Favorite Cardigan

August 07, 2013








Ahhh, big sigh.  Finally a finished and photographed sweater to blog about!  I find it easier to knit the darn things than I do to model and photograph them.  I have four more to photograph, I hope to do one a week to ease the pain of the photography sessions.  Here is the Favorite Cardigan by Wendy Bernard from her great book, Custom Knits.  I've knit a few things from what I think is Wendy's first book.  Published in 2008, I think it's destined to become a classic if it isn't already, full of very wearable and knitable projects.  This cardigan is knit top-down and is a very simple project.  In fact it's a perfect project for the first time top-down knitter or first time cabler.  There is however a mistake in the pattern, the cables are placed too close to the button band and have to be moved out a few stitches making sure you match them up to the ribbed neck.  Many Ravelers explained how to do this so I won't go into detail here, but you can see in the close up photo how it's important when making cables to have your ribbing meld into the cables.  I made the neckline higher and warmer by casting on less stitches, then after the neck ribbing making more increases before finally getting to the separation point for the arm and body.

The yarn was the sumptuous Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk Aran in Regatta, a bright periwinkle blue.  I loved it's soft merino touch and bounce.  It's a multi-plied yarn and for me didn't split or twist up, a very high quality yarn as has been every Sublime yarn I have tried.  I purchased the yarn at Stitches West from the large and lovely Webs booth.  They always have helpful people working for them and while the line always seems long because of their good sales, they get you through pretty quickly.  Sorry I could not find a link to it as it's discontinued in the aran weight, but apparently not in other weights such as the DK.   I think it may have light to moderate pilling issues but a sweater shaver will work well if needed.

On US 8 needles it knits up to 18 lovely stitches per 4 cushy inches and soft enough for next to the skin.  Hand wash and dry flat. 

I used my Knit Picks Nickel Plated Interchangeables and the knitting went fast and the stitches glided effortlessly.  The joins are very smooth with no snagging ever and the cables are very flexible.  I have a set of the wooden Harmonies that I love and a full set of the nickel plated needles too.  I couldn't live without either, my favorite go-to needles and IMO Knit Picks are the absolute best on the market.  Don't confuse Knit Picks needles with Knit Pro, I haven't had as much luck with them.  Knit Picks does not have anything smaller than a US 4 so I have ordered US2 and US3 in Knitter's Pride Karbonz needles from Web's, they sound promising.  I think one of these days I'll do a needle review.  I don't think there are many I haven't tried.  (At the time of posting these needles are on sale at the Knit Pick site.)

Happy dance!
  Rowan Studio 32 book is due out very soon.  
Get ready for black and white time travel to the 60s.
I loved them ALL.  Can't wait to show them to you.  Oh my poor colossal queue.


Linking to Anything Blue Friday at the Dedicated House.



 

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10 Comments

  1. This cardigan looks gorgeous on you. Love the colour too.

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  2. What a nice cardigan. You have been a very busy knitter if you have 3 more to photograph. I always seem to take a while to take photos of finished objects too.

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    Replies
    1. Yes Sue, around here the photography is the slowest part!

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  3. I had to laugh about your comment about taking the pictures of you FO. The modeled pictures are definitely the worst! I have this book and agree with you about it being a classic.

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  4. I love it! This and the Ingenue pullover are my two favorite designs from that book. I've made Ingenue twice but haven't gotten around to this one yet - must remedy that!

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  5. Yes, please, a needle review would be fabulous!

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    Replies
    1. I'm going to get cracking on that. I think it would be fun to do a needle review, in a way it's almost as important as the yarn and pattern!

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  6. Love it! Love that book! And most of all, I love my Harmonies too!

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  7. Love the color and the coziness of the extra ribbing. I also have Wendy's book and keep promising myself I will knit Ingenue one day. Chloe

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  8. I't so pretty! Thank you for sharing. You are one of the features today at the Anything Blue Friday party at The Dedicated House. Pop on in and grab a feature button for your blog. Here is the link to this week's party. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2013/08/anything-blue-friday-week-22.html Hope to see you again at the blue soiree. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

    ReplyDelete

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