The Blind Date (Sweater) continued….

A day delayed, but here is Auntie Alice & Suzi part 2.
Suzi let me know the other day that Auntie Alice is excited that I am going to make her a sweater. She did not know I knit. As far as I can tell, she still thinks I am in middle school. Probably best not to mention the small hollering boys.
So, as I said the other day I ordered the yarn. Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere in 23, which is called Crocus. Suzi said that Auntie Alice liked Grey, Black and Purple. I figured if I was going to knit in cotton (okay 85% cotton) which was not my first choice, then there was no way I was going to knit it in black. Plus, I want her to be happy when she sees the sweater everyday. It will not do to have it be just plain black (a hold over from the husband knitting. Plain black, go to The Gap).
So being the good online consumer I am, I went right online to a site that sells yarn on the cheap. Or so I thought. I ordered 30 balls and was pleased with my purchase. It was $7.50 a ball with a $50ish discount (made the price per ball about $5.88). Then I did some more surfing and found it at Elann for $4.48 a ball. And they had 30 of the Crocus in stock. Erf. I felt foolish, to say the least. I kept forgetting to cancel the first order and then Knitting Karma kicked in. The store I had ordered it from, at the higher price, mailed me that it was backordered for 3 weeks. Whee. Go online, order it from Elann, call place #1 and cancel. I did have a few moments of panic that I was going to end up either with no yarn or 60 balls of Cotton Cashmere.
I was really happy to find the yarn so inexpensively. With my luck, I will post this entry and find it somewhere for $3.75 a ball. I just need to stop looking. It is ordered and on its way to my house. Get over it.
Now for a pattern. I dug out my Anne Budd-The Knitter’s Handy Book of Sweater Patterns. What a godsend. I was concerned that I was not going to be able to find a pattern to fit Auntie Alice. Anne Budd’s directions go from 26″ up to a 54″ inch chest measurement. There is certainly something in there to fit her.
Now I need to pick a stitch. I really do not want to make a plain stockinette sweater and can’t make something with many cables as it will be too warm. Later today I will find the Harmony Guides and pick a nice textured but simple stitch. Any ideas on which to pick for a little old lady sweater that doesn’t look like a little old lady sweater? Seriously, any ideas are welcome.
Now if the yarn would get here, I can start swatching.