It's winter but

... about two weeks ago, I finally finished this little project -

 

I didn't get to take it outside for photography while the landscaping work was creating chaos, but that's over. 

I worked on it during my social knitting time on Monday evenings, and off and on when I needed a break from the much more complicated Tapestry sweater.  Then Operation Colorstorm took up all my knitting time for a few weeks. 

This sweater, Ylva, designed by Elsebeth Lavold, has some really interesting details - this cabling at the waist front and back,

 

and the rope-like cable around the armholes, up the center front and splitting to encircle the neckline.

The yarn is a silk and wool blend that was easy to work with.  But now it's Thanksgiving and there are no sleeves on it, so I'll put it away till spring.

Meanwhile, I've finally started working with the New Zealand Possum yarn Kerry sent late last winter. It's such a special yarn, it needs to be used in a special garment. I chose another beautiful design by Carol Sunday who designed Tapestry that I recently completed.  This one is called Woodland. (The link will take you to Sunday Knits and the full description of the sweater.)

This sweater is complex, but not on the same order of difficulty as Tapestry. I should be able to wear it before the winter is over. 

Many of my Monday-night knitting companions are also spinners and whoever I sit next to becomes extremely interested in this possum yarn, examining the knitted fabric as well as the skein. They particularly note the halo, which isn't as evident in the skein as in the fabric.  It doesn't show particularly well in my photos but I tried to capture a bit of it here with the macro setting on my camera. The halo appears to be a mix of brown and gray and, though they aren't familiar with possum they know merino and silk so they assume the possum fur does not take the dye nor the twist the same as the merino and silk content of the yarn.

 

I probably wouldn't have thought so much about it, but their studied observations make me appreciate the depth of the texture the yarn creates.  Everyone also marvels how soft it is to touch!  This rose color is a favorite of our resident felt-hat artist and she also loves the halo.  I'll have to be careful she doesn't try to get me to trade her a hat for a sweater-- I don't even wear hats!!