Dawn and Other Faves from the Rowan Free Pattern Database

My Dawn for Summer on Ravelry

Go ahead and credit me for perfect knitting timing:  I finished this 'summer sweater' just in time for the start of 15C/58F weather in Montréal.  Isn't that always how it goes?  My mittens are done in time for spring, my scarves and hats in time for a heat wave, and my wool colorwork ends always seem to be woven in at the beach.

What on earth is a 'summer sweater', anyway?  Yeah, the ideal summer project is small, but the truth is that I don't really enjoy knitting accessories.  I just don't think about them once they are made, and they end up in a pile, sad and unused.  But I wear my sweaters all the time!

As I don't let temperature mess with my knitting mojo, I needed a pattern I could knit in the sun.

I fell for Dawn, by Laura Long from Rowan Magazine 35.  I liked the big fishnet look (lets the air blow right through) and the tunic length.  Also, the design is totally timeless. It's originally made with Rowan All-Seasons Cotton.

Instead, I picked a very slinky yarn that oddly always seems cool to the touch.  It is made with 53% microfiber, 26% viscose and 21% nylon.  Accordingly, when you remove the ball band the whole damn thing unravels itself! 

I scored this stuff in a sale bin at the grocery store in Geneva.  The grocery store is where everyone buys their yarn!  That always makes me laugh.  That day at Manor, I bought a Red Bull, some Gruyere meringues (to die for), some Gruyere cheese, some mozzarella balls and some yarn balls.

If you've never had meringues from Gruyere (THE dairy region of Switzerland), they are traditionally eaten with double crème.  I've never been there, but when I am in Geneva visiting my husband's family, I cheat regularly with Mövenpick ice cream.

I've got to stop drooling, so back to Dawn!  This sweater is neat because it's not just boring stockinette stitch.  You knit one row with a big 12.5 mm needle, but purl the next with a 6 mm needle.  This makes a pretty cool texture.

However, while I thought it would be a good movie project, the clicking of the huge plastic needle against the metal Addi turbo needle was very loud (sorry, B.!)

I made the 34 (2nd size), but had to go up in needle size for the ribbing.  It was way too tight.  I also didn't do the fold down-collar and just stopped at the point you are supposed to change needle size.

A warning about slinky soft yarns.  First, this yarn is odd in that it's very elastic, but somehow drapes down like mad.  When I'm wearing the tunic, it is so long!  But the minute I move my arms upward, my sleeves spring up past my wrist.  

Second, it is so slippery that if the sweater catches on the slightest thing, it will pull the entire strand out of the row into a huge loop.  Ack!  I'm really not sure how long this lovely will last.

The photo shoot started at the bead store... I am thinking of making the free Rowan pattern Gatsby, which needs 4400 beads!

Then we went through the Montréal museum sculpture garden and ended in a lovely garden near my work.  

A story: I always love to smell herbs when I pass them, and I was intrigued by one big bush that looked like parsley.  But it was very different!  It tasted like celery, parsley and cumin all in one.  An older lady popped out of nowhere said, "My dear, do you know what that is?  It's lovage!  Go ahead take some... it's great in hamburgers and soups."  I find it is a fabulous herb, but do use it sparingly.

Our aperitif after our long walk?  Lovage Martinis!  Just bruise a few lovage leaves and put them in the shaker with gin and vermouth to your particular liking.  The lovage and the gin match excellently.  Garnish with a cocktail onion.

Now, imagine my surprise when I learned that Dawn was actually a free pattern available from the Rowan website!  In fact, there are many many patterns on the website that are worth checking out.

This search should get you to all of them, arranged by date added.

Here are just a few I picked out of the 400 patterns available:

Megan in Kidsilk Haze Stripe

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Windsor Hat in Creative Focus Worsted  (rather sinister model, eh?)

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Cabled Three Quarter Sleeve Sweater in Revive

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Balkan in Colourspun

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Amber

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Rib and Fair Isle Cardigan in Felted Tweed

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Leaves Legwarmers in British Sheep Breeds DK

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Jumping Jack Cushion in Cotton Glacé

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Patti in Felted Tweed

I hope you find a pattern you love... if you do, please tell me which one!

My Dawn for Summer on Ravelry

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