Six months in the making, I finally finished my Golden Vintage Cardigan – a beautiful design by Thea Colman. Six months is ridiculous for such a simple cardigan but what can you do when you start preparing for Christmas knitting and perfectly fine, easy knits go by the wayside.
Anyway, it’s done in time for autumn now and I’m pretty happy with it. No buttons yet. I’m undecided if I will include buttons. The holes are so tiny they don’t even show up so I can probably get away with it. But maybe it needs a couple?
In this photo you can see it falls open slightly awkwardly – or maybe it’s just how I was standing. So maybe some sort of closure is needed.
I’m really very happy with it. I’m just not sure about the yarn. The Bendigo 8ply cotton has dried sort of hard. It didn’t feel that way when I was knitting with it – perhaps it needs a shot in the dryer to soften it up? It has that ‘stiff as a board’ feeling which I think is not conducive to wearing it. Maybe it’ll soften on wearing, like jeans do? Thoughts anyone?
I’m very happy with the neckline, which I improvised. Just before I began what should have been a simple i-cord neckline, I realised I’d always envisioned it with something a little prettier. I grabbed a crochet hook and half an hour later (so fast!) had a neckline I think suits the design really well. Yay for improvisation!
Also, I was skeptical at first, but the cable rib band is left open at the bottom of the cardigan in the pattern and I thought I’d try it, and if I hated it, I’d sew it up afterwards. I think it works. I think given the cardigan is quite snug, the band might be too fitted without the venting at the sides.
I only modified the cardigan a bit. I changed the shaping of the sleeve caps after I realised I must have messed them up, or the body and had to make them a little less sloping, a little more bell shaped. I lengthened the sleeves just slightly and that was about it. All in all, a great pattern that deserves more people making it. Simple, elegant design – I especially like the band. It’s knitted as you go, with easy mock cabling.
I love Bendigo Cotton – the colour is Gumleaf – now discontinued, and a gift. It just feels crunchy and stiff so perhaps it just needs to dry in moving air, like the in the dryer or outside with air moving around it on a breezy day. Would appreciate any insights on that.
Bells
