I was up bright and early on New Year's Day to get my shift coverage at work taken care of. D wanted to watch the Michigan State game (he's an alum) at 11:00 mountain time, so even though I was still at work, he kept me posted on updates.
After work, I was able to settle in to some bowl-gaming of my own and I finished up my Harriet Cardigan. (This photo makes the color seem more purple than it is. It is really a very dark rose-pink. The last picture at the bottom of the post is closest to the real color.)
Pattern: Harriet Cardigan from Lisa Lloyd's fantastic book A Fine Fleece.
Yarn: Rowan Yorkshire Tweed DK (colorway, a romantic #350).
Needles: US Size 6.
Modifications: Just my usual shortening of the torso. I only knit 12 inches, rather than 14 between the hem and the castoff stitches for the set-in sleeves.
Notes: This was a really wonderful pattern. Interesting enough to keep you moving through it, but not so complicated you couldn't tackle it while thinking of other things. The charts were easy to memorize, and all the shaping is done outside the lace panels.
I technically knit the size 40". I got gauge (even used the yarn called for as the commercial version in the book), but this is no where near the large comfy sweater I had thought it would be. To be honest, I didn't block it very hard. I probably could have gotten a couple more inches out of it, but it's more like a 37" and not a 40" sweater. Be forewarned if you knit it that the lace pattern at the waist draws in like ribbing. You'll want to block the bejebus out of it if you want it to be nonstretchy. Also be sure to double-check the measurement of the sleeves at the top. I wound up having to add a few extra repeats to get the width of the sleeve large enough that it would fit appropriately into the armscye (and I still wound up fudging it a bit, and then blocking the heck out of those seams to get them to lay flat).
However, this actually turned out better than I had hoped, as it is more fitted and feminine than I had envisioned looking at the pattern specs/schematics. The Rowan yarn softened up a bit after a bath, and it's nicely lightweight, but still appropriately wooly for winter/fall wear. It's also a warmer color than I would normally pick to knit with - but I'm trying to expand my horizons, and it sure looks great with jeans!
Oh, and just in case you missed it, this is my sweater #1 to kick-off the NaKniSweMoDo challenge.
All for now!
That looks great on you! Nothing like a headstart for an impossible challenge.
Posted by: Laurie | January 02, 2009 at 04:53 AM
1 down! Beautiful sweater.
Posted by: DebbieB | January 02, 2009 at 04:59 AM
Gorgeous! Told you, you could do it.
Posted by: Marina | January 02, 2009 at 05:06 AM
Hmmm, I don't know if we should count a sweater you FINISHED on Jan. 1 as your first sweater. ;-)
It looks fabulous on you and I love the color and design enough that sweater is going in my queue.
Posted by: margene | January 02, 2009 at 06:22 AM
really beautiful work!
It looks perfect on you !
Posted by: cyndy | January 02, 2009 at 06:34 AM
Love. It. And, either color would be great!
Posted by: Marcia | January 02, 2009 at 06:40 AM
Nice sweater!
Posted by: Cathy | January 02, 2009 at 08:44 AM
It turned out beautiful! The color is so pretty in the last photo too. I'm no expert, but it looks like a very nice color for you to wear.
Posted by: Toby | January 02, 2009 at 08:57 AM
What a gorgeous start to the new year!
Posted by: Imbrium | January 02, 2009 at 09:20 AM
Beautiful! I like it the way it is - I'm glad you didn't block it more aggressively. LOVE the color. :)
Posted by: Kris | January 02, 2009 at 09:34 AM