Therapeutic crafting pt.2 - result!

After spinning an amount of wool of both colors, it was time to put it to good use.
I had 138 grams of grey yarn, and 110 grams of white. Total yardage was somewhat of a mystery, but I figured it would be enough for a decent project (not a headband....heh).

I have always loved the look of those fair isle knitted vests or pullovers from the 1940s, and decided that it would be a good project to test my yarn. It should be fairly quick to knit, and easy too, since there is minimal making up/ piecing together.

I wanted the design to be all my own, and pulled out my grid sketch book and dabbled away.
I ended up with this stylized sheep pattern, and then knit a test square for gauge and needle size.
Based on this test square, I could then calculate the amount of stitches for my size, and also how the armhole and neck opening would be. I opted for a V-neck, as I think it looks smart paired with a collared shirt.

I used a 3mm round needle for the whole vest, I could probably have used a 2.5mm for the ribbing, but I had no suitable round needle in that size. I knit in the round up to the armholes, and then the rest back and forth. It was very quick, and in about a week of evening knitting I was weaving in the last ends.

I am delighted with the end result! The vest is light and soft, but surprisingly snuggly and warm. It is the perfect Land girl-look that I wanted, and the sheep pattern works well as a whole. If I were to change anything, I would have made the pattern smaller. But I can always make another version later:)

It has been a fun process, and it really makes you appreciate the work that women put into knitted garments in the olden days. Spinning yarn by hand on a spindle is slow work, and any sane person uses a spinning wheel for bigger projects. But sometimes it is not about getting the object finished, it is about the process.
My spinning is still just in its infancy, and I suspect there will be lots more spinning and other woolly shenanigans in the future.