I look outside and see endless white .. winter is having her last hurrah. A day that people would call “sweater weather”. Not wrong, but what is sweater weather? What is a sweater?
People typically associate sweaters with snow or falling digits. But in reality a sweater is just a knit item, cardigan, pullover, that can be made in any weight or any fiber content. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “a knitted garment typically with long sleeves worn over the upper body”
I love three or four season sweaters. My closet is full of Andrea Mowry’s So Faded. I have made it in fingering weight wool and fingering weight cotton. I have made it long sleeved, with three quarter sleeves and short sleeves. In air conditioning, or in the cotton version, it can be worn on the hottest days. No, I wouldn’t go for a hike in 90 degree weather wearing it, but Iprobably wouldn’t want to go for a hike in 90 degree weather!
There is a perception that wool is for cold weather. But wool has both warming and cooling properties. You can find a plethora of information on its breathability, and its ability to regulate temperature. I wouldn’t want a sweater made from Rasta for August, but fingering weight wool, particularly those with a nice multi ply, can be worn in warmer weather. And one of the nicest parts of all season sweaters is you don’t have to wait to wear them when completed!
It took me longer than expected but nevertheless I just finished the long sleeved version of Yume by Isabell Kraemer. This time I used Juniper Moon Findley (50 wool/50 silk) and Ito Kinu rather than Gima. Kinu is a raw silk which takes dye as only silk can. The result is a fabric that is drapey and cool. Can’t wait for the snow to stop so I can wear it! (Read more about the short sleeve version of Yume here)
Some other all season favorites: Ranunculus by Midori Hirose. Check out Laura’s version in Malabrigo Susurro. How about my Twinset Cardi? I have a long sleeve version, made in wool, but there is the original shorter sleeve version made in cotton. I just cast on for another short sleeve version carrying fingering wool and Ito Kinu (can’t get enough of it!). Now that Yume is done I can focus on this!
Hopefully we will be able to be out and about more this spring than last year. That means more occasions to wear sweaters, more air conditioned restaurants and movie theaters. Maybe I will see you there sporting your new sweater!
-Jennifer