Effortless Cardigan

I finished this project about a month ago, but it was during the period of time when I was overwhelmed with work so I'm only now posting about it.  I have worn it often though, it is a great springtime cardigan.

The pattern is Effortless Cardigan by Hannah Fettig.  I was a very quick knit and involved absolutely no seaming due to the top down construction.  I enjoyed the process of knitting it and definitely find it comfortable to wear around the chilly lab.  However, it is difficult to photograph in a way that doesn't look awkward.  I have no complaints about the way that the pattern was written, it was very straightforward.

It is designed to wrap around for ultimate snuggliness too:  

It is knit in Berroco Vintage dk, I decision that I actually regret for this pattern.  It doesn't make for a very substantial fabric with the gauge and also really stretches.  I think that the version shown with the pattern was knit with a yarn that has a lot less of a stretch.  But even with those minor annoyances I still really like how the project turned out!

This was on my list of Fiber Goals for 2013: Effortless Cardigan.  Another goal complete!

Also, I really enjoyed hearing about other strange house mysteries and encounters with fellow knitters/crocheters.  I love meeting other knitters by chance, I feel like we instantly have a connection, where otherwise we probably never would have met.

Purple and cosy, what more could you want?

My latest project for the last few weeks has been this cardigan.  It is a very simple pattern and perfect for  mindless knitting (I've been a little bad lately and have been knitting during class...)

The pattern is Effortless Cardigan by Hannah Fettig, a top-down cardigan with the dreaded edges you have to pick up never ending numbers of stitches for.  So far it has been very enjoyable to knit and I don't really mind that it is all stockinette.  Surprisingly I'm finding knitting back and forth to be a nice change from circular knitting.

I picked out Berroco Vintage dk for this pattern (this was birthday yarn from my mother) when I visited Charleston, South Carolina last November.  I feel that this is a good yarn for the value, which was part of the reason I like it.  But I am a little concerned that it is going to pill like crazy once I start wearing it.  I'm determined to trust in my undying love for Berroco that it will all be alright.

I haven't been knitting anything in purple for a while, which makes it more fun.  So far I am not happy with the torso length and I left those stitches live so I can go back after I finish the sleeves and make it longer.  I frequently curse the fact that I have a long torso and, as my grandmother would say, not a lot of "ba-boom ba-boom" (small chest).

I'm very optimistic about this one!  It will be nice for the spring months!

Ambrosia Sweater

I started this sweater back in May as a way of getting me through a rough breakup.  As I knit this soothing sweater my grief faded and was replaced by calm and a sense of hope.  I'm not sure if knitting might help everyone through a rough time, but in my case it definitely did.

The pattern is Ambrosia by Katya Frankel, which overall I really liked.  I especially enjoyed the lack of seaming, as well as the top down construction of the sweater.  The cabling down the front helped to get me through long stretches of stockinette stitch and adds some extra interest to the sweater.  I also really liked that the bind off method was an i-cord bind off, because it made the whole project look much more finished and attractive.  The pattern directions were very clear and easy to follow.

The one problem I had with this pattern was with the recommended method of securing the sweater with hook and eyes.  When I first saw the pattern, that aspect really intrigued me because I had not seen many projects that way, and now I certainly know why.  No matter how much I block this sweater, there are still unseemly gaps down the front due to the hook and eyes.  I think that if I were to knit this sweater again, I would probably modify it to work with buttons.  I'm thinking that someday I might install a zipper onto this particular sweater, because with that one little change it would be perfect! 

The yarn was an absolute dream to knit with, as I've mentioned before, I'm not sure why my entire stash isn't made up of Madelinetosh.  I used Madelinetosh Vintage in the Nebula (isn't that perfect?) colorway.  I love the solid, crispness of the yarn base that they use for this yarn, and as an added bonus it still had that lovely merino smell!  Of course the best part of Madelinetosh is the almost iridescent color and this one in particular is just gorgeous.

Despite the fastening problem in the front, I really love this sweater and I hope to have many a chance to wear it this Fall! 

The Start of Something New

I know I've been a little quiet lately on the blog and elsewhere.  A few days ago my boyfriend (who I loved dearly) of seven years broke it off.  I subsequently fell off the deep end, very much like that scene in Anchorman ("I'm in a glass case of emotion!"), but not quite as funny.

Fairly quickly I decided that instead of feeling sorry for myself and letting this ruin my hard earned graduation from college that I needed to take this as an opportunity for a new beginning.  In the Fall I will be moving to a new state, new university, new job, new everything.  What a chance I have here, I'm going to take full advantage of this!

I definitely needed a little boost to get me going, so I went to the place that heals all wounds, Webs!  As always, the second I walked into my favorite local yarn store I felt immediately better.

As though Webs knew I was going through a hard time, Ultra Alpaca was on super sale and so I helped myself to enough for a sweater.

Then I made a beeline straight to the Madelinetosh shelf.  I've always coveted this amazing yarn, but have never been able to justify the cost of more than one skein that one time (in a moment of weakness).  But, if this isn't an emergency, I don't know what is, and so I went for it and don't regret it one bit!

Things are difficult right now, but I'm going to stay positive and make the best of this situation.
On to bigger and better things!