While watching an episode of a Japanese variety show called SMAPxSMAP the other day (I’m so addicted to the segment called Bistro SMAP), I saw one of the hosts and actor/J-pop star Takuya Kimura show up wearing this simple but super cool blue cable hoodie and I said to myself that I MUST have one just like that immediately!   But after failing to find something similar online, I decided to go ahead and knit my own.

I wasn’t in the mood for something too involved, so I turned to a pattern in a book, The Yarn Girls’ Guide to Beyond the Basics, for a quick and painless knit! I ditched the zipper in front (that would be too much work) and opted for a basic pullover instead.  That’s what’s so wonderful about knitting – you can create any piece of garment you desire, as long as you’re willing to spend some time on the craft.

My finished piece doesn’t completely resemble Kimutaku’s version, but I’m really happy with how it turned out.  This is the first sweater that I knit that I would actually wear.

Knitting all pieces

I used Cascade 220 yarns in turquoise for the project. They were on sale for $6.75 (regularly $9) per skein from WEBS Yarns and I only used 6, so the price for this sweater (sans labor, shipping, and taxes) was a mere $40!

Blocking

After all the pieces were complete, I blocked each piece by soaking them in water and pinning them flat on a towel. Wet yarn really makes your place smell like a herd of wet sheep just walked by.

Sewing Pieces Together:

Sewing is my least favorite part of the knitting process. I don’t mind the actual sewing but I don’t enjoy threading the yarn through a needle.  I knit a hoodie but I decided to omit it because it was becoming a major pain to sew it onto the sweater.  I’m actually happy with the decision because I like the slightly formal and womanly feel that it now has.

Posing for the Camera

And here is me, sporting my new favorite sweater!

Happy holidays, everyone! I hope you enjoy this special time of the year with your friends and family!