The Sweater

I'd been wanting to make a cardigan, so in January after a lot of thinking and looking for the right pattern, I settled on Calluna . It had cables and interesting texture, things I was looking for, but I have to say it wasn't my dream caridigan. I didn't like the 3/4 sleeves, but that is easy to fix. I liked the half button, lower half skirt thing.

As I knit a began to wonder if this sweater was too mommyish and frumpy, but having seen no other options, I continued on.

I persisted, and now I have a completed sweater. The sweater I knit during blizzard part II, the sweater knit right after being radioactive, the sweater I knit when I left my job. All important memories to associate with a article of clothing I will probably be wearing for years to come.

A couple of things about it: It grew tremendously when I blocked it, particulary in length, and this is a pleasant thing. I kind of anticipated it from others comments on ravelry. I ended up knitting the sleeves at 3/4 like written (because who really wants to knit full lenght seed stitch sleeves when you could be done faster), and they ended up just a bit longer. They sit just above my wrists, and it works.

I don't like how the skirt and opening curl. They need a more substantial edge to hold the shaping and cables. I was warned about this on ravelry as well, but too late to anything about it. It is better know that it is longer and blocked, but still not perfect.

It's tricky to sew round seed stitch sleeves into a non-seed stitch ribbing armhole. They weren't perfectly fit to each other either, but I managed. Two things a found helpful: basting together first, and sewing from the top of the shoulder down, that way if there's any weirdness at least it's not at the top of the shoulder where it would be extremely obvious. I had to sew them on a couple of times, but I think I got them on pretty good. No puffy sleeves!

Anyway it is done and I'm pretty satistfied. On to green sweater # 2!