FO: Buckwheat Pullover

I now have the first FO of 2011. I worked on most of it in 2010 except the sleeves which I knit after new year

Pattern: Buckwheat by Veera Valimaki

Yarn: Cascade Heritage, a little more than 2 hanks

Needle: Size 6 and 4 (for ribbing)

Size: The smallest (30″ bust)

This sweater looks very simple yet has a very interesting sleeves construction. This is the first time I see a pattern that utilizes short row for shaping. Other than, it is pretty simple. Knit bottom-up in one piece up to armhole before splitting front and back. I was attracted by this pattern because the style is something I would wear on a daily basis.

Additionally, I was drawn by the color that Veera used in the sample (malabrigo sock yarn in ochre). After seeing Ochre in person though, I decided the yellow might be too loud for me. I should have given it a try. I settled with Cascade Heritage which I bought at Stitches West two years ago. This yarn definitely gives me the bank for my buck. 440 yard/hank at $12, can’t beat that, can ya? It is also very soft and buttery, totally soft next to your skin. The drawback, this yarn is super elastic and doesn’t have a tad of structure I was hoping. As a result, I had to frog the first version at size 32″ bust, it came out looking like a bucket in my body (another reason why it took me forever to knit)

One thing I don’t like about this pattern (same goes with Geodesic Cardigan) is using DPN to knit sleeves. Perhaps, I am just not good with using DPN but somehow the stitches at needle ends look loose and wonky. I should have knit them back and forth then attach them to the body, too lazy to figure the math out.

 

I thought I give it a little kick by adding a brooch, which really is a hair pin. I need to invest on a real brooch

If I were to knit this again (which I might in different color), I would use a more tonal yarn, not necessarily variegated but tonal. Tonal yarn for sure adds certain something to an otherwise plain pullover.

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