The Brown Issue

This is fast becoming a monthly blog.

Just want to show you a couple of things I've nearly finished.

The Convertible Cardigan by Wenlan Chia in KnitKnit.

Incidentally, this is a really interesting book. Most of the things I won't actually make (e.g. the giant teddy), but the stories about the designers are really inspiring, and of course it's a beautifully presented book with great photography and layout. (My next project from this book will be Anna Bell's Bridie.)

Back to the cardigan, I swapped the cable pattern for one I found in Vogue Stitchionary 2 (due to my aversion to giant bobbles) and lengthened the body and sleeves. I also shortened the collar - looks good on the model but don't think it's really that practical.

Ok. My 2 cents about the pattern.

I should preface this by saying I'm not really a chunky knits kind of girl. In my view, chunkies only look good on people who are not chunky (read: stick figures). I decided to make this purely because I was trying to avoid starting my dad's v-neck (still in the swatching stage btw).

Overall, I did enjoy the process. There is one error but it's easily picked up - pattern asks you to [k, p2] 3 times for pocket edge but you should [k2, p2] 3 times.

In fact, my only gripe would be the lack of collar shaping, which I assume is actually a design feature. The cardigan is basically a conical tube with sleeves stuck in the middle. It completely falls off your shoulder and while the name suggests it can be worn a variety of ways, effectively it can only be comfortably worn as an off the shoulder with the collar folded down. There is no way it can be worn as a turtle neck as the collar opening is way way way too wide.

Having said this, I think it is something I will wear quite a lot in the coming Australian winter (not for another 8 months). It's quite snuggly and warm though the yarn is not as soft as Rowan Big Wool which I used in a similar jacket - photo can be seen from this post.

The next almost finished project is the EZ Almost Seamless Baby Cardigan (I don't think that's the official name but heck, I can't be bothered looking it up).

This was a really fun project (started again because I am still procrastinating about dad's sweater) with interesting shaping that works! Disclaimer first - making this has NOTHING to do with my biological clock ticking (it's not) or the need for a baby gift (I make it a rule not to give handknitted gifts to unappreciative recipients, of which babies would be the front-runners).

My only query would be about the width of the collar. I got gauge and made the thing pretty much according to pattern but the neck opening seems considerably narrower than my observation of the real life specimens.

Anyway, that's all I've got for now. Until next month.