I told myself that I would knit more cardigans this year. My wardrobe needs them and I need to get over having to purl. I also decided I needed to also think about my yarn choices and what would work best for my climate and how warm my classrooms tend to get in the winter. I decided to try the Lamb & Kid’s cottage worsted yarn, it’s 50% wool, 20% linen, 15% cotton and 15% silk. It has a slightly tweedy texture and it’s warm but not overwhelmingly hot. I decided to go with the French Hen color, which is a lovely bright red.
I decided to knit the Corran Cardigan with this yarn because of the open lace pattern and I was thinking this might be a transitional type of sweater when it’s a little chilly in the spring and I need another layer or it’s starting to get chilly in the fall.
The lace pattern was easy to follow and memorize. You’ll need to be able to read the pattern repeats if when you do decreases. I decided to do a v neck version but you do get options to knit a crew neck as well. You can also do short or long sleeves. I almost went with short sleeves but decided that long sleeves would be better for a more transitional piece. I messed up with a decrease on one side but the yarn was easy to rip it back a few rows without worrying I was going to unravel the entire piece.
The length is slightly on the cropped side. I might add a bit more length to the body if I knit it again, it’s bottom up, but I don’t mind the cropped version since I wear a lot of high wasted pants and skirts and it looks really cute with dresses.
I realized it looks really cute with a new jumpsuit I got too and it has already been in heavy rotation for these spring days that seem to be oddly chilly after really hot days.
Yards of Happiness 
Beautiful, Dana!
Hi, The color of this cardigan just sings….so beautiful! Job well done! Jan
Wow – what a really cute cardigan! I love the color on you, it’s so cheery. Caren
It looks fantastic! I particularly like it paired with the striped top. As my grandmother always said, “Wear it in good health!”
So so cute. Plus you are such a cutie also🤩
I really like the cropped look. Looks great on you as does the color.
Another beautiful sweater! I am interested in how much ease you knit. If I knit cardigans, sometimes they seem bulky if I can button them closed or awkward if sides are open. Maybe it has to do with ease in the back shoulders ? Love your work!
I tend to go with less ease in most of my pieces. Otherwise I think bulkier knits make me look heavier.
I really like the cropped look. Looks great on you as does the color.
This is so darling Dana!!! It looks great on you!!!
As always , beautiful work! And such a cheerful color 😊
Cynthia
This is really cute! It gives me confidence that maybe I could try something like this.
Really cute. Cropped looks gre
Super cute! I too need more cardigans. Adding this one to my queue.
That’s an all-around success. I love the ways you’ve styled it here, too: great dress and t-shirt.
I love the gorgeous red color, the way the finished cardigan looks on you – the lace. the length, and it clearly works with your wardrobe. (I too am a color lover)
thank you for sharing this with us! CRR
Red is my favorite color for cardigans because it goes with so much, as your wardrobe illustrates. With long sleeves you can always scrunch them up, but you don’t have the opposite option with short sleeves. I think I only need one short sleeved cardi, in white to go with all the summery colors. Of course, you do you, Dana!
Hi!
Just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed your blog these past few months. I am an on again-off again knitter and a recently retired elementary public school teacher. I read your whole blog from the beginning (one can do that when one is retired) while I was taking breaks from decluttering my apartment. I was hoping to find a blog from a fellow woman of color and yours has been interesting reading – your amazing knitwear, your family and dogs, getting your degree (your thesis!), the health struggles, expressing your views about crafting while black. You have inspired me to clean up my tiny stash (studio apartment means not a lot of storage) and think about knitting something other than scarves. Thanks!
Awww thank you and welcome!!
thank you for an inspirational blog. Your knits are always lovely. I’ve been away from hands-on knitting for awhile and this one looks nice to go with some yarn in my stash. I get nervous about attempting mods, but do you think it would work as a 3 quarter sleeve (live in East TN)? If, yes would you approach with short or long sleeve end for adjusted length? Thanks!
I like to think of patterns as recipes, you don’t always have to follow them perfectly. You can absolutely do three quarter sleeve.
how do you figure out before knitting the whole sweater how much a plant-based yarn is going to grow? I do swatch and wash the swatch, but sweaters always grow way more than I expect, so I have pretty much given up on plant-based fibers!
It depends on the fiber honestly. If it’s a 50/50 cotton and wool, there’s less of that super stretch. If it’s all cotton it’s been some learning and error. Usually I’m knitting short sleeves so I don’t really worry and sometimes I’ll even dare to shrink it in the dryer if it stretches!