Archive for the 'Kauni Cardigan' Category

Kauni Cardigan

Posted in Kauni Cardigan on October 17th, 2007

Okay, everyone probably knew about the Kauni Cardigan before it even made an appearance on my radar. But finally, I saw it on Stephanie (Yarn Harlot) Pearl-McPhee’s site and then I of course Googled and checked out the Rainey Sisters. In case you lived under the same rock I did, the pattern is a free PDF from Ruth Sorenson. It took me a while to track down the yarn at a price I could afford and I got it from Fun Knits (fast service and good price).

So, got the yarn (EQ — the rainbow colors), printed the pattern and started swatching and swatching and swatching. Usually, I don’t do the “S” word thing but I actually want this sweater for me/myself — it’s mine. I found that even at gauge it wouldn’t fit with those numbers — a lot of caffeine and scribbled notes and calculator finesse and I finally figured out how many stitches I’d need to fit me and allow full pattern repeats horizonally. Since I can’t try it on until it’s done and there’s a steek so no going back for a do over once that’s cut — I think I got the size I need, I think (note the insecurity rising up on the mental horizon). Anyway, I looked around and saw a lot of different borders other than the railroad ribbing on the pattern. Now I don’t like ribbing in general on my sweaters because, well let’s not go there but it has to do with hips and being a woman of substance. So, I tried alternatives….

Broken rib edge Garter stitch boxes

I decided the broken rib looked too much like V’s and the trial of ribbing (top) of photo just didn’t do it for me. So I ended up going for the garter stitch boxes — that I saw on the Rainey Sisters’ site. So now I’m up to the where I have to set up for the steeks for the armholes. Here’s photos of the front and back.

Front of the Cardigan

Back of the Cardigan

Anyway, I’m sort of stalled at this point. I’m thinking maybe I should take the sweater to the frog pond and then restart as a top down. Which means while I’m having this crisis of resolve, I started a pair of socks. I’ve seen the top down Kauni Cardigan and it looks great. The problem is the steek — once it’s cut there’s no do-over if it doesn’t fit right. Yeah, I know I measured. I swatched. I’ve measured the sweater as it is and it should fit with a bit of ease BUT … what if the wicked fairy comes with a curse on the cold wind and I finish and it’s six sizes too small. What do you think?