Pattern: Featherweigth Cardigan
Yarn: Naturally Hand Knit Dawn 50% Wool 50% Silk
Recipient: Me

Notes: I am surprised that this knit only took me a month. It feels devine next to the skin and I’m excited that I still have 3 & 1/2 balls of this yarn left so I can make myself something else. After finishing knitting I was steam blocking it when the iron spilt dirty water on it which stained so I had to wash it. Which was fine but after lying it out to dry it looked like it had grown a lot. I had done a had washed my gauge swatch before I started which shrunk so I was surprised that this grew, but I think it is ok. Longer then I original wanted but it works well at this lenght. I haven’t been able to ease my tight stitches that I picked up on the left sleeve but I’m hoping with wear they will even out.

I’m not sure if it is really noticeable in the photo, but over to the left just above the green cotton running as my life line I missed picking up two stitches, which I didn’t discover until I was a good 3/4 of the way through the sleeve. I had thought that the life line was a good idea incase something went wrong with the shaping of the sleeves but in hindsight I needn’t have worried. So I went back with a little crochet hook and worked the two missed stitches back up to the top. Took ages and has pulled the stitches either side rather tight but I’m thinking that I will be able to work those loose when I block the final garment. Blocking is going to be very nessary for this cardigan as at the moment there are large ladders on the sleeves from the dpns and also the whole thing is a bit “textured” for want of a better word.

The good news is that I have finished both sleeves and I’m on to the collar which wasn’t too bad to pick up. I am hoping at this stage I will have it ready to block on Sunday night.

One sleeve down, another to go. I am so greatful that this is turning out to be a much quicker knit then I originaly thought it would be, and with each bit I finish I like it more. I am already planning what I will make my next featherweight out of and how I may change it a little. The fit on this one seems to be good from what I can tell at this stage.

I was cursing rather a lot when I first stared on the sleeve as I don’t have a really short circular in the right size so was trying to use two longer circulars but that really got to me, so then I tried to magic loop it but that wasn’t working too well either, so yesterday we headed off to Knit World to pick a set of DPNs. I was hoping to get a set of 5 bamboo, but they didn’t have any in 3.75 so I went for a set of 4 acetate-coated steel ones in a really pretty pinky colour. I have never used needles like this before but I found they are to my liking, they make a funny sound with the steel ratteling about inside the acetate but I find that kind of nice and they are warm to hold which is a good thing for me, just a shame there is only 4 in a set.

I’m really quite surprised to be able to tell you this, but I am ready to start the ribbing at the bottom of my featherweight cardigan. This means that I only have two inches to go on the body. I really thought it would take a month of wet weekends to get this far but it has only taken 2 weeks, I’m pretty proud of that. I have tried it on a couple of times and I think the fit will be fine, allowing for the small amount of shrinkage that my swatch had. The length will be longer then the pattern calls for as I feel it is just a little to short and I really dislike having a gap between my pants and top when I sit.

So that’s that for today, tomorrow I am starting Wordless Wednesday, I hope you enjoy it.

I may have lost my mind. My latest knitting project gauge is 28 stitches and 38 rows to 4 inches and it isn’t socks.

It seems to have taken forever to do the raglan increases but I am finally there and the first fit of my Featherweight Cardigan was promising. I am using a gorgeous 50/50 Silk Wool mix to knit up this light-as summer cardigan. Originally I had the yarn tagged for the Zig Zack tunic from the Fall 09 Interweave knits, but when I found the cardigan pattern I realised I would get 100 more wears out of it then I would the tunic.

The end result I hope will be worth the hours I will put into this garment.

Pattern: #9 Tunic by Naturally Yarns
Yarn: Naturally Hand Knit Vienna
Recipient: TP

Notes: Firstly I had to change the gauge for this as it is written for Naturally Yarns Yoshie, which is a bulky weight yarn. I think I worked the math out right and apart from a little problem with the neck being a bit wide it was all smooth sailing. TP is really happy with it and it will fit for some time, taking into count the fact that it fits me rather well {this is a very scary thing for me, soon she will be borrowing my clothes}

So I’m now off to tackle a very small gauge project that I may fill you in on mid week.