Inspiration Monday: Moth-rah!*

It’s hot out, isn’t it? And here we are, on the last Inspiration Monday in July … is it cruel to post pictures of cozy, cocoony sweaters?

No, it’s not – it’s a knitter’s optimistic gesture, a reminder to all of us sweltering and melting in the summer sun that the time will come to wrap ourselves in woolens again, and drink our tea hot instead of iced. Winter is coming, my friends. Hang tight.

And when that time comes, you’ll want a new sweater to wrap yourself up in, right? You’ll want to be packing up your brand-new, fresh-off-the-needles Moth Cardigan into your suitcase to take to Rhinebeck. You’ll want to be wearing it as you queue up for your cider doughnuts and choose your favorite knit-themed mug from one of the stalls. And you’ll really want to be wearing it when – oh look! Is that Amy Christoffers walking toward you?

(These are my fantasies. You’re very welcome to share them.)

So it’s time to get one of these on the needles, STAT – if only as a way to take back some control over summer (which is bringing 110-plus-degree weather to the gals at Blue Moon. Send them strength as they stand over steaming dye pots this week!). Cast on a Moth Cardigan now, because that much Fisherman’s Rib is a deliberate business, and you won’t want to rush through the pleasure of knitting it by October.

Time to choose the perfect yarn, then – look no further than Silky Victoria. Long-and-fine-wool Polwarth is blended with a hint of silk for sheen and luster to show off the rich texture of the Fisherman’s Rib. And each generous skein comes with 695 yards of knitting potential, so the first two sizes can be worked from just two skeins ($72!). That’s a lot of knitting pleasure for way under a hundred bucks. For the largest size, you’ll want a third skein, but you’ll have a bunch left over for a few great accessories (holiday gifts or donations, anyone?).

The color of Amy’s sample piece left me inspired to choose a colorway that’s got all my favorite Fall colors all wrapped into one: dusty plums, faded greens, some woody tan and quiet greys … which of course means none other than Heckley Speckley:

When dyed onto a silk blend, the fabulous scummy-plummy colors on Heckley Speckley come out a bit muted (remember my SilkMo Alexandra’s Airplane Scarf?), a nice choice for this oversized, cozy cardigan.

So by all means, brew your iced tea to get through this sweltering week … but keep an eye on the prize: a new fall (Rhinebeck?) sweater!

* Moth-rah? Mothra!