While I have enjoyed knitting the NEC I am incredibly glad to have it finished. It hasn't been a hardship working with this beautiful yarn though and I'm sure wearing the cardigan will be an absolute pleasure. It's been an incredibly interesting knit; ironic since it's all stockinette stitch with a little ribbing chucked in there for fun. It's my first adult sized fitted garment though and I've learned a lot while knitting it.
Things I learned:
- That swatching is really important. I don't swatch for many things but it certainly paid off for this!
- I will gladly use the CustomFit recipe maker again. I struggled with some of the terms but that's because in this instance I was pretty much a beginner knitter! The Ravelry group are so helpful and I always got answers to my questions and the help I needed.
- I don't mind seaming that much.
- I hate blocking. Alright...I didn't learn that from the cardigan...it just confirmed it! I went into complete meltdown as the fronts looked far too big and I couldn't shape them properly and I thought the whole thing was a waste of my knitting time....
- My husband hates blocking too. At least when I do it!
- I am sometimes quite irrational. (See my hatred of blocking).
- Where is important to mark off in a pattern so row counting is easier.
- I need more lobster claw stitch markers to mark certain points in the knitting.
- That you count decreases not from where the two stitches overlap but the stitch that joins them...so obvious when you think about it!
- Finally that I should knit more cardigans!
Project details:
Pattern from CustomFit
Yarn: InkedYarn in the Katharine base. A 55% SW BFL/45% silk blend
Buttons: 6 mother of pearl, 3/4 inch
More details can be found on my Ravelry project page.
Overall I'm really pleased with it and think it fits quite well. There is a little too much fabric near the armholes but this doesn't seem uncommon with the CustomFit design and there are ways to fix it. The buttons are really pretty however I didn't use any grosgrain ribbon and I am slightly concerned that the buttons will pull on the button band, although seeing as I rarely button cardigans up it may be OK.
I have the yarn on the way for a second CustomFit Cardigan and hope to begin swatching soon! I'd love your feedback my first adult cardigan! Is there anything I should consider changing for next time?
It's absolutely lovely! I wouldn't have believed you if you hadn't said it was your first adult sweater. I didn't understand gauge at all when I first started knitting, so my first one would have fit the Michelin Man. I love the color on yours, too!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! Gauge is a tricky thing isn't it? The CustomFit recipe does all the maths so I didn't need to worry about calculations at all! :-)
DeleteThe fact that swatching is important is something I also figured out yesterday (the hard way though!). I really love the cardigan, the fit seems perfect and I love the colour on you!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I'm really pleased with the fit and am enjoying the colour. This was my first time making a substantial sized swatch, it did help that I just needed to get a fabric I liked as opposed to matching gauge!
DeleteGreat job on the cardigan! I haven't knit anything adult sized yet. I tend to focus on baby/toddler items, socks, hats, scarves, mittens, cowls/neck warmers and the like. I've also been focusing on my drop spindle spinning lately, and would like to make something with the yarns I've been making.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I really enjoyed the bigger project and was not sure that I would. I have knit a few baby/toddler items but didn't enjoy them a great deal. Spinning is a great thing to concentrate on! As is using your handspun! It's one of my aims too. :-)
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