I’m ready, Rhinebeck!

Scroll to the bottom of this page to view my video demonstrating how to knit cables without a cable needle.

Having knit the Anniversaire cardi earlier this year, I am quite familiar with the cables of Veera Välimäki. Anniversaire features a variety of fun and interesting cables, but it was the rounded depressions of the honeycomb cables that I found most alluring. Not surprisingly, when Veera released the honeycomb cable-smothered Beeswax pullover for the New York Sheep and Wool Festival, I purchased the pattern pronto.

The Beeswax design is a collaboration of Veera and Primrose Yarn Co. Since Primrose’s Marquess MCN DK is probably my favorite DK weight yarn ever, I leapt at the excuse to purchase some more of those luxurious, squishy skeins for my Beeswax. After a little scrolling on the Primrose site I decided on the colorway “Dirty Pool Toys,” which I know sounds like a summery colorway, but when you think about it pool toys are dirtiest at the end of the season, which is now here in Alabama. A half-inflated pink flamingo float, sun-washed, bleached and coated in green and brown algae comes to my mind, but perhaps you envision something else: faded pink hydrangeas? weather-beaten roses? All are early fall images perfect for an early fall sweater, no doubt.

Yet another reason I quickly resolved to knit the Beeswax was that I needed a sweater to wear to the New York Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, and what better choice than a sweater that was specifically designed for the event?

I am elated at how my Beeswax turned out! However, I did size down for a better fit. Veera designed the sweater to have 2-4 inches of positive ease, but given the bulkiness of the cable texture I did not want any extra ease contributing to the garment’s thickness, so I opted for a more fitted look. I also knit three-quarter sleeves because I was afraid 1) I wouldn’t finish in time and 2) I wouldn’t have enough yarn for full-length sleeves.

I am now officially ready for Rhinebeck!

To view and/or purchase the Beeswax pattern on Veera Välimäki’s Ravelry store, click here.

To view my Beeswax project page on Ravelry, click here.

Click here to watch a video demonstrating how I knit cables–without a cable needle! I hope my method helps those of you who find the cable needle to be fiddly and awkward.

ABOUT AUTHOR Jamie Hoffman

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