To see him happy makes me happy… and it feels good to have the sweater finished!

Beau Pullover
Pattern:  Beau from Vintage Knits
Designer:  Kim Hargreaves for Rowan
Yarn:  Patons Classic Wool Merino in Chesnut
Needles:  Size US 6 and 8

I started this sweater after Thanksgiving, and worked on it during our road trip from Alabama to Maryland.  I had planned to finish it for one of the plethora of holidays that come within a two-week span:  Christmas, Kris’s birthday, and our wedding anniversary, but I fell short of all three, and finished instead on the very special day of January 15th.  Either way, it is finished now, and it is just in time for the flurries and the colder temperatures. 

The sweater was not difficult to knit, although posed a few problems in the seaming.  Seaming the reverse stockinette of the large ribbing was a problem - much like it was last fall with the Easy Street Pullover.  Any tips on making a nice seam with reverse stockinette?  Going very slowly and checking my work was the only thing that made this one bearable and presentable.  I finished the main pieces over the weekend, blocked them, and then picked up stitches for the collar and the button band.  I bought the tortoise-shell buttons on Sunday, and I am happy with the match.  Masculine and polished.

I finished the seaming, and set up the photo shoot (lights - camera - action!) all while Kris was enjoying a video game session… and then got him to change from the old sweatshirt to the new pullover and model for the photo shoot (the pajama pants remain).  He may tell you otherwise, but I think he enjoys the whole “strike a pose” process - his repertoire ranges from the contemplative look to the absolute goofball look.  He is too often behind the camera doing the shooting - so now the tables are turned

Successfully finished - another sweater for the husband. 

…now to figure out what to knit next…

From the time I started knitting in November 2004, I have knit Kris one sweater per year.

1. Bernat Sweater, 2. Raglan Zipper Cardigan, 3. Lopi V-Neck

The first sweater I made for him was a free pattern on the ball band of Bernat’s Denim Style yarn. I liked the simplicity, and it was easy for me in those early knitting days. The next men’s sweater foray came about when I discovered the great zipper cardigan in Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. Kris liked it too, and I knit it while on a road trip down south to visit my family in Alabama. The third sweater, the Lopi V-Neck was a great simple pattern from the very handy Knitting to Go Deck. I knit it under the influence of pain killers after I had my wisdom teeth removed… so it had to be very simple I completed it just in time for our fifth wedding anniversary in 2007.

Of the three I have knit, he wears the third most often. Perhaps because it is the most simple of all?

I had hoped to finish the Beau pullover in time for our sixth anniversary last weekend, but it just didn’t happen… but I am very close now - working through the second sleeve - and it will be done soon.

This pile of woolly pieces will become (hopefully) a handsome pullover.

…and I may break from tradition in 2008 and knit a second pullover for Kris…

I am thinking about the River Forest Gansey from Handknit Holidays.

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Thank you for your early response to the next version of Project Spectrum. This theme and the color grouping have me truly excited and inspired! I will post more details very soon!

I started on Beau after the Thanksgiving holiday. I neglected to get a good photograph early in the process, and now the back is already complete. It has been sitting idle in my bag for about a week as I am diligently working to complete my other knits.  The checkerboard pattern on the chest was quite fun to knit - it added a wonderful textural element to the pullover. Initially, I was concerned that it would be too “busy” for Kris’s taste, but he commented that he liked it. That is a good sign!

Plain ol’ Patons Classic Merino Wool in the Chesnut colorway. Working up like a charm.

I am hoping to finish this sweater over the next month - there are three opportunities to give it to Kris during that time:  Christmas, his birthday, and our anniversary.  Since our anniversary - January 5th - is the last of the succession, I will shoot for that.  So, if I do finish earlier, I will be pleasantly surprised. 

I have been on such a sweater kick lately: I am seeing inspiration everywhere. My sock stash hasn’t seen much action lately. Ebbs and tides…

I genuinely enjoy knitting sweaters for my husband. Perhaps it is because he has a slender frame, and the sweaters are relatively simple to complete… This is the time of year when I think about knitting for him the most - with Christmas, his birthday, and our anniversary within a two-week span, it is prime gift-giving time. Last year, I made the quickie (but goodie) Lopi V-Neck Pullover. He even wears it without coaxing, so that is a good sign. This year, I was thinking of spicing it up a little…

Beau from Vintage Knits

“Spicing it up a little” in men’s knits means adding some ribbing. This sweater is a great classic piece that I can see Kris wearing often. In fact, when I pulled out several books and yarns for him to choose a pattern and a corresponding yarn for, he chose Beau right away, and then decided a nice brown wool would be a good match.

He liked the other sweaters choices too, among them the gansey from Handknit Holidays, a herringbone stitch pullover from Dalegarn, and a ski sweater from a Patons booklet. If I can fit it in this winter, I will try to do the Dalegarn one too - I love that yarn and that pattern… and Kris said it may be his second favorite. I also considered the Cobblestone Sweater from the Interweave Knits Fall 2007, but I didn’t have a good tweed yarn in my stash to match, and those two are like peanut butter and jelly - the Cobblestone just *needs* a good tweed. Maybe when the yarn diet is over…

There have been some interesting discussions on Ravelry about men’s patterns. I have also heard some buzz about the new men’s sweater pattern books on the market. I am always on the lookout for a new men’s pattern. Have you seen these new books?

What is your favorite men’s pattern?

Do you have any men’s pullovers/vests/cardigans in your queue?