Reclaiming Billie for my wardrobe and yearning for a classic little decorative spring cardigan.

Started last night while babysitting poorly old lady and it’s addictive! Lovely simple cables/lace, memorised already, so easy.

19 Mar
Joined fronts/sleeves/back and about to start sleeve shaping elements. Cracking so far.

And my marl is beautiful. Cashmere, silk, linen, merino, how classy is that? And Vicki is reminding me that it’s the CM contest running now so might just put it in.

Rock. And. Roll. :)

20 Mar
Knitting, well my knitting, is supposed to be fun. Fun and relaxing and creative. I have to say this is the most fun I have had knitting anything pretty much ever.

Beautifully written pattern, lots of stitch counts and plenty of clean clear charts, very specific instructions, no interpolation or head scratching required, no ambiguity anywhere. Now that’s really something, and unbelievably rare. Booya.

Am on mid-shoulder atm and look forward with an eager heart to picking it up each day. That’s how much fun it is.

And the frogged CM is holding up beautifully. It’s not frogged from a new-ish FO, it’s a 2/3+ year old FO that has been washed several times. Definitely no remaining oils in it then, and there’s no pilling at all. Gorgeous. No wonder high end garments are made from this stuff. And here comes another one.

21 March
Zoomed down to sleeve divide with spot on shoulder & sleeve increase except that somehow I’m one stitch short in one of the back sections and can’t find it anywhere. It’s not a missed YO nor is it a dropped stitch so I’m just going to make it up at the underarm and knit on.

Also, just to mention, I’ve had this in my queue since it first came out, nothing to do with it recently hitting the hot-right-now big time. And the version that got it there isn’t my thing at all, fwiw. I’m making this with no mods except perhaps I might lengthen it a bit. That’s all.

Good to feel so #happy about a project 1/3 of the way through. That doesn’t normally happen.

26 March
Waist decreases x 3 stitch counts are a bit weird but that’s okay. Not doing any more anyhow. Will knit straight and then do some increases fsvo some.

After 3 sets of waist decreases:
Fronts = 44 sts + ‘seam’
Back = 87

Onwards!

28 March
Am 10” down from underarms and very happy. It’s a LOT of knitting, and pretty slow going but very enjoyable. I’ve lost concentration a couple of times and had to think down a column of the eyelet lace to correct it so my wriggle wriggles in the right direction. It’s a lot easier than it sounds. Crochet hook of the right gauge essential though.

There’s loads of yarn. At least enough to make 2 hats which is good because sweet old lady wants one. The cashmere is so gorgeous, wonderful weight-for-warmth and holding uo so well to this frogathon.

My Project is delayed because my subjects all have the chicken pox, which is a pity but gains me a day knitting, which is awfully nice because it’s very cold here today.

Could do with wearing this, but it won’t be ready for another week at least.

Onwards!

Before ribbing:
front + seam = 50
back = 96
front + seam = 49
total = 195

(just to be consistent I’ve been just that one-stitch adrift all the way, heh, but this time it’s spot on!)

To make it divisible by 4 for the ribbing: add 1.

30 March
Mothering Sunday. Defied my own advice and carried on knitting the body until there was no more to knit. Can’t tell you just how much I’ve enjoyed making this. It’s been lovely, so I’m really going to miss my tight little cable & wriggly lace.

Onto the sleeves now - just winding the linen/silk thread with the cash/merino so I’m only working with 2 balls and not 4. Magic loop, both sleeves together, of course. Bring it on. :)

1st April
Almost done! Amazingly.

Picked up 109 for front band. Yes. 109. Can you believe it? Ends to sew in and going for buttons tomorrow. Very pleased.

2nd April
Buttons from old lady’s button box. Vintage 4-hole exactly the right dull white. Pics soon. Brilliant cardy, really great.

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Intswemodo #
14 Sweaters in 2014

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Originally completed 2nd April 2014

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Love this cardigan, really love it. So comfortable, massively wearable over all the seasons, great with a skirt, great with leggings, long enough fior a tunic, a total win. WIN for recycling too. 100% recycled. Yeah.

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14 March 2015
Love this cardigan - A LOT. But it’s far too long, and annoyingly so.

Frogged out button bands and taking a massive 8” off the hem. Will finish with 4” of ribbing and redo the bands.

Yeah.

So:

• reknit the white garter stripe and ribbing, much shorter and infinitely more wearable.
• frogged out the collar necessitated by some degradation after frogging the button bands, will use as a chance to raise it to the height as specified in the pattern.

Sequence: reknit collar; reknit button bands including 1/2 of collar; resew buttons.

Deeper collar, 105 for front band (on 3.5mm needle), 1x1 rib.

March 16th
Okay this is fantastic. Much nearer (or exactly) the original vision. High collar is beautiful, I love it.

Must go to Zumba. Wednesday!!

Done.