Campfire Cardi - Finished!

Once I finished the sleeves and blocked the cardigan I focused on finishing up the button bands.  As I mentioned in the last post I didn’t really get what the designer was doing for that part of the design, and the whole joining as you go and picking up the stitches to join as you go just seemed way too fiddly for me.  So I decided to use the same ribbing pattern on the button bands and neck edge.  I also wanted a nice turn on the corner for the transition from the button bands to the neck edge.  In the end I worked the button bands first.  Based on the gauge of the cabled rib I picked up 5 stitches for every 6 rows along the front edge, 108 stitches total.  To figure out the number of stitches to pick up I used the stitch gauge from the cable rib on the hem and used it with the row gauge from the front to determine the ratio.  After the pick up I worked a wrong side set up row to establish the pattern of k1, (k1, p2), end k2.  I worked 5 stitch button holes centered on a purl stitch on rows 9 (bind off) and 10 (cast on).  I matched the cable to the cable on each side, so the right hand button band has left twist, and the left hand button band has right twist.  I worked 19 rows of the cabled rib, binding off on row 20.

Once both button bands were finished I started working the neck edge.  I picked up 2 stitches for every 3 rows along the top of the button band (14 stitches), 9 stitches for every 10 rows along the neck edge (56 stitches), and one for one along the back neck (46 stitches).  To figure out the number of stitches to pick up along the neck edge I measured the length of the neck edge, and used the cable rib gauge to calculate the number of stitches I needed, then counted the number of rows and figured out the ratio.  I placed a marker in the center back and switched the cable orientation at the marker so that the cables matched the button band cables.  After the pickup I worked a wrong side set up row of p14, (k1, p2) to 1 stitch before the center back, k1, sm, k1, (p2, k1) to last 14 stitches, p14.  The stitch count gave me two purl stitches at the center back, one before the marker and one after the marker.  Across the top of the button bands I worked a stockinette triangle, decreasing on the right side rows as follows:  ssk, k to last 2 stitches of button band edge, k2tog, work cable pattern to the other button band, ssk, k to last 2 stitches of button band edge, k2tog.  I worked 15 rows for the neck edge and bound off on row 16.

I am very happy with how the cardigan turned out.  The fabric is great, my gauge was spot on and consistent for the whole project, and I love the contrast edging.  And better yet, I used stash yarn.

Pattern:  Sage Cardi by Zanete Knits

Yarn:  Dream in Color Smooshy

Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm) for the body, US 4 (3.5 mm) for the sleeves

Campfire Cardi - Both Sleeves Done

When I began working the sleeves I started with a new skein, and divided it in half so I could just work the sleeve without having to worry about watching my yarn usage.  When I reached the end the half skein I switched to the leftover skein from the body.  Once I finished the sleeves I blocked the Cardi so that I could get a good gauge on the hem ribbing, as I was thinking of using it for the button bands.  I tried to understand what the designer called for in the pattern for the button band, and even watched her video but just didn’t want to go there.

After blocking the fabric does relax a little and has a lot more drape.  Some of that is probably just due to the fact that this is a superwash merino yarn.  I did measure things after blocking and it did not grow.  One thing that I realized when I was blocking it was the front would naturally be shorter than the back due to the cabling.  The pattern does not provide a gauge for the cabled section.

To block I just laid it out on my very first blocking board.  It folds in half for easy storage, and has handles.  I love it for garments.  I did pin the front edges to keep them from curling and to make it easier to pick up stitches for my button bands.

Pattern:  Sage Cardi by Zanete Knits

Yarn:  Dream in Color Smooshy

Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm) for the body, US 4 (3.5 mm) for the sleeves

Campfire Cardi - One Sleeve Done

This sleeve took me a couple of starts to get it looking the way I wanted.  I did the pick up in the slipped stitches, one per stitch, which left me short on the number of stitches called for, so after the pick up I worked a round and did kfb increases to get to the correct stitch count.  Then I did the short row shaping called for in the pattern, working German short rows.  Once I got through all of that the rest of the sleeve was smooth sailing, just round after round.  I will note that the pattern calls for knitting 16 inches from the underarm, and states that should be about 136 rows.  The stated gauge of the pattern is 36 rows for 4 inches, which would mean that you should knit 144 rows, which is what I knit, and once again my gauge swatch did not lie, but obviously the designer’s did.  I did go up to a US 4 needle for the sleeves.  I started out on a US 3, but I do knit tighter on circular needles, especially on the smaller circular needles, so I had to go up a needle size to maintain my gauge.

Pattern:  Sage Cardi by Zanete Knits

Yarn:  Dream in Color Smooshy

Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm) for the body, US 4 (3.5 mm) for the sleeves

 

Campfire Cardi - Body & Hem Done!

Once I remembered how to work the 1/1 cables without a cable needle (by rearranging the stitches between the two needles) this went reasonably fast.  There were a few mistakes that I had to tink back or fix when I fell asleep while knitting, but nothing major.  I have picked up the stitches around one of the armholes and my concerns about picking up with the slipped stitch edges was confirmed, so were I to knit this again I would not slip any edge stitches.

I’m liking the colors and the contrast hem.  I’m also very happy to be using up stash yarn.  My stash is ginormous and I really need to focus on knitting what I have, despite all the beautiful yarns out there.  These colors are from The Loopy Ewe, first incarnation (they sold their store and it continues, but is not quite the same), and were special Camp Loopy colorways.  They are doing Camp Loopy again this year but I am not going to participate.  The rules were just too much for me.  It is movie themed, and I love the Camp logo, so I thought I might at least get a t-shirt, but they changed the supplier and the shirts are 60/40 cotton/poly, instead of 100% cotton, and I just cannot wear polyester anymore - it makes my skin itch - that bummed me out as I wear my old Camp Loopy t-shirts all the time.  But not participating is okay, because it keeps me from buying more yarn this summer to work the camp projects, and saves me the stress of trying to come up with projects that fit their requirements.

Pattern:  Sage Cardi by Zanete Knits

Yarn:  Dream in Color Smooshy

Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Campfire Cardi - Body Done!

I’ve mostly been focusing on my Campfire Cardi and finally finished up the body and have transitioned to the hem.  When I started the second skein I did a yarn usage check - easier to do on the body as opposed to figuring out the stitch count for all that upper body shaping - and based on my yarn usage I confirmed that I would not have enough to work the hem and the cuffs with my main color.  I had figured that I wouldn’t, just based on the yarn requirements and the amount of yarn that I have in that color (only 3 skeins), so I had already planned on working a contrast hem and contrast cuffs.  The main color is Campfire Connections, which was a special Camp Loopy color from The Loopy Ewe back in 2015 (I think), so it is no longer available.  For the hem and the cuffs I picked another special Camp Loopy color  from 2017 - Walking the Gangplank.  The effect is dramatic, but I think it will be gorgeous when it is finished.

I did make one change to the pattern that impacted the hem and my set up row.  There is a 1/1 cable that is worked fives times on each front, separating the 12 stitch and 6 stitch cable patterns.   The pattern calls for a 1/1 left cross, and on the right front (the first front worked) I did the 1/1 left cross, but when I got to the left front I decided to reverse it to a 1/1 right cross so they would mirror each other.  The hem is worked in a 1/1 left cross, p1, pattern that continues the 1/1 left cross from the front panels.  Obviously that would not work for me on the left front, so half of my hem is worked in the 1/1 left cross and half my hem is worked in the 1/1 right cross, switching in the middle of the back.  The pattern calls for working increases on the set up row so that the existing 1/1 cables and purl columns will continue into the hem uninterrupted.  I did increases, but I did not follow the pattern instructions.

So, to work the set up row, first I found the midpoint of the back and placed a split marker, as this is where I need to flip the orientation of the 1/1 cables.  I did not work any increases in the beginning and ending stockinette stitch sections.  On the 12 stitch cables I worked the first two stitches in pattern (1/1 cable), did a m1p, worked in pattern across to the last two stitches, and did another m1p.  On the 6 stitch cables I worked 2 stitches in pattern, m1p, worked 2 stitches in pattern, m1p.  When I got to the center back I purled two stitches together - the one before the marker with the one after the marker, which made my stitch count work out.

And my swatch has not lied, not even a little bit.

Pattern:  Sage Cardi by Zanete Knits

Yarn:  Dream in Color Smooshy

Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm0

Campfire Cardi - One Skein Done

The designer of this cardigan, Zanete of Zanetaknits, just published her 50th pattern and is holding a knit a long, where you can knit any of her designs.  This design, the Sage Cardi, was in my queue, so I decided to join and cast on.  The yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy, in Campfire Connections.  This was an exclusive colorway of The Loopy Ewe during their Camp Loopy and is from my stash.  I know that I will not have enough to complete the entire cardigan in this colorway, but I should be able to complete all but the cuffs, body ribbing, and maybe the collar/button band.  I do have some other colors in my stash of this yarn, so will do contrast cuffs and body ribbing, and then figure out how much I have left of each and decide which color to use for the collar/button band.

The knitting has been pretty easy.  The cabling is only on the fronts, so you get a nice stretch of plain knitting across the back.  It is knitted top down (obviously) and in one piece, starting with the upper back, and short rows are used to shape the shoulders.  Stitches are then picked up for the fronts and when you get the right length for the armhole you join the three pieces together.  I did not do the short row technique recommended in the pattern.  Instead I did German short rows, which I find easy and pretty much invisible.  The pattern does call for slipping the first stitch of each row, I’m not sure if I like that, given I will have to pick up stitches along those edges later, but at this point I’m committed.  The pattern also has you slip some of the wrong side stitches on the cables.  I’m not doing that, and I also flipped the orientation on the 1/1 cable on the left front so that they mirror each other.  The other two cables are symmetric.  I am also not doing the faux seam (purl stitch) under the arms.  So far my gauge swatch has not lied to me.

Pattern:  Sage Cardi by Zanetaknits

Yarn:  Dream in Color Smooshy in Campfire Connections

Needle:  US 3 (3.25 mm)

Camp Loopy Project I - Starry Night

This past year I discovered The Loopy Ewe, and quickly became a Loopy Groupy, so how could I resist going to Camp Loopy.  The first project is to be knit between June 15 and July 15 and had to be a two color cape, scarf, or shawl - something to keep you warm while you are sitting around the camp fire.

The first project that I cast on was the Catkin Shawl, but I was really struggling with it.  My hormones were messing with my brain and my mental focus was not up to the task.  It was really frustrating me and I even considered just giving up and dropping out of the camp, thinking that maybe the knit alongs with hard deadlines just wasn't my thing, too much pressure, not enough fun.  So I ripped out and put the yarn aside and went back to Lacy Angles and the Moving Cables Pullover.  But I just couldn't walk away.  After finishing up the pullover I started cruising Ravelry and doing pattern searches.

At first I thought about doing Taygete, from Romi's 7 Small Shawls.  I even printed out the directions and started knitting, but it just wasn't right.  The colors were wrong for that shawl.  The 7 Small Shawls were inspired by the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters, and Taygete was a lovely nymph pursued by Zeus who was turned into a doe by Artemis to elude capture.  It didn't work, and Taygete later bore Zeus a son, Lacedaemon, the founder of Sparta.  The colors just didn't go with the whole nymph, woodland theme.  So I ripped again and went back to the computer.

Then I found Over the Moon.  It looked like a quick and easy knit.  It was a small shawl, but in one of my favorite shapes, and the name fit with the yarn.  The yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy.  The colors are Lunar Zazzle and Night Watch.  The knitting was easy, and the stockinette stitch lets the wonderful subtle variations in the Lunar Zazzle show themselves off.  The feather and fan lace border is dead simple and easily memorized.  And it was indeed a quick knit.  I cast on Sunday night and finished it up Wednesday evening, blocking it before I went to bed.

Here are a couple of beauty shots: