In November, I decided to jump on one of the latest pattern bandwagons and cast on for Suvi S’s Baby Cables and Big Ones Too. I got a bag of scrummy undyed pure wool from New Lanark and decided on a self-imposed deadline of Christmas. A hectic last couple of weeks in the run-up to the holidays, and a sickness bug that left me too horizontal and poorly to knit made it a close call, but I cast off on Christmas Day. And I haven’t stopped wearing it since, except to sleep.
And I’d like to mention that, not only has Suvi written a fantastic pattern, but she’s very lovely and helpful. I posted a question about which cast-on method to use for the underarm stitches in the Sexy Knitters Group on Ravelry, and within about 10 minutes Suvi herself had answered! She also gave me some tips about blocking it (which I haven’t done yet, but I think a wet block is in order given that my parents’ Boxer dog spent Christmas drooling on me).
The only mod I made was to add about an inch to the sleeves, as usual. I just love the detailing on this sweater – it’s unusual, but not over-the-top. I think my favourite aspect is the sleeves – the way the cable twists down from the stocking stitch into the garter stitch panel, and the way the garter stitch cuffs flare out just a little.
I also whipped up a pair of Fetchings for my friend Charlotte. I used the last ball of Knitpicks Swish Worsted leftover from my Wicked sweater, and they came out really well. I love the way blocking completely transforms a picot edge.
I didn’t actually do much knitting over Christmas as I was away visiting family, and I realised that I hadn’t read the pattern for my next planned project carefully and I didn’t have the right yarn. However, I did get a copy of Custom Knits from Alithea. I had added it to my wish list because I fell in love with the Lettuce Coat (which I am still planning on knitting sometime). Upon browsing the patterns, however, my eye fell upon Ingenue. Remember the almost-black Kid Classic I bought to knit Flair?
Even though I’d bought the pattern I wasn’t entirely convinced about how well Flair would suit me, and as soon as I set eyes on Ingenue I knew that Kid Classic would work far better for a sophisticated wide-neck fitted sweater than it would for a swing cardigan. So shortly after I got home yesterday I cast on for Ingenue.
I haven’t had Internet access for the last week or so, but I did catch up with reading blog posts yesterday, although I didn’t really have time to comment. So instead of personal Christmas wishes, I hope everyone reading this had a good Christmas, and (because there seems to be a lot of illness about this year) I hope that those of you who were ill are recovered by now.
And, because I mentioned him earlier, it seems churlish to finish without a picture of my parents’ dog, Bryn.
Cute dog!
The jumper looks great on you – I often think that the simpler designs work best as things you’d really want to wear, and this is a lovely example. I agree with you about Ingenue and Flair – good choice!
It looks lovely – that new lanark wool shows off the cables so nicely
The cable detail on this really is gorgeous!
[...] though we’re not related) and she’s now in her 90s. She knits, and she was admiring my Baby Cables sweater at Christmas. She wears a lot of berets and tams, and I’ve been meaning to knit her a hat for [...]
[...] to McAree’s in Stirling to buy some yarn to go with the leftover grey New Lanark wool from my Baby Cables and Big Ones too. As I am utterly incapable of using up leftovers I actually came away with two balls, having [...]