My Very First Sweater For Me!

I've knit sweaters before, for pay (not so rewarding), for family members (definitely rewarding), and for my babies (very rewarding). But this is the first sweater that I knit for me. And I love it.

I'll admit it was touch and go there in the middle. After trying it on halfway through without the sleeves I was ready to give this away to someone, anyone who would take it. I am just not a vest person, and that's what it looked like to me. That dress rehearsal night was not a good night. I peeled off the half-finished thing and laid it on my dresser and went to bed. But I didn't go to sleep. I sat there in bed just staring at the disappointment that was to be my introduction to wondrously making my own clothes and made the determination that I could make sweaters for everyone else, but it was just not in the cards for myself. And that was a sad thought indeed for a knitter with a stash that contained yarn to make *just a few* sweaters and patterns and big plans.

Well, if I was going to give it away, I might as well finish it, I thought.

Then a magical thing happened as the sleeves took form and the applied I-cord was, um, applied. The sweater started to look, well, cute. People were noticing what I was knitting and asking me questions about it and getting excited. Knitters and non-knitters alike. And that is quite a range, I've found. Have you ever noticed that the yarn and patterns and stitches that really appeal to knitters hold little interest for non-knitters, and vice versa? If you hit on something that appeals to both, you've struck gold. At least here in my world.

As with a lot of things in my life, I'm so glad I persevered and pressed on just at the moment that I wanted to give up.

So without further ado, here is my sweater, my very first sweater for me:(My apologies for no pictures of me actually modeling the sweater. It's a classic dilemma: the person who knits is usually the best photographer in the house too. My friend Amy was just talking about this.)Pattern: Tulips for Women, size XS

Needles: size 7 for the body and size 5 for the seed stitch border

Yarn: Dream in Color Classy in Petal Shower, Dusky Aurora, Gothic Rose, and 2 very different shades of the same colorway, Cloud Jungle. (I used a half a skein of all the colors except for the Dusky Aurora, which required a full skein to finish the borders).There was no seaming to be done on this sweater, though the trade-off was many, many ends to weave in.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to wear the sweater yet or show it off at my Monday night knitting group or this week's knitting guild meeting, because I'll be dropping it off to be judged at the state fair on Monday morning. The fair doesn't open until the last week in August, but they like to have their submissions early. In fact, the deadline to submit your intention to enter items was August 6th. Luckily, I found that out on August 5th. Whew!

I haven't decided what I'm going to do with the left over half skeins of yarn yet. I could make the child's version of this sweater, or some thick multicolored socks. Right now I'm leaning towards the sweater, but it will have to wait, because I've already moved on to my next project.