A Warm Hug From Your Best Boyfriend

(Trying to take a selfie while giving myself a hug!)

That is how I feel about my new Ombre Yarneater sweater.

I have worn it numerous times and I can not get cold in it. (Nor do I get overheated, but I like it warm.) Even on the days when it's been a little windy outside, I can feel the wind as it makes its way through the knitted fabric, but it's not cold. (Contrast that to a nylon jacket where the wind can't get through but the nylon on your skin definitely feels cold.) It's very cosy. Mmmmm...excuse me as I snuggle for a moment.

Here you can see the full sweater a little better. I ended up with seven stripes as I made my way through the yarns. It's more striped than an ombre effect, but on the other hand it definitely progresses from a lighter, brighter colour to darks. I am happy with the balance.

To review the construction a little, the pattern starts with a big ribbed cowl neck:

Then the body is shaped with evenly-spaced increases around the yoke:

That's  my first handspun in the first few rows of the
second colour. It blends right in with the Malabrigo!

On the pattern sample the increases were more noticeable (little holes) but I wanted mine to be less visible. I used the lifted increase, lifting and knitting into the leg of the stitch below the current stitch. I don't think this type of yoke is the most flattering and I usually avoid it, but I thought it suited this sweater and since it is oversized, the fit is not as crucial.

After the yoke, the stitches are split for the body and sleeves. The body is worked straight with no waist shaping.

The body and sleeves are finished with 2x2 ribbing:

I had to make the ribbing a little shorter than the pattern called for because I didn't have enough yarn, but I don't think it hurts the sweater any. The sleeves also are a little shorter than called for, but I think that has worked out for the best. The sweater could easily look really sloppy and too-long sleeves would not help.

Another thing I worried about while working on it was the overall length of the sweater. Too long and it's a tunic. Too short and it's cropped. Plus making sure the stripe widths were balanced. I'm really happy with where the length ended up, and thankfully didn't have to work hard or finagle much to get there. :)

The only negative about the sweater is that it does make me look rather like a football player. The shoulders are wide and of course the whole thing has a very bulky fit.

My best impression of a body builder pose.
Ya, there's a reason I don't do this professionally...

But on the other hand, although fitted bulky items are fine when that's what you want, I definitely wanted a roomier bulky sweater in this piece. And I got what I wanted.

It took me a while to get pictures of this sweater once it was finished. With the long work hours and the shorter day length, it was hard to find an opportunity. But last Monday it was sunny when I got out of work and I knew the best of the fall colours had just passed, so I got changed as soon as I got home and ran outside to get these shots.

I mentioned before that I started collecting these various yarns well before I knew what I was going to do with them. I didn't think that they were colours that I wore much so I wasn't sure how that was going to work out. Of course, the first time I wore the sweater, I looked through my closet to see what I could wear with it and found a perfect green skirt with orange flowers and mustard-yellow tights. I am amazed how often that happens and it makes me think I have no idea what colours I wear!

I also wouldn't think yellow would be good on me but I think the warm tones of this sweater are fine.

That is a happy knitter.

Project Stats
Started: 19 Sep '14
Finished: 4 Oct '14 (I read on Ravelry that someone got theirs done in one week. I was hoping to match that, but it took me two.)
Pattern: Ombre YarnEater by Stephen West ($12 in ebook with 2 other patterns)
Materials:
1. Ella Rae Classic Solids, Heathers & Marls (601 yellow) 1 skein total ($0)
    Malabrigo Yarn Lace (35 Frank Ochre) 23g ($5.50)
    Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted (Sauterne) 59g (leftovers)
2. Handspun Fleece Artist Merino 50g ($10) alternating with
    Malabrigo Yarn Aquarella (c12 Palmar) 198g ($17)
3. Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted (37 Lettuce) 54g (leftovers)
    Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine (1292) 50g (leftovers)
    Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted Multi (40ns Sunshine) 36g (leftovers) alternating
    with Ella Rae Classic Solids, Heathers & Marls (601 yellow)
4. A few rows of Malabrigo Yarn Aquarella (c12 Palmar) to blend
5. Lana Grossa Olympia (417) 100g (€8.50)
6. Mystery handspun thick and thin 91g ($30)
7. Lana Grossa Olympia (040) 100g (€8.50)