A Sweater Throwback

Since 2020 just started I don't have any new projects completed at this moment. So, I thought that I would do a throwback post. Back to a project that I worked on before I had a blog.

Back in 2018 I stumbled across Loin Brand Yarn's "Mr. Roger's Neighborly Cardigan" knitting pattern. I passingly showed the patterned to my husband. Who responded more enthusiastically than I expected. He loved the look of this sweater and told me what color he wanted it in for himself.

Now I was stuck. I had liked the look of the sweater and the idea of it, but it was a bit out of my comfort zone. I have made other sweaters, so that wasn't the problem. The problem for me was the construction of the sweater. This one is knitted flat in six different sections that are then pieced together in the end. I tend to knit sweaters that are knit in the round in one piece. I find them easier to adjust when working and I have a better idea of the finished project. Also once taken off the needles the project is usually finished.

In the past, the sewing up at the end had been a struggle to me. One of the fist sweaters I ever made ended up as an unwearable disaster. I now wish that I had a picture of it just so you can see how ridiculous it looked. But, at that time I would not have been caught dead actually wearing it. It was simultaneously too short and too wide. The sleeves were also too wide and gave me wings. It was just not a good look. I think I tried it on once and then never ever again.

Not only was this new sweater pattern knitted flat and sewed up later, but is also had a zipper. I didn't even know how to even begin with that part of the project. But, I am almost always up for a challenge and if Mr. Roger's mother could make the ones that he wore on the show then I guess I could attempt to make one for my husband.

Not long ago the New York Post had an article about the sweaters that were made for the recent Mr. Roger's movie "Tom Hanks' sweaters for Mister Rogers movie took 9 weeks to knit" by Raquel Laneri. The producers for the movie wanted to be authentic to the sweaters in the original show and insisted that some of them had to be hand knitted. It was important to them that these sweaters be a bit imperfect to reflect the originals that were made by his mother. Like my mom says mistakes are how you know that it was handmade. I couldn't imagine making six sweaters in nine weeks. I think it took longer than that for me to just finish this one.

One of my favorite parts of this project is the collar. While I was knitting it I didn't understand how exactly it would attach to the body of the sweater. Once it was attached I loved the finished look that it gives. It pulls the whole sweater together and makes it look so polished. 

All in all I love the finished look of this sweater and although there might be a few imperfections that just makes it a one of a kind sweater. The end result was easier to put together than I thought. That zipper was more intimidating in my head than in actual completion. I find that more often than not this is the case. More than half of the battle is just overcoming my doubt.