Here a Sweater, There a Sweater...

Everywhere a Sweater!

Yes, I have started another sweater. Here is the story:


Last Friday, I started a new sweater. I cast on for Interweave Knits Tangled Yoke Cardigan. Last summer, my SIL asked me if I would knit a sweater for her. She offered to buy the yarn, and I pulled up Ravelry on the computer at my sister’s house, where we were. I just love the way that Ravelry allows me to search the patterns that I already own to find a new project. Said SIL started to describe the type of style she wanted, and I was able to input the specifics into the search, as well. She wanted a cardigan, preferably long sleeved and crew neck in a lighter weight fabric.

Tangled Yoke came up in one of these searches. I had wanted to make this sweater from the very first time that I looked through the magazine. My sister didn’t like the fact that it was a yoked sweater and so I found a different pattern to make for her that Christmas. So, when it came up in my search, I was excited when my SIL liked it! Then, we started to look for an affordable wool yarn source on line that would have a color that she wanted. We looked primarily at Elann and Knit Picks. She found that the colors were preferable in the Peruvian Highland Sport from Elann and said that a pale blue color would be lovely. At that point, I knew to plan on knitting it for her. I don’t usually take on projects like this, but she is very easy to please and as a beginning knitter, appreciates the work that goes into a larger project like a sweater.

Not long after agreeing to knit a sweater for her, she told me, sadly, that she may not have the $35 for the yarn for quite some time. I still had store credit with Elann, and purchased the yarn for her last fall. She doesn’t know that I have already begun, and I plan to finish this in time to be her birthday present in May of this year.

I have already finished the body of the sweater, up to the armholes and really want to leave work, though I can’t, to cast on for a sleeve. What I really want to start is the cabling on the yoke, but I need to wade through quite a bit more garter rib and stockingnet stitch, first. The knitting, though on US size 4 needles, is still moving along more quickly than I had expected. If I can keep going at my current pace, I will finish this in a couple more weeks.

The resulting fabric from the Highland Sport is a little stiff and rough, but I was good and spent the time to make swatches, wash and dry them. The swatch was a little big on the size 5 needles that the pattern called for, so I went down to 4’s and made gauge. Since I washed the swatch, I know that it softens considerably and drapes much better with only a cold water bath and I know that if I add a little fabric softener or conditioner that it will be even softer and drapeier.