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!

back of the cardigan – diamond twisted stitch pattern detail

sleeve two – 1 x 1 ribbing

silky shimmer of the yarn in the pattern

While I am not finished yet – half of sleeve two and the right front pattern remain and all associated picking-up and blocking remain – I feel a great sense of accomplishment with this garment. The twisted stitches gave me a small problem in the beginning, and Connie of phyicsknits, the designer of this and many other lovely pieces, was so kind to offer help. Her tips worked and immediately, my knitting looked like the sample.

The problem I had regarded the left-leaning twisted stitch. Simply put, it wasn’t working for me as described. It is not the pattern, as several other knitters have finished it successfully (Ravelry link) with the instructions given. Still, it wasn’t working. Connie offered an alternative method, provided by the inimitable Barbara Walker:

With right hand needle behind left hand needle, skip one st and knit the second stitch in back loop, then insert right hand needle into the backs of both stitches and knit 2 together through the back loop.

…and this one worked perfectly for me! Many thanks to Connie! I hope the have the cardigan finished very soon. I will be seeing my sister next weekend, and I would love to give it to her then (and to take some pretty spring-y photos in North Carolina). Wish me speedy needles and some free moments!

The waning days of Project Spectrum FIRE and the still chilly March winds prompted another warm / red cooking dish this week. Adapted from the Rosy Beet Risotto seen in the newest issue of Better Homes and Gardens:

Click on photo for recipe!

Do you have any last-minute FIRE plans? are you planning ahead for the EARTH element of Project Spectrum?

PS- I hope to see my area fiber enthusiasts this afternoon at the Homespun Yarn Party in Takoma Park!

So, yeah, your birthday is tomorrow, and your gift is still not finished. However, it is close. I ran into a few issues… but it is all cleared up now. When I come to visit you in three weeks, you will have a brand new, perfect-fit (*fingers crossed*) cardigan to wear this spring. Expect a photo shoot!

It should be a nice three-season cardigan. Since you live in the sunny south, you probably won’t be able to wear it in the heat of summer, but all other times of year should work. I think the coral-orange shade will be a great complement to your shiny chestnut hair. It is pretty and professional, much like you and your style. Of course, I considered green for the cardigan’s color – as you are a St. Paddy’s Day baby – but I figured that you had enough green in your closet, and maybe not enough of this color.

As I am knitting it, I am thinking about you and our many memories. You have grown into such a talented and beautiful young woman. Of course, you were always cute… the freckles and the big hazel eyes and now, here you are preparing for a new life with your Mr. I love him too, by the way. In fact, I have a feeling that after he sees this cardi, he may commission a sweater for himself. Tell him that I can’t knit a football jersey!

So… it will be finished soon. I hope you love it. I sure love you.

Happy birthday, baby girl~

Love,

Lolly

…and Sissy, you better like it when its done! All joking aside, it is an enjoyable knit. I am at the “calm before the storm” – or the ribbing right before the twisted stitch/lace bodice. I knit the body pieces together to avoid seaming with this splitty yarn later. Yet, I am at the point where I need to separate the pieces and knit the lace on each panel.

It occurred to me this afternoon that while I am creating this garment for my sister, she is in the process of looking for a very important garment herself… she and my mother went wedding dress shopping today. It is still the preliminary round and no decisions have been made (that I know of) but many other wedding plans are falling into place. They set their date for October 18th. They already have the church and the reception hall reserved, as well as the caterer. They are planning a midday wedding. She has even chosen the dresses for the bridesmaids, and while I have not bought it yet, I am pretty excited about the design. It is a simple and elegant cocktail-length dress in a lovely shade of green. Since it will be an autumn wedding, we are going to have a great time with colors. Sarah is planning an orange bouquet with red and brown highlights for all of the flowers. Who knows… maybe this cardigan color will inspire her as well!

Phyllo Yoked Pullover

… and many thanks to Elizabeth at ADKD, who made this sweater possible! After my last post on this pullover, Elizabeth wrote to me and said that her LYS had a large amount of Silky Tweed still in stock, and that this color was available. She bought three hanks for me and sent them over! I was so thrilled! Now I don’t have to worry about running short!

Phyllo is miles of stockinette in the round, and that is what I need and want right now. I love working on it. The texture of the yarn makes it something very special.

Printed Silk Cardigan

My sister’s cardigan is coming along swimmingly. I completed the first sleeve, and I am currently working on the body pieces. I have just gotten to the first rounds of waist decreasing. For size 5 needles and DK weight yarn, this project does knit up rather quickly. The yarn is Frog Tree Pima Silk, and while a tad splitty, it has a beautiful drape. I am working on it every chance I get to ensure that it is complete by her birthday next month. I hope I make it!

Funny thing about this particular shade of orange:  it is hot right now.  It must have been on the color forecast for Spring 2008.  I am seeing it everywhere… but that is okay by me, because I love it

…

The weekend highlight was a meetup with friends that I have not seen in too long! Stacey came to town and we all got together for brunch at the coffee shop. It was a great time to catch up, do a little knitting, and show off some completed projects.

me, Stacey, Jolene + baby Joe, Jody, Coleen

Remind me of this moment. When I think it is a good idea to use alpaca yarn for the warp threads of a project, please remind me. The funny thing is, I know the properties of alpaca – I read my Knitter’s Book of Yarn – and I know that alpaca drapes beautifully but doesn’t have the resiliency of cotton and wool. However, I seemed to have briefly forgotten those things in my haste. I cut up two balls of yarn and put them on the loom, only to have some major tension issues later. The fibers did not stay “put” in the weaving, and when it got snagged, it was a very ugly sight. So, because I had 8 inches woven, I did not rip back – I just got the scissors and did the deed.

Now, I have some very pretty and soft pillow stuffing.

If only I had just thought about it – the alpaca would have made a lovely weft yarn. Weft yarns don’t hold the same tension, and can really be any kind of fiber. Luckily, I still have 2 skeins left in the same colorway, and I am pretty sure that those should be reserved for knitting a nice hat or some mitts.

So, I took a break from the weaving and started to knit. I had been planning a birthday present for my sister, and was initially going to cast on for the Minimalist Cardigan (from the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits). It is a great versatile knit, and I could see her wearing it all of the time; however, with her spring birthday, and her temperate climate, I asked her about the possibility of a lighter weight cardigan. I showed her the previews of the new Spring 2008 IK. I had my eye on two garments that I knew she would love – and she called and told me that she loved the same ones! So, I researched my options and ordered some yarn. Once it arrived on Friday afternoon, I immediately cast on for the Printed Silk Cardigan. I did not want to waste any time – her birthday is one month from today!

The pattern calls for Fiesta Yarns La Luz, which is undoubtedly a gorgeous yarn. However, I have seen my share of store samples knit up in this yarn, and unfortunately it does not stay “gorgeous” for long. I talked to Connie, the designer (and a wonderfully sweet and resourceful person), about yarn substitutions. Then I found Frog Tree Pima Silk. The numbers were right, and I took a chance. Luckily, it worked out perfectly! I easily got gauge with the recommended needles sizes, and I started on the first sleeve that night. Now, I am working on the sleeve cap itself – it is a pretty quick knit.

I am very happy with my yarn choice. The yarn has a beautiful hand and feel. It is slightly splitty, but that is not uncommon of cotton/silk blends… so, as long as I pay attention, the fabric comes out looking pretty good. So far.

…and just because I wanted to dust off and get back on, I also wound a new warp last night. This time it is wool in a deep burgundy shade. I think it will look great, once I get around to putting on the loom…