For almost two years I have been on a hunt for the ultimate sweater project for this yarn. I fell in love with the Natural Charcoal colorway and ordered 6 skeins from the ranch. I even wound them up, sure they would be put to immediate use.
And true to form, I did nothing with them.
Until this summer! While trolling Ravelry for a pattern for some different yarn, I came across this sweater. It was from the Fall 09 Interweave Knits, and I hadn't given the design in the magazine a second glance (for many reasons - more on that below). But on Rav, so many people had knit it up and shared such nice pictures, it won my heart over--- and my Columbia Rosamund was born.
- Pattern: Rosamund's Cardigan, by Andrea Pomerantz, from Fall 2009 Interweave Knits (now out of print, but you can download pattern here)
- Yarn: 4 skeins Imperial Stock Ranch Columbia (200+ yds/100g, 100% columbia wool)
- Needles: US 8 (5,0mm)
- Size made: 37-->40.5-->44
- Mods: LOTS!
If you remember the Rosamund's Cardigan in the magazine, it has short-sleeves. That was the major reason I had skipped right over this pattern when I originally saw it. The other reason was that it is styled very poorly in the picture - it looks too tight on the model, and the color of the yarn with the color of her shirt underneath is all very, very blah. So my major modification was to make the sleeves 3/4 length. For the sleeve cuffs, I did a provisional cast on at the beginning of the round and worked 2 repeats of the reversible cable pattern around the cuff, knitting it onto the sleeve as I went, then grafted the end together with the live stitches left from the cast on.
The other mod I made was in sizing. Knowing my body the way I do (and believe me, it's a STEEP learning curve!!!!), I knew that I needed to combo size the bust and hips. But after casting on at the neck for the size 40.5", I worried that my neckline was going to be gigantic. So I casted on again for the size 37", then worked the raglan increases out to the size 40.5", and then after the waist shaping I worked the hip increases out to the size 44".
(Oh - forgot to mention that I also scrapped putting in the 8 hook&eye's down the front after trying unsuccessfully to sew them in 3 times.)
In hindsight I know now that the 44" is just a tad too big for me, or at the least I should have worked those hip increases in a dart placement rather than all at the side seams. But -
I don't care! I love this sweater, love the assymetrical design, love the 2 big buttons at the top!
very, very, seriously cute!
Posted by: Ruth | 2010.10.13 at 08:11 AM
sarah... it is SO cute!
and you look beautiful!
Posted by: leslie | 2010.10.17 at 05:13 AM
Love it!!! and SO inspiring!!:) thanks for posting!!
Posted by: Tiffany B | 2010.10.20 at 03:21 PM