How Sweaters Behave After Long-term Wear
Today I would like to come back to some of my old knits that I finished during the last 2-3 years. The reason for this little flashback is to talk about how these pieces of knitwear "behave" after a certain amount of time. Surely they all look fresh and crisp once fresh off the needles, but I think it is important to see them after they have been through lots of wear in "real" life. It will allow us to make some decisions about yarn/stitch pattern/shape for our next project. Sweaters are a big investment of time and money, so it is definitely worth analyzing the end result.
La Flor.
Yarn - Wool of the Andes (100% Peruvian Highland wool) by Knit Picks.
I can say that I've been wearing La Flor a lot - dog walks, road trips, running errands in town, cozying up in it during chilly mornings at home... It is been a year since I finished it, so it's been enough time to see how it behaves.The stitch pattern is still crisp and stands out against the stockinette stitch background; the shape hasn't changed at all - it fits just the way it used to. Yarn started pilling a little bit on the hem and ribbing of the sleeves, but nothing drastic. Overall I am very happy with how it looks like after a year of wear.
Mineral Heather sweater.
Yarn - Wool of the Andes (100% Peruvian Highland wool) by Knit Picks.
I finished it in December, 2015 and have been wearing it a lot as well. The weird thing is that though the yarn is absolutely identical to the one I used for La Flor, pilling is so so much worse. Right now it is not so bad, but after the first month of wear the sweater was just covered in numerous tiny wool speckles. I had to use the razor every single time I wanted to wear it. Other than that the sweater is perfect after a long time of wear - holds its shape, the color didn't fade at all, the ribbing is also in its place. So, I would definitely recommend Wool of the Andes, it is a great wool!
Gesture.
Yarn - The Baby Wool (100% Baby Alpaca) by We Are Knitters.
The yarn was so lush to work with - incredible soft and silky. The sweater also turned super soft and cozy. I've worn it a lot in the house, during walks and was basically living in it during my trip to Saint Petersburg. Finished in July, the sweater is 6 months old. Well, I can say for sure that there is a price to pay for its wonderful softness - it pills like crazy! If I wear it next to a back t-shirt, I have an alpaca t-shirt after that :) Other than that it holds its shape and color very well and I am still very happy to wear it, even with all the pilling.
Journey.
Yarn - Elena (100% organic wool) by Moeke Yarns.
Probably my most worn sweater since I finished it. I wear it on its own or under a jacket, over the past 6-7 months it's been everywhere with me. I am super happy about how it looks and fits after all this time of use. The cables look exactly the same way - they didn't stretch at all! And the yarn doesn't pill at all - it literally looks like new! It is not the softest yarn in the world, that's for sure, but what a sturdy and durable wool!
Reindeer.
Yarn - Gloss DK (70% wool and 30% silk) by Knit Picks.
My Reindeer cardigan is more than one year old and it holds its cables and shape beautifully, though the yarn starts to look a little bit fuzzy will pills, so I will have to take care of it. But overall it is in beautiful shape and makes a great wardrobe staple!
Now let's take a look at some of the pieces I made from plant fibers and see how they hold up! Plant fibers usually don't pill, so if you take a good care of them they will always look like new. They do have their own drawbacks though...
Wildflower dress.
Yarn - Eulali (100% cotton) by Omega.
One of my first projects and my favorite crochet dress. I wear it quiet a lot during the summer; it's 2,5 years old and it is perfect! The shape is exactly the same as it was when I just finished it - didn't stretch at all and the color is not fading. I do take a very good care of it though - I wash it by hand and let it dry flat in the shade, so the sun doesn't destroy its color. The yarn is pretty stiff, but it softens up after a few washes. The fact that I used a very small crochet hook also helped to keep the dress structured and not lose its shape.
Bamboo drape sweater.
Yarn - 100% bamboo (I don't remember the company name unfortunately).
My two favorite things about this project are the drape and the color, both of them are in perfect condition. The only thing that might be bothering me is that it is very easy to get the pull/run in this fabric. And it will be really visible as the fabric is so sleek and smooth.
Soho Dress. Yarn - Lino (cotton/linen blend) by BBB filati.
One of my favorite projects. I must admit though that I haven't been wearing it a lot for some reason, but from a few wears the fabric didn't change, except for a little stretch in the underarm area. But I left it raw and didn't trim it at all, so that might be the reason. I will have to come back and do that so it doesn't grow more. But overall a great look after 1,5 years. This yarn is definitely a great investment!
I hope this little overview helped you in some way and now you know what to expect more or less from the knitwear pieces you create from the similar yarns!
I hope you are having a great week!
See you at Yarn Along!
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