I would like to take a moment to mourn the passing of my first sweater that I knit for myself. It hung on for a few years with cuffs that are almost threadbare in a few spots, but now the elbow on the right sleeve has developed a large hole and it is time to retire it from my wardrobe.

The purple sweater, as it was lovingly referred to, was completed in September 2003 using Berroco’s Pearl Cardigan pattern and Bernat Harmony yarn in the Mocha Mauve colourway. As a knitting project it taught me a lot, most importantly about yarn weight and gauge. The pattern calls for an Aran weight yarn and the Bernat Harmony is a Bulky weight. I ended up making the smallest size using a larger gauge and it worked out alright, but over the course of swatching and planning it clicked how important yarn weight is when knitting to a specific gauge.

The purple sweater was a staple in my wardrobe from the time I completed it until a few weeks ago. It was shapeless and not the most flattering sweater, but I wore it with pretty much everything anyways. It was comfy and cozy and it felt like putting on an old friend. Over time it became more of an around the house sweater than an out and about sweater.

One of the most important reasons the sweater was so comfortable was the yarn, it’s bulky but lightweight – like wearing a cloud. Bernat has discontinued Harmony, but I tracked down some on clearance to make a replacement sweater in Ruby Rose. It likely won’t teach me as much as the purple sweater did and it definitely won’t take it’s place in my heart, but I hope that it can become my new super-comfortable, light-as-a-cloud, around the house sweater.