So far my plan is working

I finally got tired of swatching and cast on for a new sweater.  I’m making the A-line tank from the current KnitSimple, out of Berroco Nostalgia.

No, that’s not the back side.  This tank is knit in reverse stockinette stitch with knit ribbing details.  I sure am glad that I got all that reverse practice on the $1.50 cardigan!  I’m really pleased with how my stitches look here.  This sweater is wide and swingy at the waist, and decreases to a normal size at the bodice.  I’m quite fond of this style, so I can’t wait to get this knit up!  I bought 5 balls of Nostalgia, and I’ve gotten 5″ of the front out of the first ball.  Hopefully I should have enough, but I think it will be very close!  I’m not too worried, since the sweater will keep getting smaller (and using less yarn) as I knit higher.

I have another swatch today.  It’s Elann’s new Callista yarn – a blend of viscose, cotton, and linen.  This yarn did not wish to behave in stockinette.  I went to the smallest size on the band (it calls for sz 3-5) and I still didn’t like how the stitches were laying.  So I thought “hmm… maybe this yarn wants to be lace…”  and I was right!

The dominant fiber here seems to be the linen.  It also has a slightly “natural” smell, and I wonder if that is the linen .  I’ll be honest, this isn’t my favorite yarn ever, but I am pleased with the swatch above.  I think it would be a nice sub for Euroflax sport (they have approx. the same gauge) and am considering making the Tuxedo top out of the new Interweave in this yarn.   Otherwise, I may make a simple lacy stole out of this, or else destash it to someone who will appreciate its qualities (I think I just don’t like linen.)