Some projects just happen, seemingly without much supervision from my part 🙂 Crazy Sexy Wool skeins by Wool and The Gang have been in my stash for quiet some time and I had completely different plans for them, when on one Saturday morning I opened my closet, saw these chunky cozy balls of wool and got the idea – why not to mix them with something airy, light and weightless in one project? The initial plan for Crazy Sexy Wool was to make a basic accessory to demonstrate simple knitting techniques for beginners, but it seems like I am always drifting to sweater knitting no matter what. And then I remembered that I still had Take Care Mohair! leftovers from my Mohair Flor sweater and that was it – I immediately got this rush of excitement I feel only when I find something that I know for sure I want to knit and wear. I love this feeling and sometimes I need to swatch for weeks to get this feeling from the project, but I always recognize it and only then allow myself to put my idea in the pattern, otherwise it is just not worth it, I have to love it to make it!
I knew that I wanted that sweater to be beginner friendly with basic shaping, simple stitches and very straightforward construction. I think beginners projects should be fun and just as exciting as more advanced ones when you gain more skills, so I think this combination of chunky wool with thin mohair is a nice spice-up touch to the basic sweater. It took me a couple of days of swatching to put together the stripe sequence that has some slight texture to it and is very easy to memorize.
The sweater is so fast to knit, first of all because of the big gauge Crazy Sexy Wool creates and secondly it was just addicting to watch the change of fiber and stripes and texture as you knit, so you just don’t want to stop. I might as well suggest that you can make the entire sweater in 3-4 afternoons, it is that easy and fast to knit.
The moment I’ve made first couple of rows, I knew the name for it – Polar Bear Sweater. Because it is so deliciously chunky, soft and reminds me of ice and snow. It is something you will reach for in the cool foggy morning or cold evening when you just want to wrap yourself in warmth and coziness.
I also love that it is pretty versatile – though I am in love with the combination of wool and mohair, I know that some of you might want just solid color/yarn option – you can easily do that, just omitting the change of fiber, but because of the stripe sequence you will still get the texture.
I am going to publish the sweater most probably in a week, but for now I would love to give opportunity to you to win a copy of a pattern. All you have to do is to leave a comment under this post and with your Ravelry ID if you have one (if you don’t I can use your email to send you the pattern). I am going to choose randomly three winners. The giveaway is open until the publication post.
I hope you liked Polar Bear just as much as I do and it will find its home on your needles soon 🙂
Have a wonderful Sunday today!
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I would love to knit this! The colors and textures look incredible!
Ravelry = PizzaMimi
Love the look of the to two weights of yarn together!
Ravelry ID: jazylady007
Absolutely gorgeous! Love mixing these yarns. Can’t wait for the pattern to be published 🙂
Ravelry: christinapurls
Normally I am not a fan of mixing bases as drastically as this but with this sweater, I want to knit it NOW just as it is!! Another wonderful design, Alina!
Ravelry – YarnChitect
What a fun sweater! It looks perfectly warm and cozy. And I love a good (almost) instant gratification project.
Ravelry – mayhemnmerriment
Alina, you design the most wonderful, workable sweaters! I can’t wait for the Polar Bear Pattern, even though I’ve vowed not to buy another inch of yarn until I make a serious dent in my stash. As much as I’d love to win this pattern I’ve already been lucky enough to win before, so I’ll give someone else a chance and put my order in to buy this one.
I would love to make this for my daughter.
Ravelry – knittingalways
We have had a 30 degree drop in temperature—I could use this sweater right now. Sweater looks awesome in your pics. Tutuknits
I just love your sweaters, it would be awesome to win Polar Bear! RavID margvv
It’s lovely!!! The texture is amazing,
Ravelry ID: Dnali
I can’t wait to see the full product. All of your design’s are so lovely! Thanks for mentioning that it can be quickly made in 3 to 4 afternoons. Ravelry ID nanina
Oh i know just who to knit this for. Thank you for this beauitful sweater. Id disneyknitter.
The photo’s are very ‘tempting’. The stitch is very clever. I look forward to seeing the whole style/pattern!
What a fantastic idea! I can’t wait to knit this!
Pixshafer
My first thought? Sexy sweater! 😉
Love it! Congrats once again!
dearknitmates on rav
It sweater looks like a piece of clothing I may never take off because it looks so comfortable.
Ravelry- patisiri
All I know is I need this in my wardrobe! It’s a masterpiece! Rav = knitsisterknit
I have sweater patterns in my cart and library on Ravelry; and, I have yet to attempt to tackle knitting a sweater. Your description above has me ready to take the plunge. Thank you for thinking of us who want to knit their first sweater; but, were too intimidated to try. And it looks lovely!
Ravelry: ana955
Great idea!
Making it is very tempting. Can’t wait to see full pictures
Rav – yulia
Looks great!
Ravelry ub24
This sweater is SO cool!! I love the mix of textures, it looks incredible!
Oh it’s so fun to see this sweater after seeing the stitches on IG, Alina. What a lovely combo!
I love the mix of textures in this sweater, and I really love the ice and snow color palette too.
Ravelry: JavaDressage
I love it, and I have yarn in my stash that would be perfect! Ravelry: jhougen
I love this sweater! It would be so cozy on a foggy morning.
Ravelry: SassyChicken
What an ingenious idea! Can’t wait to see it modeled, this is so creative and original, yet simple! Good work, Alina!
Love this! Been looking for a big chunky knit!
Ravelry ID: WHATKnots
So lovely
My id ravelry is gesuma05 (zero-five)
I love the combination of Crazt Sexy Wool and Mohair! So much fun!
Ravelry- nixonjanis6
I love polar bears and this pattern captures them without injury! Can’t wait to make one!
Rav ID: milesofyarn
Looks lovely. Is it top down in the round? I’m a newer knitter and I gravitate to top down patterns. Most of your are so hoping this one is too.
ID BetsyinMD
It looks far more interesting and cute than many “beginner “ patterns. I’m advanced beginner or “intermediate lite”! But I’d love to make this!
ID: Shelly15208
This looks perfect for the bag of mohair I was”gifted”. I’d only need to buy the chunky yarn!
I am anxious to see how many yards will be needed😳
So pretty. And such a lovely combo I never would have thought to try. Your creativity never fails to impress.
Love the use of the mohair- I also have a stash of it and would love to use it here!! Also glad to know how quickly it knits up!
Ravelry: dhealy3
I love knitwear with interesting construction techniques that are in fact not complicated to produce – like Polar Bear! It’s gorgeous and yet simple, and I can tell it would be addictive to knit and fun to wear! So many color combos could work really well with this pattern – even just reversing the grey and ivory. Thank you so much for creating this! Can’t wait to knit it! mossknitsdesigns
Looks amazingly original, love the idea of the different textures.
something you don’t usually see. Can’t wait to try the
pattern….roll on Winter!!
I have an old jumper ready to be unravelled and repurposed – plus mohair – this pattern would be the perfect knit for my daughter! She lives in a much colder place than I do, and I love to create WARMTH for her to wear!
This sweater is really outstanding and in a class of its own…. how I would love to be the first South African to knit AND wear this!! This will warm my body, my heart and my SOUL!!! I love the colours, the textures and can just IMAGINE how that will feel against your skin… soft, snuggly… LOVED!!!
Ravelry ID LouiseSteenberg
I love the textures, as well as the colors you’ve used. I want to knit this for my beautiful granddaughter who is a student in college in Manhattan. The winters there can be fierce and she will love this cozy sweater.
Ravelry: DMarieLynn
This looks so cozy and I am a sucker for cozy! My rav name is cozyintlv
This looks so soft and warm, and fast! Love it! – as I do all your designs. Rav. ID: margaretsmiller