This is the first design I make by Robin Melanson, though I have been excited about many of her designs ever since discovering them here on Ravelry … her intricate cable work in particular.

I chose this beauty, since I have quite a lot of ‘Sandnes Alpakka’ in a similar colour in my stash that needed a pattern. I suspect that this yarn is thinner than that used in the pattern, so making the sweater on smaller needles. When making my ’Sinnesaujakke’ in this yarn, I found that it relaxes a lot, which is a second reason for the smaller needles.

Comparing to my ‘Sinnesaujakke’ (Angry Sheep Cardigan), and deducting the extra stitches for the cables, I still have more stitches in this sweater. It seems that the cables give more ‘hold’ / less stretch to the alpaca, so it looks like the result will be a sweater with quite a bit of negative ease. I believe that this is necessary with this yarn (it really is pretty elastic), in order not to end up with a ‘sloppy’ sweater. Keeping my fingers crossed …

I am knitting the sweater on 3,75 mm needles, knitting tightly in the sides, and more relaxed in the cable section, to make the cables more visible. The cables are beautiful and fun to make! I am knitting in the round to be able to try it on as I go along.

Knitting in the round, I have removed 4 st. in the sides (originally seams). I decreased 7 times for the waist and increased only 5 times for the bust to avoid it being too loose (trying it on as I go along). I will probably tighten the sleeves a little too so that they are just a little tighter than on my ‘Angry sheep cardigan / Sinnesaujakke.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

29/9 I-cord done. Just need photos :) I might redo it at some point as it is a little loose, but it is great for now. Hope it will keep its shape.

25/9 10 cm is 24 rows i-cord on 3,75 mm needles

24/9 Sweater sewn together … perfect fit! Now I only need to add i-cord around the neck.

23/9 Completed the sleeves. Added roughly 8-10 rows on the sleeve cabs to add heights, as I am using smaller needles.

14/9 Began the day’s knitting w. separating the front and back :)

12/9 Almost at the armpits … it is looking really good. I just love it!

10/9 Lookin good so far … knitted to the waist in the round on 3,75 mm needles, which fits the yarn. I knit tightly on the sides and more relaxed on the cables for the cables to be more visible. The cable repeats will still be shorter than on the original, I believe, since my yarn is thinner. There will thus more repeats on the front. I fit waist shaping as I go along, therefore, rather than follow the pattern directly.

7/9/2014 I have cast on to knit this beautiful sweater in the round, using Sandnes Alpaca. Though 40½ (I am 40”) should fit me, I have gone down to 3½-3,75 mm needles as this yarn is very stretchy. The big question is if the cabling is visible enough and proportional to the pattern … Otherwise I will cast on in 4 OR4½ mm needles with fewer stitches.

The photos so far are from the Pattern, not my own. I will be knitting it in a similar colour, though, and add my own as I progress.