Knit me baby one more time

Last week we talked about wardrobe BFFs-(Best Friends Forever).  A BFF is a style we love so much that we have a hard time NOT choosing it as we get dressed.  Typically it’s unfussy and easy to wear, and we’d live in it if we could.  We’d buy one in every color because it just works for us.  The same thing goes with stuff we knit.  Our knitted BFFs have to look good, fit right, and have sufficient knitterly interest that we really enjoy the knitting process.  Optimally a knitted BFF is something we would actually want knit more than once.  That really raises the bar, doesn’t it!  Have you ever finished a piece of knitting and thought to yourself, “Boy, I’m glad that’s over!”  Not exactly something we’d want to make more than once.  A knitting BFF is exactly the opposite. 

A few weeks ago Kye fell In love with the sweater Nancy was knitting in Noro Shirikaba.  Kye liked it so much she got the pattern and started on her own that very day.  Less than two weeks later she was in the shop wearing her new sweater.  It really looked great on her, and she said that she had really enjoyed knitting it. The style is flattering and easy to wear, as a BFF should be.  But it was also interesting enough to knit that she chose new colors of Shirkaba with which to make two more!  Clearly this is a BFF for Kye.  Interestingly enough, I liked it too, as did Duffy and all the other women who saw it.  This is one of those designs that has a wide tremendously wide appeal and is likely to be a BFF for many knitters. 

What makes it so?  Well, first the pattern stitch is both simple and interesting.  You work several rows of stockinette and just when you’re starting to get bored with that, you work a couple rows of seed stitch.  Then back to stockinette.  This pattern also makes it easy to keep track of your work and ensures that the front and back are exactly the same length.  Next, it’s an all-in-one construction.  After working the back, you simply cast on for the sleeves and continue up over the shoulder and down the front.  Sleeves are worked as you go and don’t need to be sewn in later, which brings us to another excellent aspect of this design:  minimal finishing.  When you’ve done all the knitting, you need only seam the sleeves from cuff to underarm and the sides from hem to underarm.  Your stitch pattern even helps ensure that everything matches up perfectly.  Very cool.  There’s a very smart placket and collar that you pick up at the end to give it a polished look.  It’s got the styling of a great polo shirt and the comfort of a sweatshirt.  The subtle texture enhances any fiber you choose.  It’s great in Noro Aya or Shirikaba, but it would also be great in our Rowan linen blend yarn which comes in fantastic colors and is so easy care.  Come take a look at the pattern and choose a color you love for a sweater you’ll want to live in.