Corfu - Finished!

I actually finished this up last Sunday, and got it blocked and a picture uploaded to The Loopy Ewe web site on Tuesday - successfully completing Camp Loopy this year.  The picture was approved very quickly too, which was nice.  Last month it seemed to take forever for my picture to get approved.  I have had a tough time getting a decent picture, but finally managed to get a good one of the back this morning.  I still haven't gotten a really good one of the front.

I haven't had a chance to wear it yet, it has still been too hot, but I have tried it on.  It has a really nice drape.  The sleeves are loose, which I like.  I don't like sweaters with tight sleeves.


Pattern:  Lilium by Amy Herzog
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in Corfu
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm) and US 5 (3.75 mm)

Corfu - One Sleeve Done

I finished up the first sleeve just before noon today.  I was worried that I would have to join another skein of yarn before I got to the bind off, but ended with about 4 feet of yarn left.  I picked up every other stitch around the armhole, except under the arm.  Once I started working in the round I went up a needle size, knowing that I always knit in the round tighter, especially when I'm working on short cables.

Pattern:  Lilium by Amy Herzog
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in Corfu
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm) and US 5 (3.75 mm)

Corfu - Front Edge Done

For the front edge I picked up 272 stitches, this is actually less than any of the pattern sizes called for, but that is because I didn't make my cardigan as long as any of the pattern sizes called for.  I wanted this to stop at the top of my hips.  I worked 7 rows of garter stitch, and then bound off a little loose, keeping my stitches relaxed so the bind off wouldn't distort things.  Next up the sleeves.

Pattern:  Lilium by Amy Herzog
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in Corfu
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Corfu - Body Done

Despite the craziness at work this past week, including a 12 hour day on Wednesday, I managed to get the body done, finishing up the right shoulder this morning.  As I was working the top sections of the body separately I was glad that I hadn't combined all the charts.  The only ones that it might have been worthwhile combining were the three charts used for the back.  Between the charts and the separate counters available in knitCompanion it was pretty easy to keep track of what I was doing and also be consistent between the sections.  One thing that I did modify was the spacing on the decreases along the front neck edge.  The pattern has you alternate between every 2nd row and every 3rd row, which I frankly found confusing.  I went with every 3rd row, which also had the advantage of ending the shaping on row 57, which was close to where I ended the knitting on the sections - row 63 - so I ended up with a nice line along the front going into the back neck.

Next I will pick up stitches for the front edging.  I'll pick up 2 stitches for every 3 rows along the front edges, and 1 stitch for every stitch along the back neck.  Then I'll work the sleeves.  I'll do those top down and probably make them longer then the pattern calls for.  The pattern has them ending just below the elbow.  I'll go at to at least 3/4 sleeves.

Pattern:  Lilium by Amy Herzog
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in Corfu
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Camp Loopy 2016 - Project 3 - Take 2 - Corfu

I finished up Neptune, my Short-Row Vest, which was supposed to be my August Camp Loopy project, but came up short on the yardage, so last Saturday I went back through my pattern library and found another pattern that should meet the yardage requirements easily and ordered more yarn.  The pattern that I selected, Lilium, by Amy Herzog calls for Catherine Lowe yarn, which I don't have easy access to, so I had to do a yarn substitution.  I ended up buying Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in the color Corfu - in keeping with the exotic locale theme of the third challenge.

Of course I did a gauge swatch.  The yarn band recommends a US 6 (4 mm) needle, but when I started swatching with that needle it was obvious to me that the gauge was too open.  I raveled that false start and pulled a US 4 (3.5 mm) needle out.  I liked the fabric that I got and the gauge was close to that called for by the pattern.  My gauge is 21 stitches and 31 rows in 4 inches, while the pattern calls for 24 stitches and 32 rows.  Taking my gauge I looked at the pattern and picked the size that would get me the right measurements.  I ended up going with the 31 1/2" bust size, which with my gauge will give me a finished bust of 37" and a couple of inches of ease.  I don't like tight cardigans.

The pattern calls for knitting the back and fronts separately and joining, but of course I am knitting the body as one.  I left off 2 stitches from the cast-on count from the back, and 1 stitch from each of the sides to account for the fact that I don't need to seam mine.  I use markers to mark the sides, but otherwise don't use them.  The front edges have a braided cable design, and there is also a lace panel flanked by the braided cable design in the center of the back.  There are only two charts, but the way the pattern is written you start out on different rows of the braided cable design depending on where you are at.  Once I got it all figured out I copied the braided cable chart in knitCompanion and ordered the charts in the order that I need to knit them.  If I had felt like taking the time I could also have recharted the whole set and just had one chart to work from, but I kind of like the way I am doing it because I can use which chart I am currently working to remind me of which section of the cardigan I should be on.

Here is a shot of my knitCompanion screen.  I am using my old iPad, instead of my new iPad Pro because I really don't need the screen size of my Pro.

Pattern:  Lilium by Amy Herzog
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in Corfu
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm)