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Aimee's Unexpected Atlantica

Woman in blue sweater
Photo Credit: Aimee Sher

Aimee is one of our lovely Fancy Tiger Crafts Ambassadors. We are huge fans of her work, and this sweater is no exception! You can find her on Instagram.


I’ve been loving the special guest issues of Pom Pom Quarterly, edited by Ocean Rose. The Atlantica Pullover was one that drew my attention right away, and I couldn’t wait to knit it. I had never knit something with so much lace, bobbles, and cabling all in one huge swath of texture before, but I was game to try. I struggled at first, trying to knit it in Einband, a yarn I’ve always wanted to try. I ended up in the middle of a chronic pain flare up and I knew I needed a yarn with more crimp and bounce (such as the merino I ended up with) while I recovered, to minimize wear and tear in my hands and wrists. I’ll have to try the Lopi line another time, but for now, I had to find a yarn substitute!

Pattern: The Atlantica Pullover by Audrey Borrego; originally published in Pom Pom Quarterly Issue 34: Autumn 2020
Yarn: Woolberry Berry Mohair in A Single Pearl; Knerd String Fingering in Tidal Pool (3 skeins each)
Size knit: Size 3
Modifications: Reduced sleeve size, substituted yarn

Woman in blue sweater
Photo Credit: Aimee Sher

When yarn subbing for a project like this, I knew that I would need to identify a section of the pattern that had a similar gauge to other projects I’ve tried before so I can match the yarn to the gauge. Because the reverse stockinette sleeve of this sweater is knit inside out at sort of a DK-weight gauge, I thought that I could recreate the texture and marled look in the original recommended yarn by holding a mohair lace strand and a fingering strand together, similar to other patterns I’ve knit that have that same gauge with the fuzzy texture. Jaime from Fancy Tiger Crafts helped me pick out this amazing color combination (and I’m so glad she did).

Woman in blue sweater
Photo Credit: Aimee Sher

Once I decided on the yarn, I took a look at the specs. My favorite sweaters with this shape have the body width of size 3, but I usually like the sleeves narrower. I decided to follow the instructions for size three until the underarm split, and then knit a shorter arm hole section, following the instructions for size 2. Then, I went back to following the size 3 instructions to complete the neckline.

Woman in blue sweater
Photo Credit: Aimee Sher

I knit the neckband following the body, so that I could see how long the sleeves would be. I knew that by sizing up to size 3 (I’m usually in size 2), the drop shoulder would sit lower on my body and the sleeves wouldn’t need to be as long as written. By knitting the neckband first, I could try it on periodically (since the neckband affects how the garment sits on my body) until I reached the desired sleeve length. I ended up using a little more than the recommended amount of yarn than the pattern calls for (about 70 yards more than the pattern indicated on each yarn I used) even though I sized down in the arms, but I still had enough to finish both. But if you are knitting a different size, you may have to order a little more due to how the yarn substitute knits up differently.

Woman in blue sweater
Photo Credit: Aimee Sher

Even though the yarn selection in this garment is not what I planned, I’m really happy with the sweater I ended up with. It has the mohair texture in a lighter color adding interest to the beautiful lace which gives it a wonderful glow, and it is super warm and soft. This sweater was a challenge in endurance for me, personally, because of the extensive lace, but it was so worth it. If you are looking to hop on the Fancy Tiger Crafts Sweater KAL (#FancyKAL), but the Lopi family of yarns is not your thing (even though they are fantastic yarns), consider using this yarn combination or a DK weight yarn by itself for a more streamlined, less textured look. Don’t be afraid to substitute yarn for a fabric that works for you, and you’ll be glad you tried it!

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