Snowdrift stash: Earl Grey sweater

When I was at home over Christmas, I had a crystal ball moment when in my Dad’s study. It was packed with precariously stacked piles of stuff which make up his various collections. Standing next to a teetering display of Godzilla figurines I started to feel nervous in case it collapsed on me and I was crushed in some kind of tabloid-headline-friendly death of intense irony.

LOCAL GIRL CRUSHED BY GODZILLA(S).

[In tabloids you're always a girl until you reproduce. Then you're LOCAL MUM.]

They say genetics is destiny, and people, it was a glimpse into my own future. Back home I had my own collection growing out of control: my stash, especially my stash of knits. And I needed to deal with it.

Hence the snowdrift knit stash project, with the name my nod to the recent weather and the fact that if I fell into the stash, I might struggle to get out again.

My first project uses Dixie DIY‘s generous free PDF pattern, the Hot Cocoa sweater which she unveiled last year. Her design is a raglan sleeved knit top with cuffed sleeves, a round neckline, and a longer hem in the back, with a loose shape in the body. It’s one size, with a 34″ bust but thankfully I’m in this locale so I cut it straight out.

Here’s my Earl Grey sweater:

I was going to call it Grey Cocoa but that sounded like that chocolate that’s been forgotten and has fallen out of its wrapper and you only realise it’s even there when you reach into your coact pocket and get this evil powder under your fingernails. Which = tears.

Apart from a re-naming, I also tweaked Dixie’s design by using the reverse of the fabric for the collar and cuffs, and adding a breast pocket. I also cut about two inches off the sleeves.

My fabric is from Cannon Street Jersey Fabrics, a fairly thick grey textured fabric, featuring a white pin-dot pattern. The reverse almost looks like ribbing except the stretch is in the same direction as the ribs, not against it. Check out the contrast!

Love:

This pattern is lovely to work with. The cuff and neckline pieces are just the right size and I adore the raglan sleeves.

Love less:

I could have done with making the front a little longer since it hits just a half inch or so above my belt. Dixie’s version is a little longer so I think my bust size might be shortening it a little. Also, I sewed the collar on backwards…but as a woman without rules, I’m not re-doing it. My fabric might be a little too thick to drape as softly in the front as well but I really like the finished article.

The hem makes it a little too far from my comfort zone for me to throw on everyday but I really like having something a little different to reach for. And I think the pattern’s ripe for a little more experimentation…

Have you tried any blogger’s patterns recently? Are you physically threatened when passing a teetering pile of your stash? Is a useless pocket worse than no pocket at all? Let me know!