Is it Winter?

Two knitting posts in a row must mean something! 

One of the things I love about Ravelry (and really the only reason I ever use it) is to look at pictures of the projects that other people have completed.  Oh, and I have also used it to find errata sheets about a pattern that I was using--yes, published knitting patterns have errors. Frustrating, but true.  Anyway, I checked the Eadon sweater out on Ravelry this morning and discovered a few things that will weigh in if and when I knit this. 

First, I will NOT use a yarn with color variations.  With cables and ribs I think one needs a nice solid color.  I want the texture to be the star and not have even small color variations compete with the cable/rib pattern. 

Second, I will use a neutral color.  Brown, gray, loden (although I already have a Land's End sweater with the same kind of cable and rib in loden)...you get the picture.  The many pink, blue, purple and orange sweaters on Ravelry's project pages just didn't do anything for me.  Maybe a burnt orange would work.  But something about the sweater design says earthy to me. 

Third, the sweater doesn't have a closure.  I didn't notice this in the pictures.  I have that similar (though shorter) sweater in the loden green and it has a zipper, so maybe my brain just automatically assumed a closure.  I'm  not sure I like this.  I have the felted coat I made from Ravelry and it doesn't have a closure either.  Must be a "youthful" fashion thing.  I don't mind the no closure on the coat so maybe I would be ok with it on the sweater.  I don't know.  I think I look sort of frumpy with my sweaters buttoned or zipped, so maybe no closure is a good thing.  Makes for a longer line on a short person.  And a little air flow for a hot flashing person ;-)

Fourth, no fuzzy soft yarns.  Here is a blog from someone who did the sweater in a slightly fuzzy yarn.  She complains that it seems too puffy.  I was attracted to the hard tightness of the cable and rib definition and don't like the look of her sweater.

Fifth, I will need to learn how to seam!  I like to knit in the round so I don't have to make seams.  I don't like finishing the knitting and having all sorts of pieces to put together--so you feel finished, but you aren't really done at all!  I understand all the stories of knitters with finished pieces in their knitting basket that have been sitting there for years!  Because of seam avoidance, I really don't know how to do it well.  So, if I knit this sweater, I will have to learn to make really good seams.  I don't want to get to the end and then not like the sweater because I can only make messy seams!  I think Marsha can help with this!