Let’s start the week off with a finished object, shall we?
Sunday evening I finished off my modified version of the Lipstick Cardigan – this time I made a Henley! And in case you forgot what my first Lipstick Cardigan looked like, here’s a side by side comparison of the two projects.
When I made the first version I didn’t make it with the intended ease, I wanted it to be a fitted summer cardigan and I love it that way. This time around I decided since I was going to use Berroco Modern Cotton yarn I should make it with the ease intended but turn it into a top instead of another cardigan. And the first time I made it I kept thinking that the shoulder detail needed to POP more so I made it in a contrasting color so it really is highlighted.
I love that this is a longer back style but I didn’t love how my short rows turned out. I didn’t do the German short rows and just did traditional wrap and turns and I ended up with some small holes on one side – but only I will notice unless I point them out. Not the cleanest but hey it’s totally wearable. Plus I like to point out my issues since everyone likes to think I have perfect knits – I make lots of mistakes! I also toyed with making it a bit longer and remembered that this is cotton and after wearing it all day it will stretch a bit more so I’m fine with it as is and will just see how much it really grows in the front on its own.
I decided on going with a henley version, a lot of people have done that modification if you look at the project pages on Ravelry. I worked it like the cardigan pattern and then once I had about 4 inches for buttons I decided to add in 6 stitches and join in the round. I also sewed down the placard/button band to make it more stable since cotton can be drapey. Oh and since it was cotton I went with garter stitch edges instead of ribbing.
Perhaps if I make this one again it would just be a full on crew neck instead of even bothering with buttons. It really is a great pattern that’s easy to modify (I also still didn’t do the lace sleeves and opted for stockinette stitch sleeves). And with the ease built into the pattern it’s light and breezy for the insanely humid DC summer days. Now I have to decide what to knit for myself next! I’ve got a pile of more Berroco Modern Cotton but in a super bright pink! I’m thinking a feminine top should be next, any suggestions?
Category: green
FO: Wasabi the Whale and the Sea of Chevrons
Remember the baby blanket I was talking about last week for the baby we thought would get here this week? He arrived Friday night. Clearly he was too excited to join us out here in the real world and Matzah Ball (as he was known in utero) is now Eli! I like to think as I was finishing his blanket on Friday night he was so excited about it he decided to be born but clearly I had nothing to do with it…or did I? So before he was born my girlfriend sent this picture of his room.
I actually had a bedroom floor to ceiling in that shade of green and it was my absolute favorite. So clearly since she was going with a favorite color palette of mine I was happy to knit him something. So I went with a trusted pattern and did the Chevron Baby Blanket (a free pattern from Purl Soho) but decided to make the green the accent color on the ends and have two row wide stripes in alternating grey and navy blue.
The end results I love, it’s a great blanket knit in Knit Picks Mighty Stitch Bulky on size 13 needles so it went super fast. But she also told me she was ordering navy blue curtains with whales on them for the window and the next day I was scrolling through Instagram and saw this post from @NoKnitSherlock of Wasabi the Whale.
I had to make a whale for the baby, right? It was fate!
Of course I had to make one! I whipped this up in a couple of hours on Saturday after walking in a 5k for Pancreatic Research. I was tired, it was hot and I figured I could knock this pattern out that afternoon while I rested. I started around 3pm and by 7:30 I was sewing on the last fin. I think since I used child safe doll eyes I already had he looks a bit more like a manatee than a whale but either way he’s still a cutie.
And he looks like he’s swimming in a sea of chevrons! I’ve said I want to make more knit toys for the little kids in my life but just hadn’t gotten around to it yet. This might be the motivation I need to pull out my fun colors in my yarn stash and make a few toys for the kids I love so much. Oh and in case you were wondering, I knit Wasabi out of the Caron Simply Soft that I knit Eli’s matching hat with last week. And in these photos he has already had a run through the washing machine and dryer and looks marvelous. He should hold up to years of hugs and kisses.
FO: My Technicolor Dreamcoat
I’m renaming my Royally Striped cardigan to my Technicolor Dreamcoat. I feel like it’s a fitting name, don’t you?
So this is a magical Stephen West sweater pattern. How he came up with this construction is beyond me. The finished object after blocking is just a little big (I made the large) but I love it because it’s like a cocoon and I’m just wrapped up in squishy colorful goodness. It was what I had hoped my Boothbay cardigan would be but unfortunately that one sat up on my butt in a horrid way. Fortunately for my BFF Jess it fits her perfectly so I’m not mad about giving it away. And now I have a proper replacement for it!
For this project I used four colors of Miss Babs Yowza I had in my stash and on the back panel I finally got to use my HiKoo Abracadabra yarn that changes color from white to purple. I bought this yarn maybe 2 or 3 years ago but couldn’t figure out what to make with it and as I was pulling this together I had the brilliant idea that it would be fun to add to the back panel.
Here’s the back on and then here’s a better look at the color change. Also remember this is the back panel I put on the wrong side and was easily able to fix it. You can’t even tell!
This was as much color change as I was able to get since my house is always in the shade. But you can see it is a little lavender. It gets darker but I didn’t have the time to wait it out or patience.
This was an extremely satisfying knit. Lots of garter stitch and the short rows but without wraps! And now I’m plotting making an orange, purple and pink version for my cousin in the size small with my stash. I could even see myself making it in a more neutral color palette in the medium to make it more of a wearable to work piece, but who am I kidding? I’m going to wear this bold version to work too. I love it. Now I wish it was cold again because this would be a great transitional weather piece. Now the pattern does say it can be worn on either side but I’m just a bit too short to wear it with the navy portion as the collar but that’s fine with me. I like it this way the most. since it highlights the fun stripes with the short rows.
And if you’re ever wondering what it’s like for me to photograph these things and why I’m always smiling it’s because I’m super distracted. Yesterday it was because of Jellybean and…
My insanely silly husband. But hey, they make life that much sweeter. Cher decided to just sit this one out and watch us from the sidelines. So yeah, this is a happy and colorful sweater that I have already wrapped myself up in while we binge watch TV. I have a feeling it will get a lot of use. Have any of you tried this pattern or another West Knits wild pattern?
