knit a cardigan

Relooked at pattern the other day, not sure if I’d rather go with something chunkier…so still a goal but might switch patterns. In the meantime I have a couple of projects I have been stalling on that I will get stuck into!

I started knitting, probably around about October last year. Since then I have made scarves, fingerless gloves, mobile phone cases, little purses and a tea cosy but nothing big.

My aim is to make “the go-everywhere, go with everything cardigan” from page 196 of Stitch ‘n’ Bitch. Looking at the pattern, this seems challenging compared to what I have done before, but also do-able.

It involves 8 or 9 skeins of yarn so it may be more expensive in the end than just buying a cardigan, but it will be a satisfying task.

(The cardigan does not have to be the most beautiful thing, as long as it fits and can be pulled on in the flat/stuffed in my bag to take to the cinema to keep me cosy then I think I will be satisfied).

It is blue. Now I just need the time.

i didn’t end up starting when i said i would, but i’ve started now. 7mm needles – 4ply worsted acrylic…whatever that means. i’m not following a pattern per say, just kind of making it up as i go along. its going to be long, its going to be wrap around with a little belt, and it’ll have a hood. not a cardigan really, but meh!

gonna get back to it.

i’m gonna start tomorrow. i know exactly how i want it to look. it’ll be a jacket actually, not a cardigan. it’ll have bell sleeves, it’ll be wrap around with a belt, and it’ll have a hood.

and of course it’ll be purple!

knitting a cardigan
will show the extent
of my knitting prowess.

and be a disaster,
but i look forward to it!

the cardigan i’ve picked consists of five pieces. one back, two sleeves, two front pieces. the back is the largest part and it’s completed. i’ve been trying to lay it out some place free of doggy fur, which is hard because my pug is losing his puppy coat. but it’s cool when i actually see it laid down, it’s the shape of clothing!

i’ve begun working on one of the front pieces now. however, i became distracted by the screaming on my street corner and lost track of what row i was about to begin. and i’m only about ten rows in! this happened on the back, too, and i ended up just measuring it to determine when to start shaping. i suppose i can do this again. i really need to learn how to count rows in stockinette stitch. i’m never quite sure how to count the first row.

this will be the item that will carry me through until my checking account is happy again. i have enough yarn to make a sweater and though i’ve already put hours into it, i only have 10 rows knit. because sweaters, they take a long time. so perhaps by the time that i can afford a hot air balloon ride, i can wear a homemade sweater for the trip!

i’ve been rather bored lately, so this shall be the next item on my list to tackle. i want to try to knit the cardigan in the first stitch and bitch because it seems rather straight forward. i wanted to get some yarn today but my sizing always comes up small with these patterns and i think it’s because i always use a different yarn than they recommend. so i’m going to try and find the same yarn this time and i’ll actually knit a swatch to prepare for decent sizing.

i usually go to commuknity and become overwhelmed with the variety (and the prices, oh my). this time i’ll try the knitting room. it’s smaller, older & much less trendy. plus, they tend to carry the yarn that debbie stoller likes to use in her books. i think i’ll try black, with grey detailing. that way it’ll hide the mistakes, match my work clothes and be slimming!

i’d like to try making the cardigan from stitch and bitch nation because the use of stockinette stitch makes it seem relatively straightforward. i’d need mary’s help on the collar because it requires crochet, but she thinks i’ll get that pretty easily.

i know it’s wrong but i’d love to try making an angora sweater. but first i need to practice with cheaper yarn because i don’t quite have my shaping and attaching down yet.