Just a little bit of time and an ounce of dedication, and the pay off it quite grand! I love my new cardigan!
Wren Cardigan
Pattern: Berroco free pattern
Yarn: Berroco Zodiac in “Leo” colorway (#9633 )
Yarn Source: WEBS online
Needles: Size US 7 and 8
Started March 25th / Finished May 16th
This was an absolute impulse buy – I fell head-over-heels in love with the pattern when the weekly Berroco KnitBits newsletter hit my inbox. I clicked over, got the details, and within a few days, I bought the yarn, and cast on. I bought the yarn because I love pink and green together, and it was a great match for Project Spectrum’s color triad this month. Rarely do I click “checkout” so hastily!
I chose to make the Medium size, a 40″ bust, thinking I would want a little “room” up top since it is a cardigan. After finishing it, however, I probably could have gone down a size to the 36″, or even a needle size to get a better fit in the upper chest… but the fit is not a major concern, just something to keep in mind if you do decide to make this cardigan.
I knit the majority of the sweater according to the pattern – the back and the two fronts were simple to follow, and the sleeves were done in a flash. The major modification on this garment involved the collar:
- Separate Knit? The pattern instructs to knit the collar separately and then sew it on afterward. To save all of that seaming, I decided to pick up the stitches around the fronts and the back of the neck. My picked-up stitch count was curiously 80 stitches less than the instructions noted – I picked up 205, while the instructions read 285! I can only assume that all of these extra stitches would have caused the dreaded “lettuce neck” with the sewn on collar… so I am happy that I went the “pick up” route.
- Gaping Hole? I wasn’t loving the way that the collar gaped in the original picture, so I did not make mine as long or as bulky. The pattern calls for about 30 rows of knitting, where mine has 10 rows at the widest part (back of the neck). This modification avoided “the gape” and lays flat around the neckline. This yarn, like any other ribbon yarn, does not have much heft or bulk- it is drapey, and would look flimsy if it was required to stand up for this style of collar. I am not sure how 30 rows of knitting would stand up straight unless one went down to a very small needle size… nevertheless, this modification gave it a more polished and finished look.
The pattern had its flaws, mainly the collar bit mentioned above, but if you are an intuitive knitter, it is not a challenge. The yarn, however, was not my favorite. I did like the colors – although they are slightly “flashier” than I tend to go for. I mentioned before that the yarn is a thread of chain cotton, bound to a ribbon thread with a small black nylon thread. That stupid little black nylon thread is what caused so many problems. It snagged on many things – my nails, my cuticles, and my jewelry – and often got unraveled from the other two threads. This cardigan would probably hold up well in any ribbon style yarn, or even a cotton blend yarn with a little bit of drape.
Overall, I am happy with my Wren. The pin is just the right touch too. I am very happy with that find!
It seems like just yesterday we were hanging out and you were knitting this–I kind of can’t believe it’s done already! And totally completed within the Project Spectrum timespan. Oh, and did I not yet say how AWESOME it looks on you? Great job!!
It looks totally fabulous!
Sorry the yarn was a chore, but you got a great sweater out of it and you never have to use it again. I really like pink with green too, and those “flashy” colors are going to ensure that people take a look at how awesome the sweater is, haha. You look great in it.
I don’t know why you don’t normally go for those colors? The colors in Wren look great on you.
I like the modifications you made on the neck. Had i seen the original pattern i probably would have never thought of knitting this item…ever. But now, i think my Mom could use one.
Well done.
So pretty! That is the “spring”-iest cardigan ever.
The pink and green are to sublime! Looks perfect for spring and summer. Love it!
I’m so glad you posted this today… I’m about halfway done with mine and was thinking just the same thing about the collar. Why knit separately and seam, for goodness sake?
Yours turned out so well. I hope mine fits as well as yours does… I hesitated a bit about the size, too, and I hope it doesn’t turn out too big. Anyway, well done, my friend! Those colors and the shape of the cardi are all very flattering on you. Super cute!
Like I said on the phone, radiant. You look stunning and the cardigan looks beautiful on you. I think this has got to be one of my favorite knits yet!
Just Beautiful Lol!
Really, really lovely! But now I have the Chieftans’ song “The Wren in the Furze” stuck in my head–
The wren, oh the wren he’s the king of all birds…
Fun song, if you don’t mind it getting stuck in your head every time you wear the sweater you should look it up
I like that one better than the one in the newletter! That colorway is perfect on you! BEAUTIFUL!!
Lolly, it’s fabulous! I’m still trying to find the perfect yarn to make this. Now that the yarn is sold out at WEBS, the search is on!
The adjustments worked up just perfectly. A lovely color, too. Very cute on you, too!
Both the sweater and you are gorgeous! You look like a magazine!!! (That’s a compliment!)
Can I ask what kind of camera you have? (It’s been asked before hasn’t it?) It just captures the light perfectly!
Beautiful – and the colour really looks great on you!
Lovely bubbly, Lolly!! Great work – you look stunning
Lovely!
The colours are amazing – you have to love impulse buys
Absolutely fantastic! It all came together so well!
that came out amazing! the color looks great on you, and I love the mods you did – makes it a bit more “tailored” looking
What a lovely cardigan. It looks great on you!
Lolly, I love it! It looks wonderful on you and that pin is perfection!
a PERFECT spring knit. And those are some fabulous photos of you, Lolly!
You look stunning! The color is just great, and perfect for the spring and summer. I love the way the yarn looks knitted up, the color variation is nice, but subtle enough to not detract from the great structure.
so cute! it looks great on you!
I really like that sweater, it looks great on you! The yarn may have been a pain but the final effect is very rich looking.
I’m with Mimi, I think that this is my favorite yet. I never doubted the color, but I got to see it “live”. It is lovely on you, Swee-swee and you did an amazing job adapting it! XXOO
It looks great, especially the color. Congrats on another successful FO!
Wren has been on the to-do list ever since that knit bits email so I’m taking on board your mods and the reasoning behind them.
It looks gorgeous btw
congrats on a job well done
Great color, great fit, great figure! Well done, Lolly, well done!
Lovely, just lovely Lolly! The modifications you made to the collar make it the perfect little sweater. It’s very flattering too! Enjoy it.
Wow, it looks great! Much better than the one on Berroco’s website. I vastly prefer the smaller collar and I like your pin!
Wren is quite loverly. I really like the color of that yarn. And the pin is just perfect
I love your version so much better than the original – the collar is great! It look just beautiful on you.
Lolly, Cute, cute, cute. I also love your version better that the original. The original collar would have probably felt funky up on your neck. Grat job.
Superb!
It is so cute. You have great instincts about what looks good on you.
It came out great! Such a good choice for you.
Beautiful sweater. And I like the modification to the collar. Thanks for telling us how you modified it.
Love the cardigan! It looks fabulous.
Your version of Wren is so beautiful! The pink and green are so flattering on you. I have to ditto what Rebecca posted above…your version and modifications made the pattern so much better. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing.
Just gorgeous! I love your modifications. The pin definitely “makes” the cardigan!
Looks amazing, Lolly- what a perfect spring in to summer knit. And that pin is fabulous!
Lovely! The pin is a great finishing touch.
look at you, hot mama! that cardigan is just divine. yum yum yum. . .
Wow, that’s such a beautiful cardigan!
Beautiful pictures of a lovely cardigan! It is so beautiful and it looks great on you.
Beautiful! What a flattering sweater! I love it and love the color on you.
Beautiful! The pin is just perfect.
It’s lovely! The shape, color and style are all wonderful. Nice job.
Really cool! I love the extra-close photo so we could see the colors of the yarn well. Great job!
Pretty pin on a pretty sweater on a pretty girl. It looks great Lolly, and so do you!