Peggy Sue Cardigan

I have also been knitting these past few months. I had completed this sweater in June before we went away for six weeks, and just had the buttons to sew on to finish it.

I blocked the sweater but am not sure that it is done sufficiently. It is easier to block a sweater that is knit in pieces than to block one that is knit on circular needles with no seams. Harder to pin it out and get the flat look that you get with individual pieces. Ah well, I reckon this will get worn and take on its own shape that way.

I have knit a couple of sweaters top down but this is the first really successful one. I have two that are to be 'given away', not happy with them at all. You really have to choose the right yarn for your project and I have to admit that synthetic yarns don't make me happy with the results.

This sweater, Ravelry link is  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/peggy-sue
is Peggy Sue designed by Linda Wilgus. It is a cute sweater, what caught my attention was the ribbing. There are a lot of cropped sweaters out there and I lengthened my version by a few inches. I didn't do quite as much ribbing as the pattern recommends, probably only half the length stated, and I am pleased with the result. The sleeves could have been made smaller, so I sewed them in tighter at the bottom edge.

I used Cascade Yarns, 220 Superwash Sport in a sky blue shade. I love Cascade Yarns. I have knit a number of sweaters with Cascade 220 which is a pure wool that you must handwash. The Superwash yarn is a little lighter in weight, you don't have that wooly feel to the yarn (which I love actually).  For this pattern, the Superwash was a perfect choice.

I will try to get a photo of this on me soon. I have difficulty getting self photos and hubby is not cooperative in this regard.

Burda 8998

From this Burda pattern, that I have had for years, I made a long-sleeved tee from a lovely striped knit purchased from Blackbird Fabrics. I can't remember the content now, but I think it might be a cotton and bamboo blend. Certainly it is very soft and drapey.


 
                                 

I altered the pattern with a full bust alteration, but I think I could have got away without doing this. And also spent a fair amount of time getting the neck binding correct. I wanted the black stripe to be in the band, I messed this up the first time around and had to unpick the binding ....  grrr ..... but it was worth it in the end. I also traced the pattern out so that I could have full patterns for the back and front in order to match the stripes. I don't know how I managed to get it wrong but I have one extra stripe in the back area between neck and armhole, so I just eased it in and figured who is going to notice. The side seams match perfectly and that was more important to me.


Keeping track:

   Sewn up  -  41.1 metres
   Purchased - 43.1 metres

I have also made up a navy linen dress and am working on a cream linen jacket to go with it. Not that I am ever current with the seasons. At least this will be ready for next spring.

McCalls 7360

Another make of McCalls 7360. Sad to say, my first version was done in 100% linen and it shrunk in the wash. I should have pre-washed the linen three times, as all the books on fabric tell you, but silly me - I didn't. And the shirt is wearable, but it feels too short.

The second version is in rayon tencel.

I added one inch to the length of this just in case of shrinkage on this fabric. Due to the drapey nature of rayon, the hem hung unevenly. I left it for two days to just hang before hemming. And I had to trim it quite differently due to the uneven drape of the fabric.

Hard to see the details on a black fabric. But definitely a very nice pattern. To be put in the tried and true file. I just gave away about 30 patterns as well, clearing out the filing cabinet. I am trying to be realistic here:  what will I actually sew?  certainly not that designer Vogue wedding gown.

Fabric used:  2 metres

Fabric purchased:  6.5 metres from Stedman's in Barry's Bay - they have a small quilting section in the store and I couldn't resist two prints that I spied there. 

39.6 metres sewn so far this year

43.1 metres purchased