Something I’ve been trying to do for a while now, but especially with a move (hopefully within the next year) in mind, is use up yarn and fiber in my stash.

I have a massive amount of fiber, including whole fleeces, and yarn, but have the classic problem where I don’t always have enough for a sweater, or at least not the right sweater. But, I’m doing my best to pull things together with a pattern and get some projects set up for the rest of the fall and winter.

Right now, I am primarily working on fixing my Primrose sweater, which is knit from a (very expensive) kit, for the third time. Yes, I have put the sleeves on and knit the yoke twice. Then I realized the sleeves were like compression socks so I ripped them out and re-knit one. Realized it was still too small, knit the 2nd sleeve in a custom size, and ended up with something that is still fitted but feels good (I can wear a thin long sleeve under it if needed…but I won’t need to because this sweater is so warm).

So yes, I’m trying to finish that, but also work on it slowly/intentionally so that I end up with something I’m really happy with. I’m intended for it to be a bit cropped and hit nicely at the top of my high-waisted jeans. Fingers crossed I’ll have that before the end of the year.

I also have a few other sweaters I already started, but they’re primarily plain stockinette and I’ve stalled out a bit since they’re a little boring. One is knit with this beautiful unspun from Uist – it is an alpaca mix and so delicate. I’m knitting with just one strand and am getting this ethereal yet rustic fabric. I haven’t decided how I want to end the sweater yet, but I’m thinking of having a pretty deep split hem with a basic 2×2 rib.

The other basic raglan I started is with some handspun. I love this yarn – it is a little rough, but the mix of color and texture is something I’m really excited about. I like that it is variegated through the mix of fibers, as opposed to dye on the same base. It is a mix of Lincoln, Icelandic, dyed Polwarth, and some Harrisville Designs roving.

Another sweater I’ve had plans for for a while is the Fisherman’s Raglan by Lív Ulven. I really liked how Carmen (from Knitting a Good Yarn)’s came out – the fabric seemed very light (due to it being unspun) but toothy. I have this brown-gray Nutiden in my stash that I decided would work well, but unfortunately my first attempt at knitting this was way too dense. I held it double on size 7 needles and it was like a lead blanket. I decided I wouldn’t be happy with it as is and re-swatched on size 9 needles. I feel like the new fabric is much closer to what I had in mind, and I’m hoping this will be a relatively quick knit.

I also finished my Halloween sweater for this year. I had been thinking about making a chart of this famous(?) woodblock for a while…

…and knit it up on a simple, set-in sleeve Plötulopi sweater (based on some notes I took when knitting the same sweater in solid black, and then again in red Nutiden with a little lamb).

For some upcoming plans, I have these two skeins of indigo over marigold yarn I dyed that I’d like to try making into a basic, fitted, cropped, set-in sleeve sweater. I have this old American Apparel sweater that I think I’ll model the fit after, and I’ll try using Jessie Mae’s 1993 Tee pattern as a template.

I also have a sweater’s quantity of Harrisville Designs Daylights mill ends that I want to use to knit up a vintage fisherman sweater like the project Fringe Association did years ago.

I also have been dreaming of a fall colors Lovage forever after seeing gummywormybelly’s version on Ravelry years ago. I have some Uradale farms orange that I plan to use for the main color and then a mix of J&S/Jamieson’s colors for the rest. I also swapped out a few motifs to get a photoshopped swatch I’m excited to work with:

There are one or two colors that I could use a backup ball of, and I’ve told myself that when I get through all of these WIPs and 1-2 of the stash sweaters, then I can put in a J&S order for yarn to make Jeremy a fair isle sweater and to make myself this amazing sweater: