7 Day Sweater Challenge: Homesteading In One Do-It-All Sweater

From gardening to braving unpredictable Wyoming weather to travel, this versatile sweater is built tough.

Putting An Oliver Charles Sweater to The Test On A Sustainable Wyoming Homestead

Introducing the 1st blog in my 3-part blog series about my experiences testing an Oliver Charles All-Season Marled Crew Sweater, and how it lived up to both my performance and sustainably expectations.

This blog is a personal account of my 7 Day Sweater Challenge wearing the sweater in a variety of conditions and chores, and how it sustainably stayed in step with my demanding lifestyle, no matter what twists and turns popped up.

• 7 Day Sweater Challenge
• Composting Wool
• Wool For All Weather

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Embarking on a 7 Day Challenge with my Marled Crew, I was filled with excitement and curiosity.

Could one sweater truly withstand the demands of my homesteading lifestyle in unpredictable Wyoming weather?

As a sustainable fashion enthusiast and outdoor gear aficionado, I was eager to put this versatile garment to the test, from gardening and chores to braving the elements and even traveling.

Join me as I share my daily reflections, unveil the sweater's performance secrets, and explore the world of yak wool sustainability.

Get ready for a week-long adventure where style meets functionality, and discover why the Oliver Charles sweater exceeded my expectations.

I went into my 7 Day Challenge with high expectations and plenty of excitement. While some might be skeptical about the prospect of wearing one garment for an entire week, as someone who works in sustainable fashion and has extensive experience in the outdoor gear industry, I’m well-versed in the power of wool as a fabric.

On a theoretical level, I understand the benefits of yak wool specifically but hadn’t had the chance to wear it given yak wool is still uncommon even among sustainable fashion brands, despite it being one of the most eco-friendly and ethical wool choices out there (more on that later!).

From the moment I looked out on my porch to see a lone package sitting on the top of my steps, Oliver Charles was well on the way to meeting my expectations, even high as they were.

Inside my package, the sweater was safely packaged in a durable canvas tote bag.

And if you’re thinking, “Oh great, ANOTHER tote bag I don’t know what to do with,” let me reassure you that this tote is much larger and more durable than any other tote I’ve owned. I now use it for tons of things, from a reusable bag at the grocery store to a quick grab-and-go weekend bag.

A Sweater Made For All Bodies, Including Mine

Unable to wait until the official first day of my challenge, I tried it on right away. I’m always nervous the first time I try something that comes online because a lot of companies don’t make clothes that fit athletic bodies like mine.

I used to be a rock climber and am still very into home fitness and weight lifting—which means I have broad shoulders that in no way match my tiny bust and waist. So it’s not unusual for me to find clothes—sweaters especially—really restrictive and uncomfortable in the shoulders but fine fitting everywhere else.

Fortunately, the knit of this sweater was stretchy enough that my shoulders maintained a full range of motion, without looking sloppy and slouchy on the rest of my torso.

Beyond the fit, I was immediately impressed at the thick and durable weave of the fabric, not to mention the combination of merino and yak wool that blended the best properties of both. The result was a super soft, non-itchy, and durable piece I couldn’t wait to wear.

I also really liked the marled pattern, and with its multiple thread colors, I knew it would be easy to mix and match with numerous outfits and just about any neutral color scheme.

Getting Down And Dirty In The Garden

The sweater felt like it fit great during its initial try-on test, but on my first day of the actual challenge, I put that fit and function to the real test: gardening. And more than that, gardening in late summertime in Wyoming, which is known for its unpredictable temperatures.

I needed something light, warm, and layerable, but still durable enough to do pretty labor-intensive yard work, that was NOT a bulky jacket—and this sweater performed beautifully.

Part of homesteading and living self-sufficiently means knowing what I can and can’t do on my tiny lot. While I have some raised garden beds at home, the bulk of my growing is accomplished by taking advantage of a wonderful community garden in my town of which I’ve been a member for five years.

I even serve on its board of directors and this particular day, we happened to have a work day scheduled, so I donned my favorite work overalls and was so happy to find my OC sweater layered perfectly under the overalls, without any bunching or bulk.

Summer work days in the garden are usually very labor intensive, as there is a ton of stuff to get done before the weather allows us to do any actual planting. Today’s to-do list included planting new trees, building a new chicken coop, digging holes for a bunch of new berry bushes, repairing irrigation systems, and more.

I’ve always loved digging holes so I jumped at the opportunity to dig holes for our new trees. My sweater moved with me for hours of laborious digging through tough, clay-rich soil and dragging ten-gallon tree pots to their final home, never once restricting my movement or showing signs of being unable to keep up with the work.

This particular day was sunny, but, in usual Wyoming fashion, a bit blustery, so the wind chill, brought the temperature down to a perfect 60°F for which the sweater was perfect. Even in full sun, I was never uncomfortably hot, nor did I get cold when a sudden gust of wind would kick up.

After eight hours of working hard, I headed home and put the sweater to the real test—the smell test.

And lo and behold, the sweater smelled just as fresh and clean as when I opened the package!

A Cozy Staple Putting The “Home” In Homesteading

On day two, I switched speeds a little bit, because half of homesteading means a lot of chores done around the home. And I had a home that I had severely neglected over the last few weeks between some travel and frantic outdoor garden prep.

So I spent the day in my sweater bustling from chore to chore, including cleaning the house and making a few batches of sourdough bread.

I especially loved how the sleeves stayed securely pushed up over my elbows, which ensured I kept the sleeves clean and out of the way of the otherwise messy act of bread baking and surface scrubbing. Nothing drives me to the brink of insanity faster than my sleeves falling in the middle of doing dishes!

Something Snuggly For A Substitute Bird Mom

Much to my chagrin, I don’t have a lot of space on my homestead to raise animals and I’m fairly certain my neighbors wouldn’t appreciate a flock of chickens.

That’s why, about a year ago, we decided to start raising quail—tiny, cute little birds known for their delicious and highly nutritious eggs and small space requirements. And considering my tiny homestead is also based out of a 400 square foot tiny house, tiny is the name of the game for me.

Day three of my 7 Day Challenge just so happened to be day 18 of incubation for a fresh clutch of quail eggs—AKA hatch day. It was a busy day of carefully observing the hatching process and helping where needed. Still, before I knew it, I had 15 clumsy, chirping baby quail no bigger than my thumb running around in a brooder box in the middle of my living room.

Baby quail love snuggly, soft things as a substitute for their mother, so while they generally don’t particularly like to be held, they happily snuggled into the soft fabric of my khullu sweater while I cuddled them in my lap.

A Cozy 3D-Knit Sweater Makes Working From Home A Breeze

I woke up on the morning of my fourth day to find the unpredictable Wyoming weather patterns had (predictably) blown in an unexpected storm that brought rain and temperatures plummeting below freezing again at night.

So I pulled on my cozy Marled Crew and decided to make the best of the bad weather by spending a much-needed day dedicated to catching up on work.

Unfortunately, homesteading doesn’t pay all (okay any) of the bills, so for work, I run my own upcycle crafting business, in addition to my full-time job in the sustainability writing field, both of which I’m thankful I can do from the comfort of my home.

Speaking of comfort, my All-Season Crew turned out to be the perfect work-from-home outfit that made me feel professional and well-dressed without the discomfort of usual office attire.

Because my house is so tiny and my partner often works from the office, our loft bedroom more often than not doubles as my home office, thanks to a handy lap desk. But because I sit in bed working, I especially like to keep my outfits loose and comfortable and my new sweater did not disappoint.

Garden Irrigation

The weather cleared the next day which meant I needed to spend another day in the garden, especially since the rain the day before had weeds coming up like, well, weeds!

I spent the bulk of my day in my sweater and pair of work jeans sitting in the middle of my home garden beds, painstakingly plucking tiny weeds one by one.

Since wool is naturally UV-resistant, I felt confident sitting out for hours in the direct sunlight without donning any sunscreen, and sure enough, my arms weren’t burnt in the slightest at the end of the day.

This is quite the achievement, considering I live over 5000 feet in elevation, meaning the UV index is quite high and my fair skin burns easily.

Hot-Washing My Sweater

By day six, I’d spent over 50 hours wearing my sweater—and it was still passing the sniff test with flying colors, which is impressive considering I’m also a staunch wearer of only natural deodorant that doesn’t stop me from sweating like aluminum based antiperspirants.

But the following day, I knew I needed to get on an airplane. Seeing as airplane air already makes me feel gross, I wanted to go into the day as clean as possible, so I decided to wash my sweater just in case.

It worked out well, because, in true Wyoming late summer fashion we went from 30°F to 75°F and sunny overnight. While my previous days of wear proved this wool sweater to be remarkable at temperature regulating to tackle a big range of temperatures, it was a little warm in the full sun on this day.

How My Yak Sweater Performed While Traveling

After a morning bustling around trying to tie up loose ends on the homestead before leaving it in my partner’s care for the week, I boarded a small plane bound for my hometown in Montana snuggled in my Marled Crew—which was a good thing, because that particular airplane had the air conditioning blasting at full bore for the duration of my hour flight.

When we touched down at the Denver International Airport for a two-hour layover, the temperature was immediately 30 degrees warmer but I was still perfectly comfortable without having to shed the layer and keep track of it as I traversed the long, parallel terminals of Denver.

I also discovered last minute before boarding that my particular ticket did not allow me a carry-on bag, so I needed to quickly repack to fit a week’s worth of clothing in a bag I could fit under the seat in front of me, sending the rest of my carefully packed and planned luggage home with my husband.

Fortunately, I knew my All-Season Sweater would be the perfect versatile piece for exactly that.

A Sweater That Embraces The Simplicity Of A Simple Lifestyle

My All-Season Marled Crew became my trusted companion, adapting effortlessly to each day's demands—even the extra demanding ones.

And all the better than it aligns with my sustainability values. I don’t often purchase new clothes since I think sustainability lies first and foremost with secondhand items, but I’m so happy to have given this sweater a chance.

I wholeheartedly recommend the Oliver Charles All-Season Marled Crew to anyone seeking a versatile, comfortable, and sustainable wardrobe staple.

Whether you're a fellow homesteader, outdoor enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates timeless style and functionality, this sweater will undoubtedly exceed your expectations.

It's an investment in both your style and the planet, proving that you can look good, feel good, and do good, all with one remarkable garment.

If you believe that every good wardrobe starts with owning less and owning better, consider buying yourself an OLIVER CHARLES sweater.