FO: Calluna

Happy Fall! Pfft. This is a picture of the dashboard thermometer on my way to pick up the middle school carpool. Please note that I live in San Diego, not flippin' Phoenix. There is just no call for this.

You will understand that modeled shots of a wool sweater were not in the cards. But Calluna, she is done!

She's been done for a while, actually, but I haven't been motivated to try to get pictures. I decided, however, that the pile of unphotographed FO's was starting to get a little out of control.

Bertha seems undisturbed by the heat. I suppose it wouldn't bother me, either, if I were lacking a head.

The Details

Pattern: Calluna, from Knit Picks.

Size: 36"

Needles: Knit Picks Options, size 7 circs

Yarn: Cascade 220 Tweed

Modifications: I made a few mods to this one. In addition to my usual addition of length to the body (about 4"), I changed the waist detailing to 1x1 ribbing so that it would draw in a bit:

I made long sleeves instead of 3/4 sleeves, and I incorporated cables into the cuffs for a decorative, slightly bell-shaped sleeve:

I added buttonholes and buttons the full length of the sweater, so that it can be worn a variety of different ways:

I also changed the placement of the buttonholes/buttons to make them closer together.

I did not run the buttonband up the collar, as the pattern calls for, and I left off the top buttonhole, which is placed on the collar itself.

Other than that, I think I mostly followed the pattern. It seems to fit, although it was hard to tell in the three and a half seconds I was able to tolerate having it on. Boy, I miss winter.

Cal-looney

I've been knitting away on Calluna, despite the 90 degree heat here in Southern California. With air conditioning, I can almost pretend it will someday be winter again.

As usual, I'm concerned about the size of this one. I'm making the 36" size for my 35" chest. I forgot that it's generally better to add a little more ease for cardigans than for pullovers. Especially with a fairly fitted design like this one. I'm also using a worsted weight yarn instead of the aran weight called for. I am getting gauge, and the measurements are pretty close to the schematics, but it looks a bit snug on Bertha.

I'm hoping (and expecting) that blocking will relax the fabric and also take care of that annoying rolling at the button band.

Knowing that this will be a winter sweater, I'd already decided to make the sleeves full length. I've also decided to incorporate ring cables into the sleeves and give them some shaping instead of making straight, moss stitch sleeves as the pattern calls for.

I'm thinking two of these cables will create a nice, slightly bell shaped sleeve. Then I'll work the upper sleeves in moss stitch, maybe set off from the cable section with 1x1 ribbing, as I did for the body.

This is a fun knit; easier than it looks, too. Even with the cables and the pattern stitch, it only requires occasional pattern-checking, so it's good tv/supervising kids/social knitting. Now I'm off to cast on the sleeves!

Knitnapping

I think I'm going to have to draw the line at napping on my knitting!

Summer Knitting

You may have guessed from the lack of actual knitting content around here that, although I've been busy with other sorts of fibery pursuits, the knitting hasn't really been happening. And you'd be correct. Summer is always a little challenging for me from a knitting perspective. I don't really like tank tops, I don't wear shawls, I don't enjoy knitting socks, and we all know my checkered history with lace. So it's tough to find a summer knitting project I'm interested in doing. And when I finally do, I'm usually disappointed with the results (see this and this). Even if I like the results, I rarely end up wearing the finished product (see this--and remind me again to do an FO post of my Unmentionables, finished for weeks, but yet to be photographed, much less worn).

So I've been looking for a great, wearable summer project for weeks. I've perused Ravelry. I've dug through the books and magazines. I've fondled stash yarns. I've even wound and swatched several balls. And still...nothing.

And then I saw this. Which I love. And I have a sweater's worth of purple Cascade 220 tweed that I picked up during the last WEBS sale. I've been waiting for a great pattern to come along for it.

But, of course, no matter what you call it, a cabled wool cardigan is not a summer sweater. Around here, it's not even a spring sweater. It is, undeniably and irrevocably, a winter sweater. And winter is a long time from now.

But it will come. And I will still be here.

So I cast on anyway! You're welcome, Winter Self.