Warm, by Myself

There's been a cold front moving slowly through Chicago and with it has come the first real hints of fall. It's good sleeping weather, as the Incredibly Patient Mother reminds me, and she's right. These are the first nights that I want to burrow under an extra blanket, revel in the fact that it's quiet (no AC), and when I wake up I wonder where all of my woolen things are.  The Philosopher has gotten to wear a triangle for the first time this season-- he chose to start with the green one that I knit earlier this summer. I have a feeling that the requests for a "dress triangle" are going to start up again soon.

Yesterday though, for the first time ever, I pulled on a sweater I had knit for myself and went to the farmer's market.

It was perfect weather, cool but sunny. And while I bought ridiculously large zucchini, interesting squash, unusual apples, and parsnips, the Flax Sweater was just warm enough without being too much.



I've knit a lot of socks. I've made hats and scarves, mittens and shawls. And this isn't even the first sweater that I've knit for myself--a couple of years ago I made a light cardigan that will, if I ever get it dyed because I shouldn't wear pale yellow, be a lovely addition to my closet. I made that green sweater from the same yarn (Filatura Lanarota Wool Sprinkles) but the shoulders turned out too wide and it went to live with the IPM. But this was the first handknit sweater that I've made that I've actually gotten a full day of wear out of.

The Incredibly Patient Mother made many of our clothes as I was growing up. I have a sewing machine but I'm seriously out of practice making entire garments, though she taught me and the muscle memory runs deep. The satisfaction though, of walking down the street knowing that I'd made my clothes was probably tangible to the people around me.

I've worn it again today, just at home, and as both of the cats have been trying to burrow into my chest at various points, it seems that they like it as well. Pyewacket keeps licking the sweater--not a felting problem that I had anticipated needing to ward again. Paired with my Pumpkin Patch socks, I'm feeling very handknit from head to toe.

And warm, by my own cleverness and some time, sticks, and string. Maybe there's something to this sweater bug I hear about...