Skinny Empire in Pink

Here is another finished beauty that has been worn and loved without being shared on the blog due to the month I went AWOL. I started this when we went to Burro Mountain Homestead and made quite a lot of progress.

Unfortunately, when I got home, I realized that my knitting wasn't very even and it was painfully obvious. So I started over {and then over again}. Luckily, this sweater didn't go the way the coachella sweater {which I've started over about 10 times and is still half knitted after being fully completed and blogged but only worn once because the knitting wasn't very even and just didn't look very good}.

But, thankfully, I figured out the problem and I might even be able to go back and finish up coachella {and be happy with it}.

The yarn is a sport weight cotton, perfect for our desert summers. Worsted weight cotton is just too much yarn, even in spring, to be comfy.

I bought Knit Picks Sport Weight Cotton yarn, which is just lovely. Unfortunately, since I substituted yarn, I didn't do the necessary math at first and just bought 5 skeins of yarn {just what the pattern called for}.

It wasn't until about an hour later when I realized {to my horror} that the yarn the pattern called for had larger skeins and that I need to do math to figure out how much yarn I actually needed to buy and I had not bought enough yarn. This was Sunday. Knit Picks is closed. And by Monday morning, Knit Picks had already fulfilled my order by the time I called

{first time I was disappointed by 

efficient customer service}.

I was stuck with 5 skeins of yarn.

Would it last?

Only time would tell...

The Skinny Empire sweater is a pullover in stockinette with an empire waist made by a ridge. The ridge is made as you go and it really is quite easy, especially if you do it 3 or 4 times which is about how many times I did this portion of the sweater. At first I thought I needed to do a few short rows to add a little extra space in the front. I didn't.

So, that last time I worked the ridge, I was a pro.

I love raglan sleeves, if only because I hate seaming.

H A T E it.

Today, I was working on my current project and spent 5 hours on one sleeve. 5 hours. I hate seaming. So, the raglan sleeve is a wonderful invention...

...just like circular knitting.

The sweater is also knit from the top down. This is my second sweater that is knit from the top down and I absolutely love it {the first: the ever popular February Lady sweater}.

Reason #1: less seaming. You don't have to sew the sleeves under the arm because you are picking up the stitches. {And you know how I feel about seaming}.

Reason #2: you can adjust the size as you go and can make it as long as you want

{but only if you buy enough yarn}.

Another detail that sets this pullover apart is the ruffly collar. The pattern also has an optional white layer to the collar that I want to add {eventually} but just don't have the yarn yet. It seems a lot to buy a skein of yarn just to go around the neck and it really looks cute as it is.

Someday, it may be embellished if I have some leftover yarn...

In order to make sure I used every last bit of yarn I had, I worked the sweater until I had one skein left. Then, I finished up the sleeves and neck ruffles before I finished up the bottom. And, even though I would have made it longer if I had just one more skein, I had just enough yarn to finish the sweater {whew!}. 

And, again, another sweater that I just haven't had a chance to take a picture of me wearing it. But, after the cold spell that we've had this past week {with highs in the low 40's} and me wearing at least 3 layers of clothing inside just to be warm, I am not wearing this beauty again until we get a little spring heat.

The Eiffel Tower is the Empire State Building after taxes
~ Anonymous