No Longer Dormant

Today the rain let up enough to give me a chance to go on my first hike of the season, up the mountain behind my house to visit my favorite rhododendron.

It is big and gnarly, and its wide canopy creates beautiful dappled light on the ground that shimmers in the breeze; a perfect place to have a snack and some water before heading back home. Bees of all variety are starting to stir and buzz around, a sure sign that spring is here. I love this time of year when fresh green growth is beginning to replace the muted browns of the forest floor again.

My own green contribution to the season isn’t quite so beautiful to watch, but it is finally here again after more than a decade of hibernating.

If you recall, I first knit this sweater in 2007 and it was the first sweater I ever made for myself. Sadly, a few years after knitting it, I accidentally felted it in the washing machine (DO NOT WASH YOUR HANDKNITS IN A MACHINE.) Instead of giving up on it altogether, I ripped out all of the yarn and let it marinate in my stash for a good 10 years before I came back to it.

Reknit using the felted yarn, I am so glad to have this sweater back in my closet – it is exactly what I wanted it to be. Simple, warm, slouchy, as comfortable as your favorite sweatshirt only better because it is wool. I see myself turning to this over and over again as a wardrobe staple. Knit with Cascade 220 in the “Turtle Heather” colorway on size 8 needles, I hope my Cobblestone Pullover lives a long life safe from the washing machine, but as a failsafe I do have an extra skein of yarn in my stash for when the elbows inevitably wear thin, the collar begins to stretch, or there is an unfortunate encounter with an animal claw.

It truly is impossible to do anything outside without these two yokels tagging along.

But it’s ok, because a new sweater makes everything better.

I hope your part of the world is slowly turning green again too.

Until next time, stay creative.