Tweedy Cardy

It was a long long time coming, but I've finally finished my Everyday Cardigan. Remember I was knitting this as part of a tiny family knit-along? Well, my cousin Rach finished her cardigan AGES ago. It was in a delicious celery-coloured worsted weight yarn and she was speedy enough to have it done in time for her New Zealand winter. I on the other hand have dithered over my cardigan. Put it down, picked it up, cast on a gazillion other things instead ... But, the other day, after neglecting it for so long, I eventually bit the bullet and finished it. And, I'm rather pleased I did, because it's pretty cool.

I took a punt on this Rowan Purelife British Sheep Breeds yarn. It's from Jacob sheep and I love the tweedy look, but it was a fair bit lighter than the specified worsted weight yarn. I managed to get the stitch count, but was a little short on the row count ... Fortunately, the pattern instructed me to knit to certain lengths so I knew that would be okay, but I wasn't sure how the front shaping would turn out ... I needn't have worried because, although it's not quite as curvy as it is on the pattern, it's fine. See?

I started well. My cardy was knit from the bottom up, in one piece to the armholes and then divided into fronts and back which were knit separately to the shoulders where they were joined with a three needle bind-off. So far so good.

The sleeves were knit flat, seamed and then sewn into the arm holes. To say I'm not so keen on sewing up my knits is something of an understatement. I put it off. And off. And off. Then Rach finished her jolly cardigan. "Just do it!" she said. So, eventually, I did. And, do you know? It took absolutely no time to sew up those sleeves and sew them in. Isn't that always the way?

Do you see the LONG cuffs? I LOVE them. The twisty ribby stitch is fantastic. The pattern called for the band around the body to be knit separately in the super cool twisty ribby stitch and then sewn on. I quickly knit the band but again I put off the sewing. When I finally got a grip and sewed the band on I hated it. It puckered and didn't sit flat. So I ripped it off and tried again. Still yuck. Much later, after the poor unfinished cardigan had sat unloved in the corner, I had a revelation. I'd knit the ribbing on. It would lie perpendicular to the body rather than parallel with it, but there'd be no sewing at all! So, I picked up a million stitches all the way around, joined it in the round and knit the groovy twisty ribby stitch out from the body, making a button hole on the way. Super quick, and it was done! Just the button to go.

This button leapt out of my stash. A faux leather button. It's perfect for my faux tweed jacket. 

You can find my tweedy cardy on Ravelry here.