This week I finished not one, but two (!!!) cardigans. This is Shore Cardigan, a wonderful design by Carrie Bostick Hoge from her recent Swoon Maine collection.
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| raveled here |
The yarn – Suss Old Fashioned – has been in my stash since the mid 2000’s. Katie originally purchased a few balls at the recommendation of an uninformed yarn shop employee. Once she showed it to me, I knew it wasn’t right and took the yarn back. But it had been wound, and the shop wouldn’t accept the return. So I bought more of it to have a whole sweater quantity. And it’s been sitting on my shelf since then (making me mad…)
A few years back, I knit a swatch. It worked up to a nice 4.75-5 stitches per inch. …and I’ve been waiting for the perfect pattern. When Thea Colman released Plum Wine in early January, I thought that might be it. But this yarn is four very thin strands that aren’t plied together; and one of those strands is tweedy nubs. Sadly, cables and lace weren’t to be. I needed plain ol’ stockinette. And that’s when I settled on Shore, a top-down seamless cardigan with a little shaping, a little garter stitch detail, but mostly…a whole lot of plain stockinette.
I started on January 10 and had the sleeves on waste yarn by the 12th. I worked on the body through that last week with Daddy. and the week after that. and the week after that. It took me four tries to get it just right – no fault of the pattern, just my inability to measure. In between the second and third tries, I worked the sleeves…happily just once! I ended up knitting the body about 1-1/2″ shorter than the pattern suggested.
By the time I got home, all that was left was the neck and button bands…and a bunch of ends. That took me two more weeks. I blocked it last Thursday and then waited two days for it to dry. The yarn blocked beautifully. I love the finished fabric so much I gave the yarn two more stars (going from 1 to 3).
Finally, on Sunday morning, I sewed on the buttons. I’ve worn the sweater three times this past week. I love everything about it. I don’t even mind that it took me almost two months and a lot more ripping than I’m used to. In some ways, I think it makes me love it more.
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| …and a HUGE Thank you to Katie for the photos – it was fun! |
…and that empty space on my shelf where the yarn used to sit makes me smile just to think about it!
As does the sunshine starting to peek through the clouds. Wishing you all a smile-filled weekend!
mere-et-filles 
That's a great sweater and I'm glad you finally got to use the yarn.
The sweater was worth all the trouble, as it looks marvelous on you!
What a lovely sweater! I'm glad you found the right pattern and persevered with the yarn as the end result is worth it. I do love those tweedy nubs, even if they're a pita to knit with. You and Katie take the best photos!
Your sweater looks great on you!
You look super happy wearing it! It looks terrific on you!
It looks perfect! The last two sweaters you have shown us are amazing!
You look just wonderful in it! I love all the different views of it (and you). I am sure you could have a modelling career …
Another beautiful cardigan, and you have the perfect weather for it!
(I just lost the comment I was typing. Apologies if you get this twice.) What I was saying . . . some sweater just take their time. . . It's lovely, Mary. I'm so happy you persevered. AND — it feels great to get some of that long-in-the-stash yarn out into the great, wide open!
It's a beautiful sweater, Mary, and you wear it so well! And I'm glad the mad has been replaced with happy!
Glad you found it worth the effort-it is lovely.
Well, that's just lovely!! What a terrific match of pattern & yarn.
The sweater is perfect!