Two Finished Cardigans

I have finished the cardigan which is a present for my mother.  I hope she will like it.  Normally she puts a new cardigan in a drawer – to keep for best and carries on wearing her usual ones.  I am the same in a way – if I don’t immediately start wearing something new – I forget about it.

 

This second cardigan has been unfinished all year – but it is also now finished because I have sewn on the buttons. 

I found during lockdown that I had a button shortage – I have got a lot of buttons but none of them were suitable for what I was knitting.  As soon as Banbury Sewing Centre reopened – I went in and stocked up on metals buttons which can be used with any yarn.

This week I have also ordered a Christmas present for me!  During this lockdown I have had a chance to think about what I would like to knit next.   When I say next – I probably mean next year.    I choose some more shades of Rowan Felted Tweed with the idea of knitting 2 shawls and a scarf.  I did an email order to Oxford Yarn Store and my parcel arrived on Friday.  I haven’t opened it yet.  I will save that for Christmas day.

Ella by Sirdar

For the last few weeks I have been knitting a cardigan as a birthday present for my mother.  Her birthday is in December.   I have knitted this design before a few years ago.  I am not sure where the pattern comes from – it has been cut out of a magazine.  It suggests various Sirdar double knitting yarns that could be used.   My mother needs something that is machine washable which will also survive the tumble dryer.   

The yarn I chose is Stylecraft Life dk Vintage Look which is 75% acrylic and 25% wool.  This shade is called Prairie.   Unfortunately the yarn is discontinued.  When I saw it in my local yarn store – it reminded me of my mother because these are the colours she normally wears.  I only bought 4 x 100g balls.  I thought it ought to be enough – mainly because that was enough last time I knitted this design in the smallest size.

Yesterday I was doing that favourite knitter’s habit of knitting faster because you think you are running out of yarn.   It was very close. When I finished the second sleeve – having already done to neck and front bands -  I had about 2 metres of yarn left!

I did have a plan B for if I ran out of yarn.  The first plan B was to unravel the whole cardigan and knit a design which used less yarn - but that was  bit drastic if it could be avoided.  My second plan B (or plan C) was to reknit the sleeves making them slightly narrower.  I always find that shop bought cardigans have much narrower sleeves than handknit patterns – so there is always scope to do this without the sleeves being too narrow.  However – I am really glad that I haven’t got to do it. 

All I have got to do now is sew it up.  I had better get on with it rather than start knitting anything else.