the blue blog archives: vintage cables, baby

Finally, it's the golden vintage cardigan all done! It took a month and a half for me to finally decide which buttons to put on it. I went with the little vintage-looking pearl buttons, which, it turns out, are just a smidge too small for the buttonholes. I've worked some buttonhole stitch around the buttonholes to make them snugger, but a few of the buttons still pop open. It's good enough for posing, but if I want this thing to stay closed while I actually move, I'm gonna need to do a few more rounds of buttonhole stitch. It's okay. I wasn't a fan of the buttonholes anyway. Next time, on a sweet cardi like this, I think I'll skip making buttonholes and add little loops to the buttonhole button band instead.

The other final touch that I dragged my feet on was the lovely attached collar detail.

When Thea originally knit this sweater, she added the baby cables from the bottom and the button bands to the neckline. She changed it to a plain attached i-cord for the pdf version, but once I'd seen it on the original, I knew I wanted mine to have the cable there too. It wasn't hard to make, I just put it off, oddly bitter that I had to knit a separate band and sew it on. What can I say? I like picking up stitches, you know? But this band needs to run lengthwise across the neck, so it's knit separately. Suck it up, Alison.

I love this cardi! Since I changed the yarn from a worsted weight cotton to the light and lovely Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, the resulting sweater is more dainty and delicate. The not-so-solid quality of the Silky Wool really adds to the vintage feel, as well, I think. Despite my change in gauge, I didn't change the size that I knitted, so the sweater is also much more fitted, just the way I wanted it.

The baby cables are sweet. The three-quarter sleeves are darling. And it's all done. An early happy birthday present to me!

posted by alison at 8:54 am | in babycables vintage cardi

Comments

yay, alison! it looks great -- I love the details and the color and the fit. hooray!

Posted by: jess at July 3, 2008 9:37 AM

Beautiful!

Posted by: Emily at July 3, 2008 10:15 AM

It turned out so well! You made the right call on the fit - very flattering.

Posted by: Kris at July 3, 2008 10:18 AM

It's gorgeous! I love the buttons you chose!

Posted by: Lindsey at July 3, 2008 10:37 AM

Oh, it's lovely! And the color and fit are fantastic!

Posted by: Alexis at July 3, 2008 11:31 AM

Finally something for you. It's brilliant. So many changes, it's all your own.

Posted by: Angie at July 3, 2008 11:50 AM

Oooh, times about 6. Just perfect.

Posted by: Mary K. in Rockport at July 3, 2008 11:57 AM

Beautiful! I love the color...so rich and warm.

Posted by: Sarah R at July 3, 2008 12:46 PM

Really, really pretty! It looks fabulous on you, too. Definitely worth the time and effort.

Posted by: Suzanne V. (Yarnhog) at July 3, 2008 1:44 PM

Fantastic sweater. You look so beautiful in it!

Posted by: Cher at July 3, 2008 4:16 PM

I have a stash of Silky Wool that's been waiting for a sweater -- yours just inspired me. I purchased the pattern and am looking forward to casting on. :)

Posted by: Kate at July 3, 2008 6:03 PM

congrats on a great FO! definitely worth all the time and effort.

Posted by: gleek at July 3, 2008 8:03 PM

Beautiful! Love the color on you.

Posted by: Laura at July 3, 2008 11:27 PM

good job on the cardi!

+ we added a link to your blog at:

http://www.ozzchan.com

come by

Posted by: xchak at July 4, 2008 12:27 AM

Alison,
I am a grandma who is interested in making items for my grand-babies. I loved the children's books you made and hope to make one plus books for gifts as well as a special "fairy" skirt of gossamer ribbon. I do have a question though.....how do you make the pages of the book "crinkly"? What sort of material do you put inside the fabric to make that crinkly sound babies love so much? Is it something that will wash up, too?
My daughter has taken up knitting. She makes beautiful children's hats that she sells in a boutique in Ann Arbor, MI. She also belongs to a group of ladies that meet to knit and socialize. I recognized some of the same patterns that you have used.
Since she has made some lovely things for the little ones, I want to make something, too. I cannot compete with knitting needles (I do not knit), but I thought that sewing a fabric book would be a doable item. I know that my two youngest grand-babies would love them especially with the crinkly page ~ they love to get into the newspapers or magazines for the sound ~ this would be less messy and just as rewarding.
Please help! What do you use for that wonderful sound?

Thank you so much for your help.
Karen, who is "Nana" to Elliot, Carter, Kallen, and Kai
Jackson, MI

Posted by: Karen at July 4, 2008 4:31 AM

Gorgeous little cardigan! I love the colour and all the interesting little details.

Posted by: Anita at July 4, 2008 6:52 AM

A most excellent choice for the buttons. I've worked with Silky Wool too, and it's gorgeous. Very lightweight and cool - fantastic for multi-season clothing. Nice colour too!

Posted by: anne at July 4, 2008 9:24 AM

It's looks great on you! I love the silky wool. I'll have to remember to get more the next time I decide to make a sweater.

Posted by: Seanna Lea at July 4, 2008 1:23 PM

Happy Early Birthday, Alison

Posted by: Anita at July 5, 2008 2:48 AM

Very cute! I adore Silky Wool, and that lovely shade of red looks great on you.

Posted by: Sarah at July 5, 2008 12:35 PM

That is a beautiful sweater! I'll have to check out the Silky Wool yarn. It really does make the sweater even better.

Posted by: Anita at July 5, 2008 3:53 PM

A lovely sweater! I haven't been brave enough to change the guage on a pattern using different yarn. I'm so afraid I'll knit something that is totally the wrong size. Is there a trick to this?

Posted by: Mary at July 8, 2008 12:13 PM