I’ve started knitting a new sweater that is going to be so cozy, you know the weather will be warm the second I finish it. This is the We Are Knitters Waffle Sweater. We Are Knitters is an international craft house that is big in Europe, and based out of Spain.  I previously knit one of their kits last summer- the super comfy Pacific Sweater which I will definitely be wearing again this summer. Â
Can I swoon a minute over this perfect lavender colourway? The yarn is the Petite Wool, a single peruvian wool.  I love how silvery it is, the sheen and the softness… all knit up in the squishy good times that is the fisherman’s rib stitch. I have never knit fisherman’s rib before (or apparently any stitch that requires knitting into the stitch below), so this has been a new one for me, but I love it. I found it easy to get into the rhythm of the stitch.  The kit comes with lovely straight beechwood needles, and even though it’s been ages since I’ve used straights, I went for it- and have been pleasantly surprised! First of all, these tips are super sharp- which on an 8 mm needles (US 11) is rare. Far pointier tips than I’ve ever seen on a needle that size. Which is great, because it makes knitting into the stitch below that much easier, and could double as a self defense weapon, should I need it. Or if someone is getting too close to my knitting- get back! The sweater is mine!
The book in the photos is Garance Dore’s Love Style Life
I wear a lot of  simple knits that are exclusively grey, navy, black, cream, greens, and light, dusty-grey pinks and lavender. Obviously the next time I’m buying yarn for a garment those are the colours I need to stick with. Finally figuring it out has been a revelation- I can still play with fun colours and outside the box choices with accessories; but going forward I’m sticking with simpler sweaters in colours that are just right for me. Those are the knits I reach for when I’m getting dressed.
In the meantime while I figure out what to do with the stash that doesn’t work, I’m going to be so very glad I chose this waffle sweater kit in the perfect silvery shade of lavender. This is definitely a step in the right wardrobe direction.
* This is part one of a short series of sponsored posts for We Are Knitters. I chose the pattern kit and the colour, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Uhhhh gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. I’ll be making this for sure! It looks so cozy. Love that colour, too. Mmm.
Julie, Thank you for such a great post! I had not heard of “We are knitters” before. I checked out their site (may be purchasing) and will follow their blog and instagram. In the past few winter months I also discovered that I basically wear black, greys (depending on tone), wine and deep navy sweaters and once in a while chocolate. It is actual liberating since I won’t need to spend countless hours debating which color yarn to purchase. Right now I have two wine color sweaters on my needles and a light and dark grey. They all will be done soon and ready for next winter.
Kind regards,
Susan aka Buttonband
Hi Julie. I too have realized that I wear mostly black, grey, white and red and my stash doesn’t reflect that. You figured this out much sooner than I did as I’m nearly twice your age! I just knit a cowl with Fishermans rib and the only problem is if you mess up – it’s impossible to fix without ripping back, at least for me.
Bogna (a fellow Sudburian)
I’ve never heard of ‘We Are Knitters’ before, so it was fun to learn about that. I love those needles! Especially the idea of sharp points. Sometimes blunt tips just doesn’t cut it. Your revelation re: colors is an interesting one. I’ll be thinking about my go-to colors now! I only wish I had figured out my style while I was in my twenties, and been brave enough to wear it back then. Ah well, better late than never, right?
That lavender is gorgeous! One of my favourite colours, too.
Perhaps some of that stash yarn you won’t use for yourself could be used for your kids one day? My kids usually go for pretty bright colours, both for accessories and sweaters, so I get to use some fun colours when making them things.
Isn’t it funny how we get into color ruts with our wardrobe? I’ve been trying to step outside of my comfort zone with knits as well. Look on the bright side, all of your neutral colors should pair well with any colorful things you knit up!
I’m so grateful for your post as I’ve been looking for this exact sweater pattern for ages!! Can’t wait to see how yours turns out. Lovely color which will look beautiful on you! Happy knitting!
I guess I haven’t ever thought about “my” colors. They seem to change regularly so I don’t think I even have a palette! I should consider this further!
Your post brought back memories to when I had a knitting meltdown conversation with a designer about “How come I don’t have a grey sweater, but I don’t want to buy a grey sweater because I can knit one, but then I won’t knit it because it is grey”. She ended up using that as a future class topic about knitting for you, color choices and styles. The funny thing is I still don’t have that grey sweater. But I could knit that Lavender color. We are Knitters ads have pulled me in. Might have to buy a kit….maybe grey.
I love that color so much! It looks like that’s going to be a seriously comfy, cozy sweater 🙂 I love everything I’ve seen about the We Are Knitters kits, hopefully I’ll be able to try one out myself soon!
This looks fabulous! And that color is amazing! Though, of course, as you said, it will be warm when you’ve finished with it (not a knock on your knitting speed, simply a note on the fact that it’s getting into Spring more than quick enough (for which I am grateful!)), but that just means, a), that you’ll have a lovely finished sweater for when it gets chilly in the evenings or those days where it’s just pants out even though it’s summer, or, b), a fantastic new sweater waiting to be worn when Autumn arrives! Both of which sound great!
I appreciate your comments on finding a personal style as well. This is something I’ve been thinking about a bit lately, in wanting to knit all the garments, but also things I would actually wear (and in the right colors) – so I will be checking out this book!
I love hearing what colours people actually wear, which, as a person who sells yarn for a living I can tell you is often quite different from the colours that people actually buy! It can be so hard to resist the bright, fun, poppy colours! My view is you can still buy those colours, just use them off for kid and accessory knits and save the sweater quantities for colourways that you KNOW you’ll reach for over and over again. Even if that means you only knit grey sweaters, if you only wear grey sweaters then there is absolutely no problem with that!
Oh also, I find it so interesting that people’s go-to colours vary so greatly from person to person. I don’t think I own a single piece of lavender clothing and just last week I bought a red top and realized that it’s the only red thing I own. But judging by the comments it seems like red is a staple colour for many people. What draws us to certain colours? it’s all sooooo interesting!
I made the same discovery when I started to seriously analyze my stash. Too much variety, not enough neutrals. While I’m still working at reducing it, I know future yarn purchases will take style and wardrobe into consideration. We tend to be drawn by bright colors in soft yarns, but how do they really fit in our everyday lives?
Isn’t the Fisherman Rib gorgeous? The texture is so lovely and comfortable. Your sweater is going to be beautiful, and the yarn looks lovely too.q
That certainly is a lovely lavender. The kick ass sign made me laugh.
Love these photos! And what a great color! Looking forward to FO!
That is such a pretty colour. It will look so good on you! Looking forward to seeing the completed sweater. In the meantime, remind me never to get too close to you while you’re knitting with those pointy needles. lol.
I’m all swooning over that beautiful Lavender, a great choice for a sweater. I understand why’d you stick with certain colours for garments and rather go wild on accessories. I think I’m the same that way, I especially like to go mad with colours for socks but keep it more safe for my sweaters.
I love that you’re defining your palette and knitting what you love to wear! Having culled a lot of my knits recently, I actually feel I have more choice in my wardrobe now that I possess only the colours I actually intend wearing. I do sometimes get a pang or two and think about making something wildly unwearable (for me) — say, a gigantic lace shawl — and then decide to postpone it to the distant future when I’ve knitted everything I could ever want for myself and have started knitting gifts in earnest 🙂
What a beautiful sweater you chose to knit. That shade of purple is gorgeous. It’s going to look great on you Julie.
Wow, that yarn do look amazing! I’m interested to see how it wears, though. Single ply tends to pill easily, especially soft yarn… Or I’m just a klutz, I’m forever snagging my knits on something. XD
My weather doesn’t allow me to wear sweater too often, but man I would wear the heck out of that beauty especially in that color! Beautiful knitting, Julie.
This color is going to look stunning on you.
The lavender is beautiful and looks lovely in the fisherman’s rib fabric. Bet it will be cozy warm when finished. I loved reading your thoughts on choosing project colors that work with your wardrobe. Mine has evolved over time. When I first started knitting, my colors of choice had nothing to do with wearability and more with the feelings that they evoked: bright, fun, colorful, wild, seasonal. Now, however, I seem to be drawn to neutrals for sweaters and garments. I still love to play with bright color combinations when it comes to socks & accessories though 🙂
Very very interesting post!!
Lately I was thinking about it too as I made a quick inventory of my yarn stash: obviously I own lots of “unwearable” yarn in sweater quantities. But there are colors that are well-represented though: green and purple mostly (my family certainly knows my fave ones now, and at each birthday or christmas I get lots of wonderful yarn in these shades!!). And interesting enough, the sweaters/cardi I wear every chance I get are brown (a kind of pinkish brown), black and grey…So next time I buy yarn I decided it will be a neutral, BUT a great one like the dove, slate, chestnut or truffle colorway by TFA!
I love the dark lavender yarn you picked!! It’s a great choice, it will beautifully emphasize your eye color!! Even if it will be warm when you’ll finish your sweater, you’ll still have a chance to wear it during chilly evenings, and you’ll be ready when fall comes 🙂