I'm calling this a success, because technically it was knitted in less than 30 days, I just didn't finish blocking it until January.
Rocky Coast Cardigan by Hannah Fettig in Coastal Knits. I used US 9 and US 10.5 needles and less than five skeins of Berroco Ultra Alpaca in cardinal. The pattern calls for up to 4 inches of ease, so I knitted the 40-inch size (small, per the pattern). If I were going to knit this again, I might even go up another size, because I like sweaters that close in the front. I think I made a note of this before, but I don't think the armholes are the right size for a cardigan if you intend to wear long sleeves under it. I added 4 stitches under the arm when I started the sleeves and I think I could have added more. I blocked the hell out of it though, so it's a pretty comfy sweater.
Detail shot:
Super detail shot:
Apologies for the terrible pictures in my beige and grey office. We are moving to a new building in the spring and in the meantime we are in a drab, lifeless building that sucks the joy out of life.
Now, for the question. I know that for the last couple years I have said I was going to knit something for the fair and never followed through. This year, I'm thinking about it in January and by God, I'm bound and determined that this is MY YEAR. I'm challenging myself as a knitter and I will have all these cool projects lying around by August, right? I'm trying to decide what I should plan to enter. I'm waffling between lace and colorwork/steeking. I know that largely, the winning entry turns out to be whatever the judge thinks is difficult, so I'm conflicted. I have the yarn and pattern for Rock Island, which was my original plan. Then I also have the yarn for two steeked sweaters. One is a vest, Huxley, and one is a pullover -- the pullover is much more complex.
What say ye, knitters? Do we have any county fair contestants in the audience? If you planned to knit all three of these projects in 2012 and had until the end of July to do it, what would you choose to enter?
3 comments:
I love the sweater and think it would be STUNNING for the fair. However, the vest might be easier as a first time steeker.
There are many differnt categories in which to enter. So you can enter more than one item. It sounds like you are looking to win the purple ribbon for best of show. When I enter in the fair, I look at what I knit since the past fair and enter the best in each category that I have an item done.
Never entered a fair, but your new sweater is very pretty. It is interesting that you think the armhole shaping is not quite right. That's not usually an issue for smaller sizes, but I certainly have encountered it for larger garments.
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