knitting neels

By rights, this should have been finished last May, but here it is in all its glory!

Pattern: Puff-Sleeved Cardigan from ‘Fitted Knits’.
Needles: 4mm.
Modifications: I had such an incredible problem with gauge that I ended up knitting the 36″ size with a higher gauge. I think the pattern calls for 22 sts over 4″, and I got 24 sts. By doing this, I managed by a stroke of luck to come out at the 35″ size that I wanted all along. From knitting it before I realised that the peplum was going to stick out all over the place, so this time I left out the last two sets of increases in the peplum pattern and dropped down to a 3.5mm needle from that point up to the finish. I used the 4mm needle to cast off to keep it loose enough.

I modified the sleeves slightly by knitting them in the round. I added in an extra set of decreases to take care of the seam allowance and I changed to 3mm needles to work the decrease shaping. In retrospect I’m not really sure why I did this but it didn’t seem to hurt! I learned a new cast off for the sleeves – the sewn cast off a la Elizabeth Zimmermann. Not the most attractive cast off, but very stretchy and effective.

I could direct traffic with those elbows

The seed stitch button bands and collar are effective little details.

I’m glad to get this cardigan off my needles and into my wardrobe. What’s up next? I have a choice between this, this or a raspberry sweater of my own design. I am torn between the functionality of the tshirt, the gorgeous Rialto I have to knit the second one and the sumptuous colours of the mohair I have for the raspberry jumper. Arrrgh!