I’ve been crushing on Brenda’s Instagram throughout the COVID-19 pandemic mostly because of the sheer joy that shines through her pictures. From her infectious smile to her dance moves in her Reels, you can’t help but be drawn to Brenda. This means that I obviously jumped at the opportunity to test knit for her.

• 3 and 4/5 skeins of We are Knitters The Wool – a super bulky weight (6) yarn (colour A: Salmon)
• 4/5 skein of We are Knitters The Wool – a super bulky weight (6) yarn (colour B: Sand)
• Size 15 (10.00mm) knitting needles (I used ChiaoGoo 100cm circulars)
• Size 19 (15.00mm) knitting needles (I used Knit Picks 100cm circulars)

Pattern (Size XS) by Brenda at brendamadethis

I’m just going to say that I love this pattern! From the chunky cables to the snuggly warmth of the super chunky yarn, I thought it was perfect. I also appreciated Brenda’s design since it removed the need for seaming (my ultimate weakness), and I found that I could knit in the round with the circulars without needing to use magic loop! The pattern also works up extremely quickly since the yarn is so thick, so there’s a smaller chance of getting stuck on Sleeve Island.

This was definitely a huge splurge project for me from a materials cost perspective, but I felt like this pattern deserved it! For those who are on a yarn budget, Brenda does include suggestions for yarn substitutions. It’s just important to remember that when it comes to jumbo weight yarns, you can’t rely just on the category on the label! It’s good to check YarnSub, as it takes into account many different factors, including fibre content, drape, and cost, so it’s very helpful!

If I were to make one teensy change, I would consider working the sleeves in stockinette only, as I almost feel that the cabling on the sleeves almost distracts from the design on the sweater panel. There were also a few testers in the group who added a few more rows to the body panel, as it was a bit short on them, but other than that, everyone was absolutely thrilled with the design. I can’t wait to wear this for the rest of the winter!

Until next time, happy crafting.