The Blanket of Doom Makes a Sudden Appearance...

If you popped round yesterday, you'll know about the big challenge I set myself for this year! I am going to knit 4 (dreaded) cardigans, a jumper (I picked lace for my first one, was that such a wise idea?!), and a sleeveless tunic for myself.

My first 'Year of the Cardigan' project, is Helena by Alison Green Will. A gorgeous little lace raglan pattern, I couldn't help but make it for my niece Daisy. I am making it in Peter Pan DK by Wendy, in Purple. I completely forgot until halfway through knitting it, that I used the exact same yarn for her last cardigan - doh! Ah well, she has grown out of her last one so here is the replacement.

This is my third raglan, (although I still haven't finished the second, oops...), and I can't emphasis how much easier top-down is than seamed patterns!

There isn't much I can really talk to you about; the construction is simple, and rather than increasing with KFB for the raglan sleeves, you do YOs with create a lovely lace effect.

I've put the arm stitches onto waste yarn, and have managed to reach the lace panel on the hem. I've not had much knitting time the past couple of days, so I've just been able to do a row or two of the lace. So, despite it being Wednesday (day 5), I'm only just halfway through the lace panel.

Remember the blanket of doom? Yes, well there has been a *little* progress...

I've finished the moss stitch stripe and managed to do one and a half stockinette stripes since I last showed you! I've gotten a little faster, which means the 200cm wide rows are now only taking 15 minutes on RS & WS rows. Only have 5 more skeins of yarn to go 'til I'm finished, *sigh*

Part (*smirk* there is going to be more!!) of my payment for knitting this monstrosity was that Mum bought me the yarn for Tilly's cable cardigan, and Molly's retro cardigan. Both of which you can see the details of on The Year of the Cardigan page :)

We ordered the yarn Tuesday evening, so hopefully my squishy package should be here either tomorrow or Friday! I really want this cardigan finished by Saturday, so I can start a new week with a new project! I'm going to start with Tilly's Hallow's Cardigan, as I would like to take a break from raglans and do some seamed work! (plus I'm looking forward to knitting with very girly pink yarn ;) )

Well, that is my update for this week! If you want to check out some more WIPs, head on over to the lovely Tami's for WIP Wednesday :)

The Year of the Cardigan: The Start of a Big Challenge

I've been knitting for two years now, and although I try and set myself new challenges, they're never ones that really stretch my skills as a knitter. So, this year, 2013, I thought I would set myself a big challenge.

You all know how much I detest cardigan knitting. I've tried to cure this over the years by knitting both seamed and seamless cardigans, but I still hate making them. I'm not very good at sewing up, or picking up stitches for collars or button bands, so I thought doing a cardigan themed challenge would really stretch my knitting abilities.

I've never made a jumper, so I thought I would add Jumpers/Sweaters into the mix as well! I have chosen to do 6 knits over the course of the year, which means I have two months to complete each project. If I manage to do finish every single project on the list, the prize to myself will be a hand dyed skein of yarn :D

In no particular order, here is the Year of the Cardigan project list!

For Daisy: This raglan lace cardigan will be for my youngest niece, Daisy. The pattern I have chosen is 'Helena by Alison Green Will.' The yarn I will use is Peter Pan DK by Wendy, in Purple (3003), and I will use up to 4 skeins of yarn as I am knitting the 2 years size.

For Tilly: This seamed cable cardigan is for my eldest niece, Tilly. I am making Tilly the 'Hallows Cardigan by Melissa Metzbower.' The pattern does look more of a guy knit, but I have seen others knit it in pinks and it looks very feminine! I decided to knit it with Stylecraft Special Aran in Fondant (1241), and I would use 4 skeins as I am knitting the 6/8 years size.

For Molly: Like me, my best friend Molly loves 1950s style clothes so I decided to make her 'Peggy Sue by Linda Wilgus'. Molly looks gorgeous in dark purple, so I am using Stylecraft Special DK in Emperor (1425), and I would use 3 skeins as I am knitting the Medium size.

For Me: My cardigan is going to be 'The Inspired Cardigan by MayaB', as I am really into retro knits! One of my best colours to wear is red, so I will be using King Cole Pricewise DK in Red (009). I'm not sure on the quantities I need until I purchase the pattern.

For Abby: For my best friend Abby, I'll be making 'Julissa by Vanessa Smith'. It'll be my first jumper, so I'm looking forward to knitting it. Abby looks fab in dusty/pale pink, so I chose to use James C. Brett Top Value DK in 22 colourway (it's a pale pink). I think I'll need about 5 or 6 skeins.

Knit 5: Don't know what to make, or who to make it for yet!

I have already started Daisy's cardigan! I'm onto the lace panel now, and it is coming along slowly. You can check out how I'm coming along on the ravelry project page, but I'll be doing a proper post all about the cardigan tomorrow for WIP Wednesday :)

I'm really looking forward to this big challenge, even if I still hate cardigan knitting by the end of the year, I will have gained more skill at making them. You can check out the blog page for updates on how the challenge is coming along. 

Have you set yourself a big challenge for 2013?

#cute

Knitting is immediately linked to socks, crazy jumpers and comfy cardigans. I can knit socks, (not very well, but I can do it), I have no intention of knitting crazy jumpers, and I suck and cardigan knitting.

I made my youngest niece, Daisy, the Jacket with Moss Stitch Bands by Debbie Bliss earlier on in the year. I found it a little challenging, as I'm awful at picking up stitches. I managed to fumble my way through it though, and it didn't turn out too bad! But, I swore never to do it again. I decided I was more suited to knitting mittens and hats. 

My very lovely friend Jaz then knitted the Seamless Yoke Baby Sweater by Carole Barenys, which is a top-down raglan baby cardigan. I loved the idea of knitting it all in one, without the need of picking up stitches (you need to pick up a couple of stitches for the underarms, but that's it!), and was determined to give it a go. 

After a lot of 'no, I'm far too dumb to be able to knit it... I'll give it a go in a couple of weeks', I finally casted on. And it turns out, I'm not as thick as I thought! I used the pattern Baby's Raglan Sweater No Seams by Carole Barenys (and yes, I agree that a more creative name could have been used :P), a very simple pattern, perfect if you've never knitted top-down before!

When you knit a top-down raglan, you begin working flat. Once you've finished increasing you separate the sleeves from the body. The pattern didn't explain how to do that, but I found this brilliant tutorial on YouTube by Roxanne Richardson. Once you've moved the sleeves onto waste yarn and cast on the underarm stitches, you just knit flat! 

For some reason that I can't quite recall, I decided to make the cardigan shorter than the pattern requires. A decision I regretted later on. 

Once you've casted off the body, you move onto the sleeves. You knit the sleeves using DPNs, simply diving the stitches between the three needles, then picking up extra stitches for the underarm. 

Once I was finished, I felt the cardigan was a little too plain, and was in need for some decoration! I wanted this to be a very 'different' baby knit, so I decided to do the two things I never see on baby clothes. Pockets, and hashtags.

The pocket was really simple to do, I just picked up a number of stitches, knitted, the sewed the sides down. Then, using duplicate stitch, I put a little heart onto the front of the pocket. 

Hashtags are a big thing these days. You see them all over the internet, and now people even use phrases such as '#awkward' in their daily speech. I have never seen it on clothes, though, so I thought I would give it a go. Using duplicate stitch, I wrote #cute on the bottom of the left front panel. I have to admit, I think it makes the once rather boring cardigan, a modern must have! 

Techincally the cardigan isn't finished, as I have ends to weave in and buttons to sew on, but I have lost my wool needles, so for now this is as finished as it is going to get!

This was going to be given to my youngest niece, Daisy, but I think it is going to be too short :( So, for now its home will be the gift basket! :)