Apr 07 2008
Sarah Smile
After a full weekend of knitting and finishing, I was so incredibly thrilled to hand this cardigan over to my sister. When the last end was sewn in, and the rainy skies finally let up, I told Sarah that we had to get photos before the next cloudburst. A belated birthday gift for my sweet sister…
Printed Silk Cardigan
Pattern Source: Interweave Knits, Spring 2008
Yarn: Frog Tree Pima Silk, colorway 810
Yarn Source: Webs
Needles: Size US 3 and 5
As I was sewing up the last sleeve, I was overwhelmed at how well this all came together. I took a chance on the yarn - it wasn’t the same content (cotton and silk) and was a little larger gauge - but it is beautiful, and from a respectable company. At first, I thought it was going to be a problem because the yarn does tend to split. Like most other cotton/silk blends, it is a few small strands spun together. Luckily, I got the hang of it, and I didn’t have too many issues with errant threads popping out. The few that did were easy to poke back through to the wrong side of the fabric.
My choice of cardigan was ambitious to knit in the small time frame of one month - I began knitting this in mid-February (squarely within Project Spectrum: FIRE!) and hoped to be finished by March 17th, Sarah’s birthday. Alas, I did not finish until three weeks later. The timing did work out, however. We had planned a visit to North Carolina during the first week in April, and with a little dedication (and a lot of knitting!) it was all wrapped up on Sunday afternoon.
Sarah has a small frame, and without her physical presence to measure along the way, I had to take a chance. I chose the smallest size - 34″ and made a few modifications to fit the bust. I added an inch and a half to the stockinette body to account for her longer torso. The pattern does not call for a hem edge, so it rolls slightly. Some of the other knitters that have finished [Ravelry link] have added a small 1 x 1 ribbing around the bottom. I considered this, but Sarah said she liked the little roll… so I thought if she was happy, I was happy. Another change/oversight on my part involved my modification of the the body into a knit-in-the-round pattern. I knit the two front panels and the back as one piece to avoid seaming the garment in the end. I used stitch markers to note the separations and where to decrease/increase for the waist and bust shaping. However, I did not work in the small ribbed edging that is supposed to essentially “close” the garment across the torso… I simply forgot to work it in… yet, I have to say, that I really like the way it looks. Sarah is thin, and she doesn’t have to worry about the dreaded “muffin top” phenomenon. The draping in the front is reminiscent of another pattern that has caught my eye many times over the years, the Slouchy Cardigan from Greetings from Knit Cafe [Ravelry link].
I hope she can wear it for years to come. The color suits her better than I could have imagined!
I’m usually a lurker, but I just had to comment on what a stunning cardigan this is. The fit is good and the color choice is beautiful. Great work!
Wow, it is beautiful! And it fits her perfectly. I also like how shiny the yarn is, and how the pattern brings out that shine. Good work!
Wow - it is gorgeous - nice work!
This is absolutely gorgeous. How lucky your sister is to have someone like you to make this for her, and how lucky you are to have someone you want to make it for.
Wow…I really hadn’t looked at that whole issue, but I’m going to have to go back. It’s a beautiful cardi and your sister looks beautiful in it!
It’s beautiful! Great job! *^v^*
It’s beautiful!
You’ve done a great job and your sister k\looks great in it!
Stunningly beautiful! And I think the colour is very flattering, too. Thank you for the word “muffin-top” (I am a non-native), these are the things you do not get taught or find in a dictionary (not yet). I like the way I am learning so much “real” English (mostly without being aware of it) through reading blogs. Your language and writing style are very beautiful (apart from “muffin-top” :-)) and I admire the way you can express yourself (along with the aesthetic photography and layout).
Greetings from Europe,
Doris
Lovely! The color and pattern are gorgeous. What a lucky sister : )
This is SO beautiful, Lolly! Looks really great on your sister. You’re making me want to knit one too
Great job, Lolly! It looks wonderful on your sister!
Absolutely gorgeous!
Fantastic!! It looks like a perfect fit.
That is so lovely and your sis seems to be the perfect size for the sweater. Congratulations!
Great job! I especially love the color you chose. It is perfect for “fire” and so flattering on your sister.
Beautiful job! I’m knitting my first sweater for someone else right now, and I understand the amount of worry and calculation and re-calculation and worry that goes into making sure it fits. Kudos!
so pretty! i’m totally impressed with the fit! that’s my worst fear when knitting for others. great job!
It looks fantastic on her! She is such a beauty too. The color and style suite her well. Your photographs of her in it are a work of art in themselves.
I love it! You did a fabulous job, Lolly.
It looks fantastic! You did a marvelous job on it, and you have one lucky sister!
That’s a very pretty sweater!
what a lovely sweater — you’re right, the color is spectacular on her. lucky sister!
it’s just so darn lovely, and the pics look like something of a magazine shoot. what a lucky sister indeed!
aw, it’s beautiful, and your sister must feel especially loved with this gift!
The cardigan turns out so well! And your sister looks gorgeous in it.
gorgeous! both your sister and the cardi : )
I didn’t even realize something was missing in the front, it looks so natural the way you knit it. definitely a successful birthday gift. now, how will you top yourself next year!!?
lovely!! it really fits her so well! Lovely job, Lolly!!
It is so beautiful on your sister. What a wonderful gift!
Seeing this really makes me want to knit myself one of these…if I do, I think I’ll follow your lead and knit the body as one piece, because anything that minimizes seaming is a good thing in my book!
Oh Lol, the cardigan turned out beautifully! You did such a nice job of fitting and finishing. It is a lovely garment and one she will enjoy for years as she remembers all the love her “Lolly” knitted into it! XXOO
wow. that came out truly amazing. what a perfect fit for a far away knitting subject! all your mods worked out wonderfully!
How lovely! Great job on making the adjustments without your sister on hand — it fits her superbly and looks fabulous.
lovely!
excuse me while I run off to rav to heart it
It looks beautiful! The color is lovely on her as well.
Amy
wow, it looks so beautiful on her! and you’re right, the color goes great with her skintone. what a great birthday gift!
It looks so beautiful. Your sister must love it.
It looks perfect on her - perfect fit, perfect color - even maybe the perfect weight for some outdoor gardening time too! Lovely.
it’s so simple and gorgeous! great job lolly!
Brava, Lolly!! Your sister looks beautiful!
Beautiful job, Lolly. It looks fabulous on Sarah. So fabulous I might have to consider knitting one for myself!
So beautiful! Well done!
Another lurker here…..That sweater is gorgeous. I love the colour. Well done!
BEAUTIFUL!! What a nice front porch setting…!
Love you and loved your visit.
I am glad you made it home safely.
It’s truly beautiful. Everything is perfect on her: the color, the fit, the design. Go you! - what a great birthday gift.
Gorgeous! What a coup - making a gift that fits and flatters so perfectly!
Soooo beautiful! You did a fabulous job and the sweater came out great. The fit and color look wonderful on your sister.
That is so lovely. I having one of those ‘ooo, why didn’t I like that when it was in the magazine, this FO is fantastic’ moments!
Gorgeous with a capital “G”!
Wow, that is stunning. The style, fit and color are all absolutely perfect! Gorgeous.
Its beautiful and worth the wait. I love the color. Congrats on finishing.
Beautifully done! The color and fit are perfect…a true classic, a gift of love.
Wow… the sweater did turn out fabulously! Your sister looks just amazing in it. Congrats to you for finishing it so well and to her for a great new sweater.
The sweater is so gorgeous! I love how it come out! The pics of your sister are fabulous too!
It’s beautiful!
Oh lordy, what a beautiful model and FO shoot. And I love your reference to the Hall & Oates song. Looking at the pictures and reading your story about how this sweater came together just made my monday morning. Now I must go listen to Hall&Oates greatest hits on my ipod…
It’s just beautiful on her, and the color makes me smile.
Ha! Someone else that has Hall and Oates on their mp3 player…I love it. That sweater looks gorgeous. Great color for your sister too, with that fair skin.
Your stitch definition is amazing. The cardigan fits your sister so well, and the color really does suit her. Beautiful work.
Lolly, she is a very lucky person having you knit such a beautiful sweater for her! It is gorgeous.
Absolutely stunning! I’ve loved this cardigan since I first saw the pattern, and it looks even better on your sister than it does in the magazine. Great job with the photos, too
Just simply lovely! How wonderful to have a sister who knits so beautifully.
Gorgeous sweater. I love the color. It really looks great
Wow - what a beautiful knit! Great work!
You are a wonderful sister and a kick-ass knitter!
Oh Lolly, what a triumph! It’s perfect in every particular - I especially love the way you caught the rolled hem in the second photo.
Great job and nice yarn sub. It fits your sis wonderfully!
it’s lovely, and makes me want to finish mine ASAP! I love the color on your sister, the contrast of her hair and the orangey peach is striking.
Lucky girl your sister is….I just love everything about the sweater on her!
swoon! it is beautiful –great job!
lauren, amazing work.
it is just perfection, really.
i’d be so happy to receive something so lovingly created AND perfectly suited to me.
Usually I’m a lurker, but had to comment that the cardigan is Stunning!
She is gorgeous! The sweater fits her perfectly and looks amazing on her. Wonderful gift, Lolly!
It looks fabulous! The color, the stitch definition, the photos, all of it! Definitely be proud of this project. I’m sure your sister loves it!
very nice! she looks so lovely in it too
It is beautiful and Sarah is a perfect model. You’re such a generous sister to make this for her. I, too, hope that she treasures it for years to come and finds warmth in the work of your hands. xoxoxo
It’s beautiful! You did a wonderful job with the knitting. You are such a good sister!
Ooh, it turned out wonderfully! And it looks great on Sarah, too. Yay!
I wish I had a sister to knit me such lovely things. And I might venture to say that this color beautifully spans Fire and Earth, being such a brick red. Reminds me of Georgia red clay.
This is absolutely beautiful! I really want to make it now! Congratulations–you’re a great sister.
Love the cardi!
Also, thanks for putting some Hall & Oates in my head - LOVE IT!
Smiles,
Erin
She looks so beautiful and the knitting is so lovely at first I thought the pics were from the magazine! Well done!
Since I am remarking behind Debi, I have to agree with her. You would thinks these were from a magazine or even a catalog for purchase. Well, done. Looks great on your sister. Beautiful color
What a beautiful sweater! It really does compliment your sister quite well.
And, totally aside, I giggled to learn that “muffin top” has a wikipedia entry.
Sarah looks gorgeous in her birthday cardigan. I think it is beautiful and I love the color too. Well done on knitting such a great present.
It’s gorgeous! Your sister must love it. The photography is great too!
Beautiful!!! perfect. :o)
Fabulous! These photos could be right out of an issue of Interweave!!!
i love this sweater. it’s beautiful
It looks so great - perfect for her! I can tell she really likes it, too.
Gorgeous! You did an awesome job: the cardigan looks great, and it fits her beautifully!
Great sweater - I never would have picked that color myself, but it’s beautiful on your sister.
It looks beautiful on your sister.
It is gorgeous. And your sister looks so beautiful in it. How nice of you to make her such a nice gift.
oh, lovely, and lovely!
The sweater is lovely! So, how is your weaving coming along?
What a beautiful sweater. You did an awesome job and it fits her so well. Really CUTE!!
beeeeeeeeyyyuuuuuuuuutiful! what a nice sister you are.
That looks amazing, on a very pretty sister
I LOVE the color - ooooh I want to knit one now!
wow, that suits her so well! nice work lolly, lucky sister!
It is absolutely lovely—- your sister is very lovely and I can tell that she is quite blessed with your labor of birthday love!
Wow. How absolutely stunning! Your sister looks amazing in that cardi; how lucky she is to have you for a sister.
Ok, I’m knitting this also (in Classic Elite Wool Bam Boo) and am sooooo excited about how yours turned out. I’m just up to the first buttonhole, and am also knitting in all one piece. Only trick is figuring out where to join yarn (first 2 were at the nonexistent “seam” and the 3rd at the front ribbing).
Thanks for leading the way! Can’t wait to see what you’re knitting next . . .
oh my! it’s perfect on her. i love it. you did an excellent job on this sweater.
You did a beautiful job on the sweater, and the color really compliments Sara’s dark hair. This cardigan is definitely on my to-do list.
It is beautiful! I’ve been waiting to see how it would turn out, and how you felt about it…because it’s one that I’d like to knit as well. I was excited about your yarn change, and decided that before I copied I should probably wait to see how it worked.
Clearly, it worked VERY well!
Beautiful…..you should be very proud…the colour…your sister…the fit…all perfection.
So perfect for the spring - and so pretty. I am inspired to knit one as well. Thanks for sharing.
It fits her perfectly! Great job. It looks so professionally knit.
it looks stunning on her! what a lucky sis.
absolutely stunning! great work, lolly! the colour is perfect and the cardi looks fantastic on your sister.
Stunning. Absolutely stunning.
How pretty! You did a great job.
Perfection
Beautiful! I love the photos of your sister modelling it! Very nice job!
This is sooo beautiful! Great color, great stitchwork - what a wonderful present!
Absolutely beautiful. What an awesome gift to receive!
What a beautiful sweater! The fit is really perfect.
I don’t know if you are interested in growing heirloom flowers, but your previous post reminded me of a great company for flower seeds and bulbs, called Select Seeds. Their website is http://www.selectseeds.com and they do not sell genetically modified seeds. Now I’m off to check out the ravelry group that you mentioned, crafty gardeners.
Beautiful sweater! It looks great on your sister. Love the photos too!
Beautiful sweater, Lolly! Such a lovely fit and colour for your sister.
You did such a great job on this sweater. What a beautiful gift for your sister! That extra three weeks was well worth it.
It’s a gorgeous top and you’ve taken such great pictures of it! I love the textured pattern on the top.
oh wow i love it! it’s really pretty, great shape and great colour! i recently discovered that colour for myself too, it only popped up in the shops here last summer, i had resigned to the fact that red just doesn’t suit me but a really light red is actually flattering (I’m pale with blue eyes and freckles and light brown hair)
Gorgeous L!!
You did a wonderful job with this sweater! I like the presentation, with all the lovely pictures with your sister.
This is gorgeous, you do beautiful work.
Wowy-wow-wow!
Seriously Lolly, you could quit your job as an archivist and knit & design full time for some fabulous magazine. Your talent and dedication to learning is awe inspiring!
turned out really great. I love the color
It could not be more perfect for her. Just couldn’t be. You are fortunate to have each other.
This cardigan didn’t stand out to me in the magazine, but now that I’ve seen yours/Sarah’s I’ll have to give it another look!
It fits Sarah like a glove. She is lovely and the cardi really does suit her. Well done! You are a wonderful sister for making such a special gift. xoxo
adorable!!! I’m going to have to take a second look at that pattern. How do you get all of these projects done? I am in awe
GORgeous!!
lolly, this is absolutely beautiful! you did a lovely job and it looks so good on her… i can just imagine how thrilled she must have been when she put it on. stunning!!
xo
This turned out so beautiful!! Gorgeous job. Perfect for her!
A beautiful cardigan. I have just startede with one for my selfe. So it’s fine to be able to se all the details.
So, so beautiful!!