Friday 30 March 2012

Success!

At last I've knitted something I not only like but can actually wear.  Something with practical use!  Isn't the colour just glorious?  It's Sirdar Escape Chunky (Shade 0197 - I can't remember the proper name for it!) which I got on sale.  It was a spontaneous purchase, completely unplanned.  I then glanced through my knitting magazines and discovered a simple cardigan pattern for a chunky wool.  It's supposed to have a fur collar, which was the main feature, not really my thing, but the plain garter stitch collar I thought worked out really well.  It's warm without being too thick, just right for the wildly random London spring weather.
It looks particularly fantastic closed with a shawl pin I got free from a copy of Simply Knitting.  At the time, I didn't like the colour much as it isn't a colour I wear, nor did it match anything, but by chance, it looks fantastic with this cardigan!  

Details:  Pattern is from Simply Knitting Issue 89.
Things I would have done differently:  the hem.  You're supposed to cast on with the thumb method but I have no idea what that is.  I presume it gives a neater edge?  Whatever, without a rib, it naturally curled up several inches.  I blocked it carefully with damp cloths and about ten thousand pins but it began to curl up again.  Realising this was going to be a problem (AFTER I'd finished the back and front sections), I decided to do a proper sew-up hem for the sleeves which was also a mistake.  Too chunky!  What I should have done was just knit the first row into the back of the stitch.  I'd forgotten about this!  It produces a neat edge and might even have prevented all the rolling up it does.  
No matter.  The delicious colours and practicality make up for any errors!

5 comments:

  1. Looks very nice! Congrats on your first cardigan!

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  2. I very much like the two cardis you've recently completed in addition to all the other knitted items you have made and shown to us. Makes chuckle then over your blog name.:)
    Might you be able to do a row of single crochet around the bottom edge to keep it from curling? Not a crochet stitch in every knit stitch though or it will distort the knitting.
    How is the part-time job going? Are you on Ravelry?

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  3. Hi, Candie - I would love to crochet around the curling edge of my cardi, but I don't know how to crochet! Definitely something missing in my life! Still love the part time job and I am on Ravelry though I confess I don't upload much [anything!] there as I hope people will find me here. Do you have a blog or can I find you on Ravelry? Also looking for knitting buddies!

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  4. Sorry you don't know how to crochet, because it would help and it does look nice. Too bad you are so far away otherwise I would offer to teach you.

    Glad you like the p-t job...always helps to like/love what you do in a job.

    I don't blog, but I am CandieB on Ravelry.

    I hope you find knitting buddies...I belong to several groups, and I also get together with a friend to knit or spin, and it is very enjoyable to craft and chat. We also help each other with problems or new techniques. You could search on Ravelry to find groups in your area and maybe give them a try.

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  5. Beautiful Cardie - thanks for sharing!

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