Fall Rowan

I've been looking at Rowan 46 for a few days now, and it is not surprising that there are several patterns I quite like. I am always attracted to thick warm woolly sweaters which is slowly becoming problematic as the winters lately seem increasingly mild.  I always said that I would be one of those old ladies rattling about a drafty old house in Maine; my choice in sweaters, at least, seems to confirm this predilection.

I think I have learned not to say "these are the patterns I am going to make" although I may or may not make all of them at some point or another.  I haven't even started the sweaters I intended to make from Book 45 as I am still finishing up sweaters from last summer.  These are simply the designs I love without regard to where I would wear them now, whether they fit in my life now or at some undetermined future time, under some as yet unknown future conditions.  

They are all sweaters I love, that fit my style, and that I can imagine myself wearing in spirit.  

The first sweater pictured, Stockport, should not be surprising.  I love the shape.  I love the yarn, Cocoon, so soft and cuddly and light.  Of course I love the way they've styled it here which gives me ideas, but I can see wearing this little sweater layered in several ways. If I do manage to make it soon, I can see myself wearing it for one of our late September or early October Sunday afternoons in the Berkshires.

And this sweater, Rona,  may seem a bit out of character to some, it does to G anyway, but I adored it the instant I opened the magazine as it is the second sweater shown, in a glorious two page spread.

Again I admit to being attracted by the styling, as well as the color choices on this one, soft muted colors that I could wear well.  

Although my initial reaction was something along the lines of "I love that" followed by "Granny Squares, I would never have thought" that too is some disingenuous  as I have a summer cardigan made from granny squares that I have had, and adored, for years.  It was purchased a long time ago, back when it still took me nearly a year to finish a sweater, and it may or may not survive the cuts when my ongoing closet clean-out finally gets to the sweater closet.

But this sweater would definitely survive were it already knitted and I can already imagine it with certain wardrobe basics.

I always have a weakness for those thick warm, country weekend sweaters which is not at all surprising as I live a kind of country-weekend life.  This pattern, called Benbecula, reminds me of crisp autumn days and chilly winter afternoons by the fire.  I see it with jeans and boots, perfect for all those days that are cool enough to need something but not cool enough for a heavy sweater or jacket, open and with short sleeves the layering options are fabulous. 

Burghley is another thick, fall sweater that I can imagine just living in.  This has a little more presence, with the feel of a jacket as well as a cardigan.  It is knit from wool cotton, much more versatile than a thick wool, which may be more appropriate for autumn days or late/winter early spring, and perhaps even for cool indoor environments as well.  I may not live in a drafty old castle, but modern houses with walls of glass have their own insulation issues.

I am also wildly attracted to  Stronsay.  Granted it is a men's sweater and even the smallest size would be pretty loose and bulky.  I know that what I am attracted to here is the idea of this sweater, and of course the colors used in the original which are so perfect with the soft grays and greens and that pop of autumnal rust.

This I can see wearing, at least I can see some ideal of this sweater on me, although I am as yet undecided as to whether I would just go for the straight "boyfriend sweater" sweatshirt effect,  which would be great to wear out raking leaves or shoveling snow, or traipsing around mucky country paths in sturdy boots and jeans, or if I would modify the pattern to employ that luscious plaid in a sweater that was perhaps a little more fitted.  When I do decide what is perfect, this looks like a sweater that could rival Rogue as one of my favorite winter hoodies.

Cheadle jumped right out as a sweater that is perfectly "me".  I love the unusual cables which run from side to side, and I love the cropped length as well.  This sweater is also much more adaptable, at least to me.  I can see it dressed up a bit or down, moving beyond fields and barns and country estates.    My only question is whether it is suitable for my  more busty, middle aged shape, but I am inclined to think that the sweater can be tweaked to fit, and the appropriateness is all in the details of fit and how it is worn.  I have been very happy lately with these short, waist to high hip length sweaters with shorter sleeves, worn as layering pieces with something longer underneath.  They seem to add interest and break up the expanse of the long torso, pulling the eye up to my long neck and away from my short legs.  

Perhaps I am just deluding myself.

Since I live in sweaters 9 to 10 months of the year, I do also need some indoor sweaters and it is always nice to find hand knit patterns that are light enough, simple enough, and interesting to knit enough that I might actually make them.

Claremont is one example here.  The shape is good for me with its short length and waist emphasis, as well as the face framing color.  This is a shape I wear well, and I love the argyle pattern.  The soft full sleeves are lovely and feminine, and best of all, for those of us who are seem unable to avoid dragging our sleeves through everything, are the nice long narrow cuffs.  I have always been attracted to the idea of a leg of mutton sleeve done well, a stye also hinted at by the current popularity of short sleeve sweaters layered over turtlenecks or long sleeve tees, such as Cheadle, above.

Last but not least,  I love the simple stripes of Thorington.   It seems I will never outgrow my love of turtlenecks and how can I resist a turtleneck of kidsilk haze and kidsilk shimmer.

Yummy to knit. Yummy to wear. Dressy enough to wear to dinner. Soft enough that I might never want to take it off.

Comments

[Liana]

I love seeing your choices and commentary. I never see the Rowan books, so it's a treat for me. Strangely, the granny square cardigan appeals to me, too. I think it's the colors and the Irish crochet roses that set it apart, and the rest of the design, of course. The plaid is almost exactly like one of my first sweaters, sans hood. I think it was a Leisure Arts pattern, and I did it really big. I loved it. I seem to be very attracted to horizontal cabling lately, too. There was a skirt with a cabled hem band in someone's collection a couple years ago that I still think about.