It's slow going on my Featherweight Cardigan by Hannah Fettig. This yellow sweater is from the pattern. Mine is blue. Cote d'Azur to be exact. I'm just posting this picture to show how the sweater is constructed so this post makes sense.
The pattern is a top down raglan. I'm about six inches past the underarm in stockinette. I had forgotten how
To keep things interesting, I've been swatching possible stitch patterns for the wide band that goes up and down the front and around the back of the neck.
I was so sure I wanted to use the Garland pattern from A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns
for the border that I knit it into my original swatch. Didn't work. The yarn I'm using, Hedonist Sock from Slackford Studio, 80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon, 4 Ply Fingering Weight, is soft and fluffy. Also, I'm knitting with a US #4, 3.5mm needle, which is giving a much looser fabric than I normally knit.
Even though the Garland pattern is very pretty, I don't care for the way it looks for this pattern in this yarn.
If you're curious about Garland, you can see where I used it in a firm fabric knit with a firm yarn here.
The rejection of Garland as a border got me browsing through my stitch pattern books. I love browsing and imagining in stitch pattern books.
I'm a bit nervous about having enough yarn to finish the Featherweight Cardigan in the longer length I plan on knitting. Since I had some Cardinal Red Hedonist yarn left over from a sock project, I used that for my experimental swatching.
This is Block Quilting from A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns
. Too much curl to work as a vertical border. Yes, I could add a bit of ribbing or seed on the edge, but I'm not thrilled enough with the way it looks to bother.
After this swatch, I tentatively decided something with a ribbing base would work best.
This is Jewel Cross-Rib from A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns
. I like the way this looks, although it needs a better edging than the wavy garter stitch.
Turning it vertical, the way it would appear on the sweater front, I'm not so fond of it.
I haven't totally rejected it, but I'm not in love with it either. More swatches of different stitch patterns are planned. Anything to avoid the endless stockinette.
It's easy to spot the squirrel nests up high in the tallest oak trees before the leaves emerge.
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5 comments:
ditto on those squirrel nests! Cricket our new dog is a squirrel patroller.
Interesting seeing the options you're exploring for the collar band. I'm still thinking of doing this for my handspun, but I'm thinking more of a lacy collar. I do think this is going to make a swatcher out of me, though. Miracles do happen.
Garland sure is a pretty stitch though. I love your PP sweater that uses it! It will be interesting to see what you choose to make a more intriguing panel on this..... I love the yarn/color choice.
I really like your last option. Nice! I am always amazed when people try to knit projects without swatching. It has oftentimes totally changed my plans. I will enjoy watching your progress.....
Now sofee and I are off to the vet's for a weigh in. She's down in weight, due to a recent food change I think. She seems fine, but has not an ounce to loose! (She's back on her original food, and I have increased her daily food allotment. Sigh...to have such problems!!).
I like the Jewel Rib. I think that's the fun of the the FW - designing the band. I use the feather & fan st for my 1st FW & the chevron st for my 2nd.
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