I swatched up the Noro Cash Iroha and it's a dream. The gauge I like is a bit larger than the pattern I'm thinking of, so I'll have to do more knit-math, but what's new.

I ended up knitting quite a large swatch, because I wanted to try out the pattern stitch that the pattern calls for. The swatch got even larger when I wasn't too taken with the bumpy texture of it in this already thick/thin yarn. Still, I really liked the diagonal look so I tried out a diagonal rib pattern I found in Vogue Knitting. And I'm tickled pink with it!

I wish I could come up with a way to justify starting this sweater now, but it is truly a winter sweater and I have plenty of fall projects to make and wear while the weather's still mild. At least I got to run my hands through the yarn a bit, though.