#2 Caitlin's cardigan

Front, worn over a long-sleeved black t shirt

Button band and cables

Back showing colour changes and sleeves

...I created Caitlin's cardigan.  As I've said, it was pure pleasure to knit but the pieces curled and I had two options, to block before or after assembling.  I chose after so I could check the fit and it was fine, but sewing up seams with variegated wool isn't easy, in the end I made the coloured stitches a feature where I couldn't hide them on the side seams.  The little cap sleeves fitted nicely into the armholes and I was able with care to stitch them in invisibly, thank goodness I had experience sewing sleeves otherwise I might have been very confused.  At least woolen fabric gives more than woven.

There are only two cable panels, simple plaits either side of the button band, and the rest was stocking stitch which I like better for this cardigan than reverse stocking stitch, the traditional background for cable panels.  Stocking stitch allows those wonderful colour changes in the aran to show up, and I do love the different colours in the two front panels and back, collar, sleeves and button bands, something that would not have occured if I was knitting in the round.  I really liked the details, the picot row at the bottom that folds up to be a little strong zig zag edge, the way no raw edge is left, all are picked up with button bands and collars, the way the button band pick ups merged under the cable bands and contrasted with them.

So it was tried on earlier in the week and was a little short round the chest but with plenty of give, cable panels are very forgiving.  So I blocked it and at the weekend it fitted perfectly over a long sleeved t-shirt, and we went into Dundee to choose buttons.  Caitlin within seconds found these orange cat buttons which perfectly matched the orange in the wool and I sat and sewed them on while she went swimming with her dad.

Just a perfect project for a child who never stops, the variegated colours are a vivid expression of her personality and the short sleeves mean it wont get mucky when she's playing.

Blocking at last on the epic tunic

Blocking finally in progress!

Am finally finally onto the blocking stage of my very lovely Cabled Tunic, the three inches of rib at the bottom in p2 k3 nearly killed me but I just kept telling myself it would be worth it, ditto with taking out and redoing the first sleeve after making a mess of it.  It's been a joy to knit, watching the cables emerge twist from side to side, cross and spiral round each other, learning how to do the yarn overs properly and to have holes not too big or too small, and not getting bored as I tend to with plain knit.  The purple Wensleydale aran (#54 aubgergine) I bought last summer at baa ram ewe in Harrogate has been a pleasure to knit with though I would be brave and use a brighter colour next time.

For the most part the tunic fits beautifully but the sleeves turn under slightly so I decided to do something I've never done before and block it.  My husband did look very blankly at me, he's from the knit and wear it school of knitting!

I looked online and found lots of excellent sources which took me through blocking, especially Interweave's own blog.  I put the tunic through a wool wash in my machine, as it will have to put up with this kind of punishment if it is going to survive and rolled it in a towel.  Then I pulled it out gently lengthways and widthways until the waist, bottom edge and length were the same as the sizes given at the beginning of the pattern.  As instructed I didn't pin the ribbing, this damages it apparently.  I then carefully pinned the sleeves to be straight across the top edge stretching them so hopefully they will dry without the slight curl, watch this space...  

Blocking pins were a bit difficult to source, I biked about 12 miles into our local city to my nearest decent knitting shop but they didn't have any so had to buy online, from one of my very favourite stores Barnyarns via Amazon.  I was a bit worried there weren't many in the tin but it's been enough to hold the tunic in shape.  Yesterday I went on a hunt for tights / leggings to wear with it, I dislike clothes shopping at the best of times but this was pure frustration, I eventually found some lovely patterned ones and am all set, now I just have to wait for it to dry!

After the slow work on this big project the work on a cardigan for my 10 year old has gone alarmingly fast. The Wensleydale, although an aran weight wool, was quite fine and I'm now working on WYS (West Yorkshire Spinners) short sleeved cardigan from their Works of Aran patternbook in their Aire Valley Fusions Autumn Mix aran, it's the one on the front of the book.  It just has a single twist pattern on the front so is quick to knit up and the wool is thick, soft and beautifully variegated, just stunning shades.  It's done the old way of front left, right, back and sleeves knitted separately and they have curled so I'll need to block them before joining them together.  Am just loving doing something that is coming together so quick, and having a fraction of the previous 200 odd stitches on my needle.  Knitting seamlessly in the round does have it's advantages, I don't think I could have faced knitting the front after knitting the back of my tunic, but it is heavy by the end!  I really prefer to knit using British wool if I can to support the industry, after these two Yorkshire excursions I'm hoping to go to New Lanark this summer and buy some of their wool.