Ever

Have you ever bought yarn with little to no plan? A lot of yarn? You would never, right? Of course not. But is it really a crime to buy 12 balls of yarn if you have a vague idea? What if you give yourself a deadline?

At this time last year I bought a very large bag of wool that I promptly stowed in my closet - in the original shipping box - without even opening it! I had dreams people, dreams of a big bulky cardigan. Something kinda tailored, but cozy. Something sorta chic that I could dress up with a pencil skirt and boots or down with leggings. Something that would knit up quick with some textural interest. Something that I could wear outside as a jacket on crisp fall days and would keep me warm in my drafty old house on the most frigid days.

I absolutely swoon over bulky yarns. First off, a sweater is usually a commitment. The idea that I could finish knitting an entire sweater in 10 days is quite appealing. But beyond instant gratification, I love how the scale of the a bulky yarn brings the texture into clear relief. And yet, while it can make for a joyful and quick knit, bulky sweaters can make a person look bigger. Frankly, I don’t really need to look any bigger than I already am, so I tend to shy away from bulky garments. Unless it’s fitted, you run the risk of looking like a blob. But if you pair volume on top with something tighter on the bottom, it is possible to get away with it. I did a little yarn research and landed on Rowan’s Big Wool. Dusty pink would be the perfect antidote to the gloomy days of winter. With this vague “plan” in mind, I placed my order, but by the time yarn arrived, I had so many projects in line I just didn’t get to it and all of a sudden it was Spring. My dream of a big beloved bulky cardigan melted with the snow and the big ole box of yarn languished at the bottom of my closet collecting dust. Gone, but not forgotten. Until now.

I might have blown my original self-imposed deadline by a mere 10 months, but here she is! Meet Ever. She’s an every day, kinda chic, long and lean bulky cardi with flare. And I mean that literally. Did you see the collar? As much as I like a busy mashup of texture, I wanted something simple, but with enough interest that I would be excited to reach for her every day. In fact, Ever is the first piece in a collection I am working on called Quotidienne. That’s French for daily, for you Francophobes. Quotidienne will be a collection of basics that you will reach for every day with pride. Easy enough to make and just what you want to wear. You won’t even think twice. Ever.

So when you’re finished with your gift knitting and you’re ready to give yourself something special, Ever might just be the thing! And as a special holiday treat, the pattern is 20% off until Christmas. Go get her!