Sunset Highway – Blogmas Day 6

I finished Sunset Highway, by Caitlin Hunter, like a month or two ago. I know you’ve seen a thousand million of them so why read further? Because I said so. You must read further.

This was originally one of a slew of sweaters I cast on this year with the hopes of getting the perfect oversized fit. I did get it, just not with this one. As I began the yoke, I kept tightening up to a finer gauge than recommended for my size. I think I just liked this fabric better. So I went with it and after 7 months of working sporadically, I wasn’t about to rip it back.

Have you ever had a project in which you used some special skeins you’d been saving from the “too good for socks” bin? Three of these colorways were some of those. The Knit Picks Cully wasn’t a cherished skein but, honestly, I love that color and imagine I’ll be revisiting it eventually.

The main colorway is Digital Bath by A Homespun House. I don’t see it in her shop anymore, but it was one of my favorites of her speckles. I love Molly’s yarn, but I hadn’t actually used the few skeins I owned until this sweater. Again, the whole preciousness thing. (Is it weird that I’m really excited that her family has moved to my country. It’s not like we’ll be neighbors.)

Here’s what I love about Sunset: 1) It was my gateway pattern into the world of Caitlin Hunter. Now I’m her biggest stalking knitter. You know you’re one too. #Instaknit is crowded with us, so I’m not sure why my Urban Dictionary entry Stitter hasn’t taken off.

2) It lets you really enjoy 3 colors you may only have one skein of.

3) It was the first use of variegated and highly speckled yarns in colorwork that I remember, something we now take for granted when we knit.

4) The colorwork has a soft, laid-back feel to it. No harsh lines. This makes it look extra good with an oversized fit. I’ll just deal.

Here’s what I did wrong, besides knitting too small a size: When I finished the colorwork,  I kept knitting with the same size needles for the body, at the same gauge. It is much wider than I need and meant to be almost cropped. For some reason it wants to cling to me and stretch down my torso. It pulls at the arms weirdly because of that. I’m going to block it again, pinning it out wider and shorter, but I’m not sure that will help. Possibly going up a needles size would’ve made the transition from the heft of the yoke to the lightweight body smoother and there’d be more flow, less cling.

Here’s the details, for those of you who succumbed to the subliminal messages in the above images and are still reading:

These are my colorways and where to find them, though I feel certain you know all about these yarn brands, unless you’re new to knitting.
MC: A Homespun House Soft Sock in Digital Bath,
CC1: Tosh Merino Light in Chicory
CC2: Knit Picks Hawthorne Fingering Multi in Cully
CC3: Voolenvine Yarns’ Footsie in I Am No Bird

Below, is an awkward pose. I look like I’m trying to do one of those pro body builder stances. And failing miserably. Scroll on for my Lucille Bluth edit. See, this is why you stuck around.

(more on Ravelry, Instagram, the podcast, Flickr)

Another post on this knit is here. And on my podcast episodes, like all of them up until now (1-20).