30-11-2024

Happy with how it’s going so far - nearly 15” long and 275g used.
I’m planning a set in sleeve (worked from the cuff up) and a slightly lower front neck.
I found an old pattern that had a fabulous set in sleeve head and luckily, the body has the same stitch count.
When I get to the sleeves, I’ll cast on 46/48 sts for the cuff, incr slowly to 75sts before shaping the head. Probably.
Now to check the neck shaping…

08-12-2024

Body finished and shoulders joined. I tried it on and you know, once it’s washed and blocked, I think it will fit just right

Sleeves
Cast on 47 sts and worked 17 rows. Then realised sleeve cable pattern had 47 sts, so there was no edge st allowed… ‍ so, incr 2 sts on first row.
Worked first repeat and tacked the seam so I could try on - ok but maybe a slightly too close a fit for such a warm cardigan.
Ripped back and increased 6 sts on last row of rib to give 3 edge sts each side.
Incr each end of 9th, and every following 10th row until 75 sts.
Continue until current repeat finished.
Start shaping head.
Update. Sleeve needs to be just a little wider, although with wear, they did give a little. Maybe try incr 10sts after rib, then every 8 rows to 81 sts?

13-12-2024

I think the sleeve will be ok. Followed the instructions from my old pattern and it looks good. I’ve added a chart for it but don’t know yet if it will fit ok!
Note for next time - as I don’t like reverse stocking stitch, I should have worked a purl st next to the ktbl at each side of pattern.
Might tack it together and try on before I start the second sleeve.

So, I think the sleeve head might be a bit narrow, and a fraction too long. Definitely reduce length in final shaping by 5 rows, and adjust curve.

Note: unpicked sleeve head and reworked on adjusted curve - shown in my chart in green, also reducing sleeve head length by 5 rows.

21-12-2024

Second sleeve finished! Sleeve head is an absolute Dream!

Now for the neckband and button bands. I don’t think I’m going to make the buttonholes right on the edge either, just bog standard ones.

I’ve already ordered yarn to make another!!

22-12-2024

Sleeve head shaping. Actually, I ripped back and reworked them, following the green line on the attached chart, so the instructions here don’t match the chart. (Yet)

75 sts.
Cast off 4 sts start next 2 rows. (67)
Decrease 1st each end next, & following 3 alternate rows. (59)
Decr 1st each end next row, work 2 rows. Repeat once more. (55)
Decr 1st each end next row, work 3 rows. Repeat once more. (51)
Decr 1st each end next row, work 2 rows. Repeat once more. (47)
Decr 1st each end alternate rows x 3 (41)
Decr 1st each end Every row x 8 (25)
Cast off 2sts each end next row (21)
Cast off 3 sts each end next row (15)
(I tried to do a ‘German short row thing for the last 2 rows)
Cast off remaining 15 sts.

22-12-2024

Really neat buttonholes -

http://www.knittingonthenet.com/learn/bh5.htm
by Barbara Breiter

This is the best buttonhole I’ve ever knit. It’s neat and firm, both sides look practically identical, and the amount of distortion it causes to the stitches that surround it is barely noticeable.

This buttonhole was published in Maggie Righetti’s Knitting In Plain English (St. Martin’s Press, 1986). The instructions have been rewritten, making it a bit easier to follow.

Instructions:
Knit to the point where the buttonhole will be placed.

Slip the first stitch on the left needle as if knit.

Move the yarn to the front of the work and leave it there. Slip the next stitch from the left needle to the right needle as if to knit. Pass the first slipped stitch over the second slipped stitch and off the needle. Repeat until you have bound off the number of required stitches for the buttonhole.

Slip the last stitch from the right needle back to the left needle. Turn. Bring the yarn to the front of the work. At the edge where the buttonhole was begun, cast on the number of stitches you bound off plus one additional stitch. The twisted purlwise cast on is a good choice.

Turn. Slip the first stitch from the left needle to the right needle as if to knit. Pass the extra cast on stitch over the next stitch; then slip this stitch back to the left needle.

31-12-2024

Neckband
Can’t remember how many sts I picked up altogether. Worked 5 rows, not 7.

Button band. I picked up 105 sts, 3 in every 4 rows, as per pattern.
I made 12 buttonholes.

Just need to stitch the sleeve seams and insert them.
And I might need to wear it before I block it!!!!

Fabulous design (even if i tweaked it!)

13-01-2025

Finally worked up the courage to wash and block! I was worried it would sag into an ugly sack!…..
But I Very gently washed using a special wool wash - more of just a soak really and squeezed out the water carefully, so I didn’t stretch it.
It was then laid out on a bath towel and rolled up and walked on! Then laid on a second towel and repeated, to squeeze out as much water as possible.
(I put something in the washing machine just to spin it off once. But the machine just tumbled and tumbled, as it couldn’t sense any weight, rather than spin. That item eventually came out felted! No more machine spinning for me!)

My lovely cardigan is now laid out, and gently pulled into shape to dry. At least a day I think, then transfer to the airing cupboard.

Can’t wait to wear it!

13-01-2025

And I just thought - I changed the direction of the cable at the side seams edge on the front and back, so they are opposites.
Not what the designer intended but what I prefer. You can clearly see them in my photos.

15-01-2025

Well, it washed and blocked beautifully! Almost….
I was worried it might grow too much but it didn’t at all, although I was careful not to stretch out to full width.
It did grow a little in length - not a problem for the side length but the sleeves grew a bit as well.
I could wear the cuffs folded back but hate them!
Taking out the sleeves and unpicking to shorten a little, then reworking the sleeve head would be a lot of work…
So I’m considering shortening from the cuff edge. The easy option would be to cut off, pick up the stitches, knit the rib again, and have a cast off cuff at the edge.
Watch this space!

Edit: depending what I wear it over, I can pull the sleeves up a little so they’re wrinkled, so they don’t feel too long. But i will be shortening by half a pattern repeat at the cuff edge at some point.

06-02-2025

Finally bit the bullet and shortened the sleeves and now it’s just perfect!