasonally transitional sweaters for the little guys, but with it knitting up lighter for you, perhaps it’s better suited for warm weather garments?
This swatch is on US7 and knitted up at 19 sts / 4 in. It’s looser than I typically knit my stockinette, but since I want to be able to wear this (indoors obvs) throughout spring/summer/fall, I think I’m going with that. If I were making a pullover and wanting it to be warmer, I’d go down a needle size for a denser fabric. And I imagine it would be a good TX sweater, but it’s hard to say how warm it will wear — it is 50% wool.
It sounds like it’d be great for layering pieces. Thank you!
Including the “kimono” jacket in your que check feels like a missed opportunity to highlight Emi Ito’s writing on why the use of the word “kimono” is problematic even when it isn’t used mistakenly to reference a garment more inspired by the haori. Here is the article where she describes her feelings as a Japanese American https://densho.org/my-kimono-is-not-your-couture/ and I hope you will share it as you move forward with your project.
I hadn’t read that before — thanks for sharing the link.
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