I had this fisherman’s rib pattern on my to-do list for about 12 months and I should’ve gotten my act together and made it sooner.
Does anyone else remember where they were or what was happening in their life when they made a project? My brain collects those associations, and for every piece in my collection I can tell you a story and revisit the past like a time traveller. I was working on this jumper when we visited Port Macquarie back in March. Unbeknownst to us when we packed the car and set off, we were about to head into flooding like I’ve never seen before. And I never wish to see again.
The association that remains with this jumper, is how much I love my kids and my husband. And deep-seeded gratitude that we are all here together.
In my planning stage, I took extra time and care in the swatching process. I was determined to maintain cropped features, and I could see if I didn’t get it right, the delightfully soft, squishy, stretchy fisherman’s rib fabric would warp into a very different jumper. I went through a few changes of needle size before settling on a 4mm. I like to wet block everything I make, versus steaming, so it took about a week, amongst other activities of daily life, waiting for swatches to dry, measuring, then going in again with another couple of needle sizes and waiting for them to dry. Vitally worth it though.
My body measurements rested between the small and medium size, and I opted for the smaller of the two. Going with this option sees the body shape nicely into the back. There’s still plenty of room to move though, and the neckline remains stretchy. I used a JSS bind-off around the neck. It’s good to know you can go down a size for a different fit without being restricted in the places that matter.
I was contemplating knitting the body and sleeves in the round, but then went with the instructions as laid out in the pattern, seaming the front and back body pieces and the sleeves. The circulars I felt would keep the momentum going and maybe I would complete the pieces a little sooner. But then some sense prevailed and I questioned why I’d want to work more quickly? I like my mindful time.
I knit this jumper in my 8 ply 100% Australian Merino (180m/100g), making it lighter weight, but still within the ballpark.
The warmth this jumper generates is impressive. If this is on your to-do list, don’t hesitate to get started now.
The ‘Muna’ pattern can be found at:-
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