Well hello there, handsome

That would be my husband, appearing in the latest issue of Knitty in my "Arguyle" gansey pattern. Don't they look nice paired together like that?

I just love being able to reveal stuff that I've been sitting on for a while. Especially if it's been a long while! I started designing this pattern probably about two years ago. As the preamble for the pattern on Knitty says, I was looking to improve the available selection of men's patterns. (Not that there's nothing out there for men, of course...but there certainly isn't as much pattern choice as one finds for women, babies and children.) I decided to make up a gansey pattern, and decided on a texture version of argyle as the main motif. My swatches seemed to indicate that this would work very nicely:

I submitted it to Knitty and, happily, got a green light, although it was some time before it was decided that the First Fall 2013 issue would be this pattern's home.

For yarn support, I was asked to choose something from Classic Elite's lineup. Since my requirements were pretty specific (sportweight, high wool content, good stitch definition, comes in colours conservative enough not to send my husband into a panic), there was only one real choice - Naturally Soft Merino by MillaMia. And WOW, did it turn out to be absolutely perfect!

(Look at that stitch definition! And it feels fabulous, too.)

My husband adores it. And by 'adores' I mean doesn't stop talking about how it fits absolutely perfectly and is hands-down the best sweater in the entire universe and he is the luckiest guy ever to own it. :)

He's not the only one who likes it. From admiring comments made during the making of it, I suspect my father wants one, too. But first I want to finish the one I started for one of my BILs:

I want to make one for my other BIL, too. In fact, I suspect I'll have at least one of these on the needles for the next three Christmases. That's okay - it's good fun to knit. Also, it's daughter-approved:

(Hands off. He's mine.)