Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Green Leafy FO



This is a self-designed cardigan. The yarn is Plymouth Royal Silk Merino. The gauge is 19 stitches/4". I used about 900 yards.
I guess I'm calling it "green leafy" after reading your nice comments from the last entry. It's a standard construction cardi, knit in the round and split at the armholes. The sleeves are knit flat and sewn. I would have preferred to knit the body in flat pieces also, but I was afraid my seam would not look that great at the folded hem and the tuck stripe. I wasn't that picky about the sleeve underside seam, as it's not very visible. Those seams turned out fine after all, so I could have knit the body as pieces.

Here's a summary of the sweater's main features:
- The sleeve and bottom hems are narrow 6-row folded hem, begun with a provisional cast-on.
- A 5-stitch attached I-cord is used to finish the front and neck.
- A tuck strip done by picking purl bumps from five rows below separates the top and bottom sections and also delineates the "cuff".
- The leaf pattern is called a pea pod eyelet pattern in my Super Stitches Knitting book.
- I included some short rows in the front bust section so that the tuck stripe stays level from front to back.
- I found a cute duck button for it.
- It is sized at about zero ease for the body and a little positive ease for the sleeves.

The technical tip that I learned from knitting this is that narrow folded hems and tuck stripes require a smaller needle size to prevent flaring because those stitches tend to stretch and widen the gauge a bit.


6 comments:

Mr Puffy's Knitting Blog: said...

That looks simply smashing on! The whole outfit is so stylish ~ fantastic job designing an awesome sweater :)

Love the little duck button you choose too.

crochetgurl said...

Just beautiful all around! You should write up the pattern and submit it to Knitty. :-P

yoel said...

Very cute! The duckie button is adorable.

knitseashore said...

It is terrific!!! So flattering and a perfect color for you!!

t does wool said...

love the sweater...fabulous job!

robin said...

I love it!! Are you going to publish the pattern? I'd buy it.