FREE PATTERN FOR TEENY TINY ACORN HERE

20Sept2012: This is a test knit for Amy Jansen (Elvenknits)! It’s simply lovely!

1. In my opinion, this cardigan should be done exactly as designed. I added buttonholes all the way down -- but the body is not shaped to close, so that was not useful. I wanted to add sleeves - but the roomy yoke at the shoulder made them too poofy. Just enjoy as is! =)
2. My buttonhole yarnovers were wrapped twice instead of once, to accomodate my larger buttons.
3. The sleeves poke upwards because of the roomy yoke at the shoulders. So, instead of binding off the sleeve, I strung a crocheted cord through to bring them in and add a little poof. I was inspired to add some hanging acorns, to go with the oak theme, and designed a little stuffed mini acorn, based on this pattern, which makes acorns that are too big. Recipe below!
4. While I appreciate that garter stitch bands avoid curling, what is not avoided is folding of the entire band outward. This is a constant knitting frustration. So, I devised a fix where I zigzagged a stitch from the stockinette into the garter, up the band. This does a great job of keeping it from folding! See picture.
5. In my opinion, one of the increases in the center back should be eliminated, it makes too much fabric in the form of a point. Blocking helps, but not completely.

Thanks, Amy, for a beautiful pattern.

This project had a false start with Rowan 4-ply, but I left the project and half the yarn in a bathroom in the Amsterdam airport!! =( I think all is for the best, because the yarn was blue. This Swiss grocery store yarn from Manor is amazingly soft and is the perfect color for a falling oak leaves cardi.

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