First Shapes of Modular Knitted Cardigan

I decided to base my cardigan on a jumper design in an old Colinette pattern booklet called Portmanteau.

 

I bought the pattern booklet because I was attracted to the jumper and I was going to knit it – but I can’t leave a pattern alone.  I thought wouldn’t it be better if it was different – if it was a cardigan, if it had more arrow-head shapes etc.

This is what I have done so far.

 

I have knitted L-shaped modules many times but I don’t think I have ever knitted them as “arrowheads”.

I haven’t done a finished design – I am making it up as I go along!  I currently intend to do 3 columns of arrowheads on the back and one of each of the fronts – but this may change.

Yarn for a Modular Knitted Cardigan

I have decided to get back to modular knitting.  I had thought about tackling one of my unfinished items, but then I changed my mind and decided to have a go at making a cardigan from the yarn I bought last September from the Oxford Yarn Store.

 

This photo shows some Rowan, Noro and Colinette yarn that I intend to use.  The Colinette is prism in a shade called Blue Parrot.   The turquoise green is in fact - Artesano aran.  I have not used this yarn before - it is very soft.

I was a bit worried that the colours were too similar and that I needed to add something red.  In December I found some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and bought a couple of balls of that.

I am not sure that I have enough yarn for a cardigan, but I could add some Noro from my stash or I could buy some more yarn!  One of the advantages of modular knitting is that dye-lots often don’t matter.

Irregular Striped Scarf Version 3!

I have finished another one!  This time I used some green Rowan Magpie yarn from my stash instead of the Rowan Aran otherwise the yarn is the same – 2 balls of Rowan Silk Garden. 

This has produced a more subtle version of the scarf.

I am going to stop now and knit something else!

Irregular Striped Scarf Version 2 - Pattern and Finished Version

As expected this scarf did not take very long to knit. 

 

It is a bit bright – I can hear my mother saying something like that.  However I like the fact that it can be twisted in different ways revealing different colours.

In the end I decided to only use 2 balls of Noro Silk Garden which means that this scarf is a bit shorter than the original version.  It also means I have enough yarn for a third version of the scarf – which I have already cast on!

The pattern for this version of the scarf is give below.

Irregular Striped Scarf Pattern Version 2

Colour A 1 ball x 50g ball Noro Silk Garden Shade 84 (100m)
Colour B 1 ball x 50g ball Noro Silk Garden Shade 314 (100m)
Colour C 1 skein x Rowan Fine Art Aran yarn Shade 545 (170m/186yds)
6mm needles
 
Rib Pattern
Row 1: *K3, P1; repeat from* to end.
Row 2: *K2, P1, K1; repeat from * to end.
This pattern forms an open rib.

Using yarn A, cast on 36sts and work in pattern for 6 rows.

Continue in the rib pattern throughout following the colour sequence as given below.
Rows 7-12: yarn C. (6 rows)
Rows 13-18: yarn B. (6 rows)
Rows 19-24: yarn C. (6 rows)
Rows 25-74: yarn A. (50 rows)
Rows 75-80: yarn C. (6 rows)
Rows 81-86: yarn B. (6 rows)
Rows 87- 92: yarn A. (6 rows)
Rows 93-98: yarn C (6 rows)
Rows 99-100: yarn B (2 rows)
Rows 101-102: yarn C (2 rows)
Repeat the last 4 rows until 50 x 2 rows stripes have been completed (96 more rows)
Rows 199-204: yarn B (6 rows)
Rows 205- 210: yarn C (6 rows)
Rows 211-216: yarn B (6 rows)
Rows 217-244: yarn A (28 rows)
Rows 245-250: yarn C (6 rows)
Rows 251-256: yarn B (6 rows)
Rows 257-262: yarn C (6 rows)
Rows 263-268: yarn A (6 rows)
Rows 269-270: yarn C (2 rows)
Rows 271-272: yarn A (2 rows)
Rows 273-274: yarn C (2 rows)
Rows 275-276: yarn B (2 rows)
Repeat the last 4 rows until approximately 320 rows have been completed or there is only a small amount of yarn B left.

Cast off in pattern using yarn B.

Sew in ends.

 

Irregular Striped Scarf Version 2

The last time I knitted an irregular striped scarf I remember thinking that I would like to make a Noro version and I asked for some Noro as a Christmas present so that I could experiment.  Anyway – I have started this new version.

 

It is hard to put down.  I want to see what the next bit will look like.  I am using 2 shades of Noro Silk Garden (Shades 84 and 314) and Rowan Fine Art Aran (shade 00545).  I did originally intend to use all Noro, but thought that the Rowan Fine Art Aran in this shade went particularly well with the Noro.

These colours are so bright and cheerful on a gloomy winter day.

 

It is interesting that because the yarn is so multi-coloured the stripes are not very clear.  I think they may be more obvious when I have knitted a bit more.

Finished Version of Colinette Arizona Dreams Yosemite Throw

This week I finished this throw.  I spent one evening sewing ends in and making tassels.  This colourway is called Mountain Hues.

 

While you are knitting it is hard to see what something actually looks like – when I stretched out this throw it reminded me of one I knitted about 10 years ago.  The previous throw was knitted in shades of mauve and purple and included sections of a holey pattern.  I think it is currently occupying the bed in my mother’s spare room.

Although Colinette recommend using 2 straight needles to knit their throws – I recommend that anyone else attempting the Yosemite design uses a circular needle for the woven sections so that the knitting doesn’t pucker up too much.  The tension is hard to judge when you can’t stretch the knitting out.

Colinette Arizona Dreams - Yosemite

I did actually work on Christmas day – not that I can really call knitting “work”.  Colinette has sent me another throw to knit and I had only just started knitting it.  I did a few rows between cooking meals.

It is in the colourway called Mountain Hues – mainly mauves and purples with a touch of blue and green.  Four skeins of yarn are shown below.

 

During the last week I have knitted quite a lot of the throw – as it has been a bit cold – it has been lovely to have something warm on my lap.

At this of the year I always make the same New Year Resolution: to finish my “unfinished objects”.  Sometimes they are not the same one as the year before!  I know I have 2 or 3 unfinished modular knitted items that it would probably only take a few days to actually finish.

I have just been looking at sale yarn on various websites but so far I have resisted the temptation to buy any more yarn.  Unfortunately I have had a few ideas about something that would be good to knit – if I had the right yarn!