I’ve been trying out different methods of getting the stranding to work (with some success, despite the embossed look). I tried the “weave every second stitch” method, but that shows through too much. And then I tried weaving every 3 stitches. Since the yarn is so fine (32 stitches per 10 cm/4 in) in the end I decided to weave only on a gap or 6 stitches or more on the body, and more often on the sleeves, as that’s where the little fingers might catch.

Baby Ull cardigan

Dale Baby Ull cardigan

The photos were taken on the sundial in our front garden, while the tulips were blooming.

If you want to see what the finished article should look like, pictures are available on the Dale site (on pages 2 and 5 of the almost 3 MB PDF download) as well as Ravelry, both the pattern page and my project page.

Koolhaas hat in Malabrigo

The pattern as written works up to 16″ unstretched, which I decided wouldn’t look good when stretched to fit my 23″ head. It took a bit of swatching until I ended up with 5.5 mm needles, which result in a nice feel to the fabric in that crossed cable pattern. It ended up 18” in circumference, and stretches to 26”, which fits comfortably. If I make another one for me, I’ll do the extra repeat for the men’s size, as this one only just covers my ears.

I like the colour, and the pattern, but I don’t think they go together all that well; the colour changes override the pattern. If I knit it again I’ll knit it in a solid colour, and save the kettle-dyed yarns for a plainer pattern, like a brioche stitch or fishermen’s rib. You can see the difference on the designer’s site (or Ravelry).

It’s rated an intermediate project, which is probably fair. I found it a fairly straightforward knit; you do have to pay attention in the decrease instructions and it helps if you can cable without a cable needle, but nothing in the pattern is particularly difficult or hard to understand.

The earlier version; the blue yarn is from the provisional cast-on. Nice and colourful and my son claims to like it (yes, he does like the pink bits scattered through). And since it’s acrylic/nylon (Wendy Peter Pan Double Knit in colourway 1320), it’s easy to toss in the washing machine (important with a 9-yr-old boy). Yarn reviews are available at Wiseneedle and Ravelry.

The design is a simple one, mostly cobbled together from Maggie Righetti’s Sweater Design in Plain English, with a stocking stitch body and a horseshoe cable up the arm. I knitted the arms at the same time on two circular needles and I think it’s actually easier to knit them flat and seam them! The bits of knitting and needles and yarn were forever getting tangled up and I think my gauge varied more than it usually does. Also, trying to graft together the sleeves and body at the underarms was more tricky than I anticipated because of the different directions the various bits of fabric were pulling in. I got it done eventually, and it should hold as I double-grafted some of it, but it was more tricky than I liked. Maybe practise makes perfect, or maybe I’ll just stick to regular seams, which are easier to get right.

It turned out to be just as well I’d started with a provisional cast-on, since I am currently adding some more length to the body, knitting down. When you’re designing “on the fly” as I was, provisional cast-ons make life a whole lot easier.

I used the standard wool blocking technique: soak in some warm water with a little shampoo for 20-30 minutes, rinse in warm water, squeeze out gently, wrap in a towel, pin out on a towel placed on one of those interlocking foam boards, leave until dry. This evening I get to weave in some yarn tails. Maybe I’ll do some more photos of the results once that’s done.

Jean’s cardigan

I don’t know what the yarn was but it looked like a worsted-weight, mostly wool, yarn, in a dark grey heather colour. The style is simple, a basic loose cardigan with about 10 cm ease at the bust, fitted sleeve caps, and a fairly high round neck. The overall pattern is a very simple lace repeat. The hems are folded stocking stitch folded hems on the sleeves and body. The front and neckline bands are double-knit bands as per Jen’s instructions.

Lace pattern, in a 12-row repeat:
rows 1 and 3: knit
even rows: purl
row 5: *k2tog, yo, repeat from *, k1
rows 7 and 9: knit
row 11: *ssk, yo, repeat from *, k1

The ssk row produces a left bias that balances out the right bias produced by the k2tog row. When I was blocking the cardigan there was very little overall bias, and the little that was there was easily held in by the double-thickness hems and bands. The cardigan draped nicely in this stitch done on 4.5 mm needles, with the hem inner on 4 mm needles (purl row as fold line) and the bands on 3.75 mm needles (double knitting needs slightly smaller needles).