One would assume that a knitter – a dedicated and prolific
knitter – would have a favorite handknit sweater in which to hang about.  A cozy slip-on-in-the-evening sweater.  A simple run-to-the-store sweater.  A serviceable must-take-when-traveling
sweater.

Well, I do not have such a sweater.  Shocking, I know.

I have very nice store-bought sweaters.  But I have been hankering for a handknit
sweater of my own making.  I find comfort
in wearing my own handknit garments – but mostly they are wraps, capelets,
pieces of that nature.  I need a cardigan
– a common, garden-variety, basic cardigan sweater.

So, knit yourself a sweater, I told myself.

But we have so many other pieces on the needles at present,
myself replied with a deep sigh.

So, knit yourself a sweater anyway – but keep it
simple.  It will go quickly and you can
even knit it in bed at night when you are too tired to knit anything else, I
said shrewdly.

And the next thing I knew, I had taken myself off to
Yorkshire Yarns and was loading up on Berroco’s purple heathered Ultra Alpaca (50%
alpaca/50% wool). 

I decided to base the cardigan on my favorite and well-worn
Old Navy sweater – a raglan cardigan with ¾ sleeves.  And I vowed I would keep it simple:  no lace, cables, bobbles, colorwork, texture.  Nothing but stockinette and ribbing.  A humble cardigan (in a delicious yarn).

And, as a present for the humble-cardigan-to-be, a little
lace yarn for a companion scarf…something simple….