Ready for Sweater Weather

Even when I was a teenager, long before I was the avid knitter I am now, the middle of August would find me longing for "sweater weather".

This year the craving is stronger than it's ever been. Between the insanely hot summer we've had, and my proximity to all these stunning fall yarns, I'm absolutely ready for summer to be over.

Now, I'm not crazy. I'm not yet ready for full-on jackets and sleeves and mitts and boots and all that nonsense, but I'm definitely starting to feel vest-y. I've got some really great (sadly also discontinued) Harris Chunky Rowan yarn in my stash...



and it's screaming out to be made into something for those first few crisp days of fall.

I bought the yarn from the bargain bin at the Sheep a while ago with a specific project in mind; it's just been waiting for a slot to open up in my schedule so I could actually knit with it.

As to what I'm going to do with it... I have a pretty firm idea.

Back when The Naked Sheep first opened, I designed a vest for the shop in the newly released Rowan Plaid. The yarn is now discontinued, and it's a shame. It was a good one: a not too weighty chunky yarn, with nice colour combos, and a great hand. It was a blend of wool, alpaca and acrylic, so it was warm but light.

The vest itself was very simple - worked in reverse stocking stitch, with a single cable running up one side, and with a cowl neck.



The sample is long gone, too... I believe it may have moved to B.C. with the old shop owner, Lorena. I know she used to wear it. (That's the ultimate compliment that can be paid to a sample you've knitted for a shop - finding the owner wearing it!)

In fact, she's wearing it in this picture...



I want to recreate the vest so I get to wear it this time!

Of course, I can't leave well enough alone... this 2010 version will be worked from the top-down so that I can make it a bit longer. I don't have tons of yardage, and this way I'll be able to use up every last bit. The new yarn is a bit more textured than the original, so I think it requires a slightly larger scale cable, too.

I'm desperate to get going, but there is the small matter of the sock project I need to finish first...