Sunday marks my 42 birthday in these unusual Coronavirus times. To my students, I’m old, but to me, I’m just getting started. My family started asking me what I wanted to do August 1 and I kind of put it off because how do you really celebrate right now? People are dying by an invisible virus (whether it’s Covid-19 or systemic racism, both are deadly) and the world seems so upside down. But my husband, family and friends remind me that we have to celebrate just being here. So, I’m giving you another year of a birthday sweater I knit for myself, my Slouchy Sunshiny Slub Sweater.
I actually started knitting this in March during lockdown but couldn’t focus on it. I didn’t use a pattern but went off of a lot of my notes when I make top down raglans and decided I wanted a sweater that was oversized, but not too long and with fuller sleeves. I wanted this pullover to be loose and light and the yarn to be a delight. So I decided to knit with House of a la Mode’s slub yarn in Ice Pop and LolaBean Yarn Company’s Winged Bean in Key Lime. I trimmed it with a nameless leftover skein of yarn I had that pulled out the little bits of turquoise perfectly.
This combination of the bright acidic green and the fun textured rainbow slub turned out to be perfection. I couldn’t have asked for a better color combo, it just radiated happiness to me with every stitch. Added bonus with this, the slub yarn is like knitting bobbles without the pain of knitting bobbles. Bobble traumatized me after I knit an entire hat full of them so I prefer much easier ways to get my texture. Since I knew I would probably pull this sweater back out and finish for my birthday sweater I was happy to use really good yarn on myself. I know a lot of us buy expensive yarn and let it collect dust, I try to use the really good stuff to make special things either for myself of the people I love.
If you’re interested in trying a slub yarn, my suggestion is to hold it with another strand of yarn. On its own it’s interesting and usually a little too thin, but added with another yarn it makes them both shine. I knew that since I was using slub yarn this silhouette needed to be simple in order for that yarn to really be the highlight. But let me not forget about the Lola Bean yarn because it is a treat. It’s squishy and soft with yak, but still light and warm. I love it more than I probably should. Since I knit this with two strands of yarn, I decided to do a larger and loose gauge and knit the main fabric on size 10 needles.
I also love the full, slightly oversized sleeve. I usually make most of my sweaters with cropped or short sleeves but I thought this oversized sweater needed a full long sleeve. It’s so wonderfully slouchy and I can wear this as a layer over other things if I want or just on its own.
I already told my husband to be prepared to see this sweater a lot this fall and winter. We are prepped and ready for staying home through the year. I’m fortunate that we both have jobs and a comfortable home with space for my husband and I to both work comfortably (he’s got an office set-up in the basement and I’ve got an office set-up in my yarn room). I’ve already purchased more joggers and lightweight pants to pull on with my tops – who needs buttons and zippers in a pandemic? Especially when my students only see me from the waist up! So here’s to birthday sweaters during a pandemic and making it through the rest of the year. I’m hoping 42 brings me a lot of calm.
Yards of Happiness 
Love this sweater – the color, the texture! It’s so happy!
And I’m with you on zippers and buttons. Life in a pandemic = elastic waistbands.
Happy Birthday!!! Your lovely sweater is a perfect gift to yourself. The colors are fantastic, and I love the comfy style. .
Happy birthday! Your family’s right — we still have to celebrate. That sweater is a joyous reminder of all that’s good in life. Love it!
Happy birthday!! And may you feel some of the joy we feel when we read about your joyful sweater…..even in the midst of these heartbreaking times♥️♥️♥️
Happy Birthday! Love the sweater – the yarn combo is amazing.
Happy Birthday, Dana! I wish you all the best. Thank you for your blog.
Happy birthday! I’m a big believer in wearing something new on your birthday- all the better if it’s handmade!
Happy Birthday! In 2020 take any opportunity you can to celebrate. Also, loving your hair. Have a wonderful day.
Happy Birthday!! For sure, you are just reaching the GREAT YEARS. Enjoy and keep knitting.
Happy Birthday, Dana. I find that I wear the slightly slouchy stuff more often than the beautifully fitted things which I tend to save for special occasions. So I see your happiness with this sweater. Love the slubbiness and the color! And the combining of two yarns, which Is so is fun and such a great stash-busting technique.
I’ve loved this sweater since you first showed us the yarns way back when. A great birthday gift to yourself – wear it with joy any day!
PS: if you ever care to learn to crochet, you will find that crocheted bobbles are much easier and quicker to make. I have a crocheted hat that could be a twin to your Pointillist hat – they’re both beauties.
Happy birthday! Remember, 42 is the “answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything” (or so says Douglas Adams). I hope 42 brings you and yours peace & happiness (and lots more knitting for us to ooh and ah over.)
Perfect present. 😍😍😍😄🎂🎂🎂🎂🍾🥂
Happy birthday! And thank you SO much for the present of adding a second yarn to the slubby yarn. I was given some AMAZING hand dyed slubby yarn, and for the life of me hadn’t figured out how to get a reasonable fabric. Problem solved!!!
Love..love..love that sweater and it does look good on you!!!! Hope you have a happy happy birthday and feel all the love friends and family send to you!!!
Happy Birthday! Love the colors!
Birthday blessings. You are right, the 40s are when you really start to be comfortable in yourself and braver with what you want. I hope you get your birthday wish!
Happy Birthday! Thank you for your amazing posts. I love reading about your knitting, Jellybean, yarn, doctoral studies, etc. I look forward to each of your posts. Thank you so much!
I knit Baltic because of your pretty one. This is lovely too thanks for sharing. The turquoise looks nice next to your skin color. ☺️
Happy birthday! I’m 42 as well, and I’ve decided it’s going to be a great year. After all, Douglas Adams told us that it’s the answer to life, the universe, and everything. Beautiful sweater!
Happy Birthday! What a joyful sweater in these “unjoyful” times. Your brilliance brings us such cheer. Thank you.
Last year I used a lovely nubby baby yarn (Plymouth Nako Kar Tanesi ) single strand to make “The Purple Sweater” from Blue Alvarez Designs. (Not in purple though). My favorite no-seam sweater to knit and to wear in cool weather.
So lovely! Happy birthday, Dana!
Happy Birthday dear Dana, you look so beautiful!
Happy Birthday!!! We’re the same age (I turned 42 in June), so you’re not old to me at all! 😊
I love the sweater and it’s a perfect gift to yourself. Enjoy and good luck with the beginning of your school year!
Happy, happy Birthday! It is such a joy to see your posts!
Stash-busting OPPORTUNITY. More what I meant to say:).
Happy birthday! Beautiful sweater with stunning color combinations. Always enjoy and appreciate what you knit. Your courage in tackling any project is admirable. Have come to realize that the courage, bravery and humor you demonstrate with your knitting projects are carried thru in every aspect of your life. You are a woman to be admired – and I do so admire you. ❤️
Happy, happy Birthday! Forty two looks good on you- enjoy! I love the slouchy slub sweater and thanks for your notes about the yarns you chose.
Peggy R.
Happy Birthday!!!!
Happy Happy Birthday!!! May all your wishes come true!!
Happy birthday! Wishing you peace and joy in the year ahead. Thank you for bringing so much happiness to your readers.
Happy Birthday! According to Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy, 42 is the answer to everything! Hope it is for you. Thank you for such a great blog.
Fabulous and fun! “Wear it in good health, “ as my grandmother used to say. Have a lovely birthday.
What a fun sweater!! Happy Birthday! You deserve to enjoy a special day – so much is taken away from us right now. Don’t let them take a fun, happy birthday away from you. I love the story behind your sweaters. It’s very inspiring. At 42, you are just hitting your stride!
That’s great that you can do a classic sweater your way with no pattern!
Happiest of birthdays. I’m in awe of your ability to just knit something without a pattern. I doubt I’ll ever get there but they are so many great patterns to choose from. 42 is the new 32. I’m about to turn 62 and don’t feel a day over 50 something
What a great sweater! Happy Birthday! I get so much enjoyment from your blog!
This looks like a sweater I would wear all the time! You’ve created the perfect amount of loose, and who couldn’t smile in those festive colors? I hope your birthday is joyful and fun. ❤️
Happy Birthday, Dana! I hope you have a wonderful day! Happy Virgo season! ♍
I ❤ your sweater@ You created a beautiful fabric by holding another yarn with the slubbed yarn. I’ve knit with slubbed yarn before and I agree it is too thin. Such a clever solution!
Happy Birthday! And many happy returns.Thanks for all the happy, colorful knitting joy.
Happy Birthday to you! Enjoy your birthday weekend! Woohoo!! The sweater is beautiful – as always, I love your color choices.
Happy Birthday! With every wish for a year filled with peace, health and happiness.
Happy Birthday, Dana! I hope you enjoy your special day. Your sweater looks so cheerful and comfy–perfect for this troubled time.
Happy Happy Birthday to you dear Dana! Your sweater is beautiful and looks like so much fun.
I hope you have a great birthday weekend!
I’m a day late, but sending happy birthday 🎂wishes to you to last the whole year. In case it helps, I’ll just say that I’m waaay ahead of you in years, and 42 looks just about like the beginning of Real Adulthood to me, lol. I hope you and yours had a fabulous day and were able to focus on love and good times all day long. Thank you for taking time to post about your color-blending process with two strands of yarn — how to pair up slub yarns, especially — and for making it seem logical for a non-designer knitter like me to make a no-pattern pullover. So grateful for your smart, eloquent, color-wise, knitting presence in this world!
Well, 42 was and remains a magic number to me because of Jackie Robinson— it’s the number my kids ask for when they’re on a team and are asked to pick a jersey number. 🙂 I think we are better at history than we are at sports, though. Happy, happy birthday!
Happy birthday dear Dana! Best wishes for the day and the year ahead!
Madeline
Happy Birthday, Dana! Hope this year is a happy and healthy one. I live next to a college. Every year I get older but the students never age. Love the color combo and fit of that sweater. It looks great on you, but I’m wondering, does Jellybean do slouch?
Happy Birthday! What a splendid idea – birthday sweaters! I love this, the colour, the style, the comfort.