I finally finished this sweater!! I started it last summer, and set it aside after separating for the sleeves. I picked it up and put it down many times since then. The stripes made it easy to keep track of my progress, so I didn’t feel huge pressure to finish it. The yarn is a Wensleydale and Shetland mix, 50%-50% I think. It was a little odd to work with, it felt like Icelandic lopi wool. It has softened up with blocking, I don’t mind it next to my skin. It is in no way merino or cashmere soft, but I don’t care about a little scratchiness. The fabric has a gauze-like open feel to it, very different from how a typical woollen spun yarn would knit up. I have no idea if this is a worsted or woollen spun yarn, but I think it’s the Wensleydale content (it’s a long wool breed) that is stopping the yarn from plumping up the way a typical Shetland wool would.

Details: I used 3.25 mm needles on the ribbing, 3.5 mm needles for the body and sleeves. My gauge may have been a bit looser than called for, (and what my original swatch led me to believe), which is unusual for me. I usually swatch and still end up with a teeny tiny version of what I intended to make. The yarn is : The Knitting Goddess Wensleydale & Shetland 4 ply (discountinued, I believe) and the pattern is Breathing Space by Veera Välimäki