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Avena FO

Details

Pattern:

Avena by Jennifer Steingass

Yarn:

New Lanark Aran in Verona and New Natural

Cost:

Pattern: The patterns are $7 each but buy 2 get 1 free. I bought 3 so a 1/3rd of that = £3.98

Yarn: 5 balls £40.14 (Verona ) and 1 ball (£7.95 New Natural). (Bought at discounted price)

Total (excluding labour): £52.07

Timeline:

Started – 21st February 2024

Finished – 12th November, then neckline amended and finished 20th November 2024.

Link to Ravelry Page

Pattern summary

The pattern is for Worsted weight wool and I was using Aran.  I started off knitting size D but it was way too big so I looked at my Fern and Feather (which used the same yarn) and worked out I should knit size A. 

I finished the colourwork section at the end of May, it then sat neglected until the end of October.

I’d had concerns about the colourwork section not laying flat which caused the delay in continuing it.  This was all sorted after blocking thankfully.

Once it had been blocked I was unhappy with how open the neck was despite me doing a rib neck instead of the rolled neck.  I unpicked the rib neck (not a quick job to unpick a cast on edge and multiple rows of rib!).  Then I knitted some rows using 3.75mm needles, it was still looking too low at the back so I did 6 rows of German short rows, then changed to 3.5mm needles and did 1×1 rib. 

For all the rib bind offs I used the invisible ribbed sewn bind off.

I regularly re-knit patterns, I think this will be an exception to that.  As beautiful as the pattern is and the jumper looks I can’t see me making another…but I could be wrong.  There’s nothing wrong with the pattern and I wouldn’t discourage anyone from it. I have yarn to make a 2nd Fern and Feather (also designed by Jennifer).

Yarn Summary

Well this is my favourite yarn so I’m totally bias.  This is the 4th jumper I’ve made in this Aran yarn and I’ve now started a 5th.  I’ve also made a jumper with their bulky yarn and other items with their DK and Aran.  The Verona colour has tiny flecks of red, green and blue.

I’m absolutely devastated to hear that New Lanark are stopping spinning their yarns.  Their yarn was spun on an ancient hydro powered mill using British wool, but the costs have been too much to keep it going.  I have in my stash two jumper quantities in other colours and plan to buy two more from a friend who is a reseller and has some of their latest deliveries. 

Photo Gallery

21 comments

  1. It’s even more beautiful than I’d imagined! Love how it looks on you. So glad blocking turns out to be as dependable as always. The neck looks so cozy too, great job with the re-do! Undoing from the cast-on edge is such hard work, but it has paid off so well.

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    • Isn’t it though. I’d taken it to spinning group last month and one of the ladies told me I’d need to re-do the yoke and two others said it would block out and there was a big discussion because it really was weird looking although all my photos on the blog didnt really show how wonky and lumpy it was. I’m so glad I continued. Blocking really is magic!

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  5. It is such a beautiful sweater, your knitting is excellent especially being able to correct things you didn’t like on the neckline!!! What a joy it will be to wear it. May it keep you toasty warm!!!

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  9. Lovely jumper 😊 suits you and the awful weather makes it worth the effort to make it.So very sorry to hear your sad news ,I know how painful it is to lose a beloved pet our condolences to you both.love mummy and daddy

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