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Tag: cardigans

  • Violet’s Cardy and GVH Socks

    Violet's Cardigan and BootiesAs I mentioned before, my friend Brigita had a baby (named Violet!) and I wanted to make her something. So last week I cracked open Debbie Bliss’s Baby Cashmerino 2 and cast on for the “Cardigan with Moss Stitch Edging.” It’s a very quick little knit, especially when you modify it to the knit the body on a circular up to the armholes. I had three balls of Baby Cashmerino in colour #340010, but when I finished I found I had at least half a ball left over. That means booties! These are from a pattern I had in my Ravelry queue called “Saartje’s Bootees.” (It’s a free download on that site.) Again, very quick to knit. And aren’t the little wooden buttons just perfect? We actually had them at the shop and I couldn’t resist. I’ll be sending this off to Brigita today… I hope Violet likes it!

    GVH Conwy SocksNext up are my “GVH Conwy Socks.” Conwy is a pattern from Knitting on the Road, and while I still like the look of it, it wasn’t that fun to knit. The little twisting cables just get really, really boring. I used Colinette Jitterbug in the Velvet Damson colourway on 2.75mm needles. And as you will remember, I ran short. I couldn’t bring myself to frog them back though, so I used some leftover Sirdar Town & Country to finish the toes… Hence the “GVH” (i.e. “Graft Versus Host”). They’re a little bit Frankenstein, aren’t they? I still love the Jitterbug colour though, and I’m definitely going to wear them.

  • It’s finished…

    All done!And with eighteen minutes to spare, the Argyle Kitty Kat Cardigan is finished!

    Okay, now that she’s been safely turned in at the Easter Show, I thought I’d better record some pattern notes. This cardigan was knit out of Eki Riva Superbaby Alpaca. I probably used about six balls all together. I started by taking the measurements of a fitted hoodie that I already had. Then I knitted up a tension swatch and used my gauge to figure out about how many stitches around this thing was going to be. Since I’m still pretty inexperienced with shaping, I hunted through all my pattern books to find a garment with a similar gauge and fit. I found Dotty by Kim Hargreaves from Rowan 28. It wasn’t exactly perfect – it’s entirely in moss stitch, for one thing, and it’s a v-neck – but it was close enough.

    Then there’s the matter of the argyle colourwork. I started by generating some knitter’s graph paper and then transferring it into Photoshop. Then I began scouring the Internet for argyle cardigans to get ideas. My first impulse was to do a “skull-gyle” like several I saw online, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I’d rather be unique. So the Snook and I brainstormed other designs. I thought about the mudflap girl silhouette, but she wasn’t the right sort of shape. We finally found a neat retro looking cat head while browsing at Faster, Pussycat. I set to work graphing it out and playing with colours. I then sent it ’round to Amy, Bex, and Fiona for advice. Finally, I broke out my trusty 3.25mm circular and cast on.

    The knitting of the body was relatively straightforward, and the only tricky bit was positioning my graph so that it didn’t get eaten up by the neck or shoulder shaping. I used moss stitch for the bands, opting to ignore the buttonhole issue completely for the moment. I finished the bodice eight days later. The shoulders were joined and I picked up around the neck for a moss stitch collar band. Then came the magical puffy sleeve epiphany. I spent a day or two conferring with Bex (who’s a much more experienced seamstress) and scribbling pages of calculations. Basically, I measured around my upper arm, multiplied by my gauge, and was pleased to see it lined up with the number of stitches in the “Dotty” sleeves right before the armpit. That meant I could use the sleeve cap shaping from Dotty. I worked out that the cap was 65 rows high, which meant that all my added stitches for puffiness would have to be decreased over that distance. So I planned, and then I knitted, and then I looked it over. It seemed to be working! After knitting both sleeves, I began work on the embroidery. The white lines (along with the kitty eyes and noses) were done with duplicate stitch, while the eye outlines and whiskers were done in backstitch (with the wool split in half to be thinner). I’m really happy with how cute it turned out!

    So then I just had to put it all together. I sewed in the sleeves and started thinking about buttons. With time running out, I went with a simple small black plastic shank button that I hoped wouldn’t compete with everything else. I considered using Elizabeth Zimmerman’s “afterthought buttonhole” technique, but I literally had less than two hours and the idea of snipping holes at that point just wasn’t happening. So I decided to see if I could simply enlarge a gap between two stitches enough to get my button through. It fit, but only just. So I again split my wool down to 2ply and used it to overcast and enlarge each hole. I only put five buttons down the front, and I think if I had to do it again (with more time) I’d have put more. I doubt I’ll wear it fully buttoned much anyway. And that’s it!

    As for publishing, I’m really not sure if it’s worthwhile given that so much of it was inspired by other garments. It’s practically a “collage” of other pieces, really! But I’m happy with how it turned out and it’ll be interesting to see what the judges make of it…

  • Little Kitty Faces

    Kitty FaceWe’re in the home stretch, people! I’ve got fourteen hours until Veronica picks me up to head to the Easter Show headquarters. (Minus time for sleep, hygiene, and an hour’s worth of faffing about on the Internet tomorrow morning.) Both sleeves are now attached and super-puffy. I’ve done two of the four cat faces. (A sneak peek you see before you.) So tomorrow I’ve just got to do the other two faces, and then work out what I’m doing for the button situation. Plenty of time, right?

  • Puffy Sleeve!

    Sewn Puff SleeveOne sewn in, one to go. It’s a wonder I even had the energy. What a week! In three days, we’ve had FIVE staff absences in the shop. Basically, this means yours truly (aka The Go-To Girl) was on her feet and serving customers non-stop. Normally this would’ve provoked a massive rant, but I’ve actually had nothing but really nice people. We had an American tourist who basically hung out with me for two hours today. On her vacation! Two hours! So at least the days have gone by quickly. And then I actually spent two hours tonight of my precious knitting time staying late to parcel out the Knit Picks (because I know y’all are itching for them). Now that’s dedication. Anyway, one side of the cardigan is now complete except for the kitty faces. The sleeve wasn’t too difficult to sew in, but as I was rounding the back of the shoulder I let fly with a string of obscenities. There, STARING ME IN THE FACE, were three random purl stitches interrupting my lovely blank canvas of stockinette. What the–? Did I go momentarily insane? I continued sewing in the sleeve while meditating on my options. I could chalk it up to an Amish mistake and just hope no one notices… or I could deal with it. The Snook was surprised to see me preparing for surgery. “You don’t understand,” I said through gritted teeth. “My Knitting Nemesis is also entering the competition, and I WILL NOT STAND to have her see such a glaring error on my piece.” So before I could talk myself out of it, I snipped. I snipped and I unravelled and I made a great big hole in the jumper I’ve been killing myself to knit for the past month. Then I picked up the stitches with some DPNs and began the painstaking process of grafting the stitches back together. (I should mention again that this is black 4-ply. Somewhere my optometrist is moaning in his sleep.) I cursed and I stressed and I had to make, like, three false starts, but I got there in the end. Once it’s pressed, you won’t notice a thing. And I’ll be able to sleep at night. Hey, isn’t that a nice puffy sleeve?

  • Weekend Update

    EmbroideryWell, that was fun. We didn’t get much trip preparation done, but thanks to the Snook my birthday weekend was one to remember. It started Saturday morning with a trip to Bills in Surry Hills for breakfast. We met up with Fiona (and her Mystery Visitor) for scrambled eggs and coffee in the sunshine. Afterwards I headed to Glebe for my first appointment with my new stylist, Desiree at Partners Hair Workshop. She was fantastic! I’m used to salon visits taking forever, but Desiree had me out the door in under ninety minutes. (And that’s including foils, cut, and blow dry!) Back at home, the Snook was preparing for my birthday barbecue… right before the heavens burst. So the festivities were all indoor. But no matter; we had Wii! Many, many games of tennis, fishing, cow racing, and boxing ensued. We also had a veritable cadre of bloggers amongst the guests, including Amy, Kenya, Bex, Helen, Andrew, and Major. We had salads, chicken, fish, SO. MUCH. CHEESE., chips, bread and truffle butter, and really just everything lovely. The Snook made a rich low-carb chocolate cake and Andrew countered with some decidedly high-carb (but sooo worth it!) fancy cupcakes. As you might imagine, the Snook and I spent most of Sunday just in recovery mode. We had lunch in Chinatown with his mother and sister, but otherwise I spent the day working on my cardy. The other puffy sleeve is now finished! I’ve moved on to the embroidery, as you can see here. I’ve got til Saturday to put it all together and finish it off. I think I’m actually gonna make it!

  • Kitty Kat Cardy Update

    I’ve been dealing with some contrasting impulses this week. On one hand, the cardy bodice could look really cute as a vest. But do I wear vests? Not really. On the other hand, knitting long sleeves in the next ten days is going to kill me. Then last night I had a brainstorm: I could put short sleeves on it! And not just any short sleeves – PUFFY SLEEVES. Yes, that’s going to push the whole thing so far over the cliff into the Land of Twee that the world might implode. But I don’t care! It’s already going to have EMBROIDERED KITTY FACES on it! I think we may even be venturing into Alannah Hill territory here! Maybe I can sell the design to her for next year’s collection! The very concept of puffy sleeves is making me CRAZY!

    But yeah, they’re tricky to knit. Bex gave me some helpful advice and I’ve filled several pages with scribbled calculations tonight. But it just might work…

  • Kitty Kat Cardigan Bodice

    Cardy Bodice

    That there is the body of my Argyle Kitty Kat Cardy FINISHED. Well, not technically finished. I have to weave in a million ends and embroider on the white diagonal lines and the cat faces, but the actual knitting is done. (I used a three-needle cast off for the shoulders.) Folks, that is a total of eight days from start to finish for that sucker. And did I mention it’s in BLACK 4-PLY? I’m a little amazed myself. I was helped by the fact that halfway through the week I checked my row gauge and realized that doing five diamonds up the front was going to make it too long. I fretted about the non-symmetry of only doing four, but the girls at the guild meeting today convinced me it’d be fine. So that saved me 20% of the expected time.

    As of this moment, I have exactly thirteen days left before the exhibits have to be turned in. And of course, I still have to knit the sleeves. Anyone want to take bets on whether I make it?

    And in health news, I think I’m feeling better. My temperature seems to have stabilized and my throat isn’t getting any sorer. Of course, this damn bug might just be incubating til my holiday starts…

  • The cardi is growing…

    Cardigan Progress

    My Kitty Kat Cardi continues to grow.

    The two fronts will each have five diamonds, so I’m 30% of the way there…

  • Youth was wasted on me.

    Kitty Kat CardiSo how did I spend the next-to-last weekend of my 20’s? I’m ashamed to say: sitting on my butt and knitting. Saturday morning was the Annual General Meeting of the Knitter’s Guild, and it totally just SAPPED MY WILL TO LIVE. I was surrounded by busybodies who actually spent half an hour heatedly debating the issue of whether we should print annual copies of the Membership Directory. Seriously. (For the record, I think the whole issue would be avoided by putting it on the website, but as A) that would mean work for me and B) I don’t actually care one way or the other, I kept my mouth shut.) My Knitting Nemesis was also in fine form, dominating the debate, waving her camera around, and generally just annoying everyone who was counting down the minutes til Tea Time. Basically, that was ninety minutes of my life that I’ll never get back. (Notable exception: Fiona received her Level 1 Certificate, and a hearty congratulations to her!)

    Afterwards I suffered a major allergy attack and a subsequent headache, so I decided to pike on SSK and the Mardi Gras parade (to which the fabulous Bex had invited me). I then spent most of the next 36 hours working on my argyle kitty-kat cardigan, a teaser of which you see before you. I’m supposed to enter it in the Easter Show, but it’ll never be done in time. If it turns out well though, I might write it up for Yarn. I also watched Freaky Friday and Cat People (both of which were EXCELLENT), four episodes of House, three episodes of My Name is Earl, and the Biggest Loser weigh-in. Yeah, I suck.

  • Cabled Jacket of Doom – FINISHED

    Finished jacket

    It’s done. It’s really and truly done. After an aborted attempt at sewing in the zipper last weekend, I hit upon the idea of sewing down some ribbon along the inside of each front to hide the cut edges and provide a more stable foundation for the zipper. So I got four meters of ribbon from the shop (which turned out to be the perfect amount) and got to work. Unfortunately the Cursed Nature of this project meant that first I had to do things completely wrong. I sewed down one ribbon with the sewing machine (without pinning), then sewed down the other (after pinning). I’m sure some of you can see the problem already. I tried it on and groaned. The side I hadn’t pinned had stretched at least an inch or so in the process of sewing, so it was all ripply and crap-looking. Why the hell didn’t I think to measure and make sure the two pieces of ribbon were the same size? Because of the Curse, obviously. So I ripped out the ripply side and then wet it down for the night, hoping it would spring back into shape. (It did.) The next day I measured out the ribbon, pinned it down, and sewed it into place. It looked good! I then used the rest of the ribbon to face all the seams inside the garment: around the arms, the shoulders, and the hood/neck steeks. Lastly, I sewed in the goddamn zipper. It’s done! This sucker took me exactly SEVEN MONTHS to finish. I learned so much along the way! I learned how Debbie Bliss patterns can SUCK; I learned how photos that don’t show vital parts of the garment – like the collar – are a big ol’ WARNING SIGN; I learned that steeking saves you knitting time but doesn’t necessarily cut down on finishing. And you know what? After all that, the bastards will probably reject it for the Show. That’d be just my luck.

    Didn’t Snookums do a good job of taking Interweave-esque photos?