Last month I declared that September would be finish-it month — an attempt to prevent myself from casting on anything new before doing my Fall wardrobe planning. Then I promptly cast on something new, the cardigan pictured up top (details here). I did make progress on the purple sweater (from the top-down tutorial) — just the last sleeve to knit, once the humidity goes away and I can stand to be near it. And I also finished the two tees that were awaiting their top-stitching, and ticked off a few other bits from the fix-it list. But I’ve still not lengthened the black cardigan, and I have abandoned the grey one altogether. It’s just too much apathy to bear.
So the vanilla cardigan (another Improv) is sailing right along. I’m about 7″ into the long slog of the body, another 9″ or so to go, and rather than setting it aside and finishing the sleeves first, like I often do, I’m eager to finish the whole body, the button band and possibly even the pockets before I knit the sleeves. I’ll tell you more about that down the road — still mulling the details. Happily, this spontaneous cast-on fits right into my fall/winter plans, so no regrets!
And then there’s that grey swatch up there, what? During the Summer of Basics I got a little obsessed with all the Cline sweaters everyone was making — especially this one (click to the second pic) and this one. I found out a couple of friends were casting on, and that Fancy Tiger and Drygoods Design are co-hosting a Junegrass knitalong, and I got sorely tempted. Cline is designed by my friend Julie Hoover, and it’s honestly not one that earned my affection when she first released it. It fits the model in the exact way clothes tend to hang, tent-like, on my scarecrow shoulders — the fit I spend my life in avoidance of. But then it was so cute on so many other people and I started wondering if there’s any way it might look ok on me. Through Julie’s kindness (and that of a stranger), I was able to try on a sample while I was in Denver to make jeans, and it’s surprisingly cute on me, although I’ll need to lengthen the sleeves and watch the neck width. So I came home and swatched for it with my Junegrass (batch 1; there’s now a batch 2), and I’m pretty sure that’ll be my next cast-on. (In which case I’ll be twinning with Jess!)
So much stockinette.
Happy weekend, everyone! If you require anything from Fringe Supply Co., we’re always here for you, and I’d love to hear what you’re working on!
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PREVIOUSLY in Queue Check: Reader, I cast on
I’m curious if your apathy toward the gray cardigan is related to color/yarn choice? I liked the stockinette/garter stripe design you had started and have filed that away for future consideration! Right now, I’m working on the Salt shawl. Something about surgery recovery has temporarily turned me into a shawl knitter. I think dealing with the fit considerations of a sweater is just more than my brain can undertake at the moment. I found the design while searching your blog archives (so much good stuff to peruse now that I have some time!) and had the perfect yarn that I was trying to figure out how to use. It’s engaging without beingtoo much thinking, and the stitch pattern is really kind of mesmerizing.
Yeah, the apathy is definitely yarn-related. It’s just a really dull grey, compounded by the chalkiness of the cotton content. It needs to be knitted up in some kind of texture to give it lights and darks — in this stockinette, it’s just deathly dull.
I had to look up Salt, but oh yes, that’s a good one! Does seem like it’d be mesmerizing.
I committed to finishing started projects in the month of September as well…and…am painfully plugging along. I started a Ramble shawl as a present for my neighbor last year and then one color became unavailable. Ive not ever started a project without all the yarn. This is why! I took the plunge and decided to press onward with a slightly lighter toned version to finish. I honestly think she may not even notice or care but I had to get over it. Diving back into herringbone brioche took some motivation! I started Curlew to accomplish two goals: stash busting and house cardigan. And miles of stockinette knit sideways…perhaps not my jam. This sweater will fill a big need AND I’m bored. If it went for football season that project would have gotten shelved. I know I’ll be glad when it’s done but I’m not loving this part. I want to shift my focus to some fun wardrobe projects including some sewing!!! I’ve got to decide my holiday crafting focus. I won’t be able to knit for everyone and make wardrobe pieces. Perhaps this will be a year of books or sewing projects.
As always this blog is my favorite way to start the day and while I missed the summer of basics, that series inspired me and helped me to finally clarify my own vision in an achievable way. Which feels great! I started with some long overdue mods to my Earthen slip that I bought a year or so ago and I have a pants pattern picked out!!! yahoo! I’m glad you cast on the white cardigan. Strong work.
Cheers to clarity! What are you doing to your Earthen? I shortened mine and added big patch pockets and it’s much more me now.
Cline has been in my ravelry faves for a while now. I’ll be using Elsebeth Lavold silky wool yarn from my stash. I think I cast on with you!! Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
Cline has been in my favorites for a while but I’m also curious how that shape would work on my frame (short and curvy). I tend to gravitate towards more form fitting so I don’t look like I’m wearing a burlap sack. I just finished an improvised knit where I faded in 5 different colors that I somehow put together in my brain and I love the final look of them. Now if it would just cool down in Maryland so I could wear some knits. And last night I cast on a Baldric in a lovely metallic rose gold yarn for my BFF for a nice addition to her wardrobe for fall :)
Who can we petition to get some sweater weather??
LOL I do not know but it’s 85 degrees today and I’m not happy about it at all. I need some crisp air!
Karen, come to the PNW… it’s trying HARD to be winter here! I’m ready to move back to Hawaii already! NEED some warmer weather and warm, crystal clear water to get myself back to normal!!! Only problem is, it costs too much to ship my Airstream ANYWHERE. : (
Good luck on your petition! If there is a chance to vote, I will, just for you, IamDWJ, and anyone else who needs the help. ; )
Have a great day… KNITTING!
Rose gold!! That sounds stunning. I’m shorter and curvier too and I’m going to try a Cline. The ones I’ve seen have made the pattern more and more appealing. While I love it in the heathery neutrals I have seen I’m more likely to enjoy it for myself if I make it in a saturated color, I think–maybe a dark red like fall leaves?
Yeah I’m all about color! Mine would probably be in a hot pink. And the rose gold yarn is Patons Metallic, it’s a specialty yarn and they’ve discontinued the burnt rose gold color so I scooped up some skeins and am making a sweater.
Thanks, I will check that yarn out. Your friend’s metallic pullover will be incredible, and your hypothetical hot pink Cline sounds adorable too.
Don’t know how you manage with so much stocking stitch knitting. Do you listen to audiobooks? It’s what I do when there’s a long slog. I love the cleanless and simplicity of stocking stitch, but I get bored easily, so most of my own designs have something additional going on, just to keep me from going mad!
It’s painful to me. I’ll need a fun hat or something in there to mix it up, or I’ll forget that I love knitting. The nice thing about the cardigan is Arranmore goes quickly, and once I get past the slog of the body, it’ll be fine — I enjoy sleeves (visible progress and at least there’s shaping to do). And the nice thing about Cline is it’s shorter, although the volume of the sleeves offsets that a bit. But yes, have to have something entertaining on the television while I do it.
I just have not gotten into shawls so I made sweaters all summer. I just started Teazel in Cascade Eco-color straw. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/teazel
That should be fun — Bristol is always so clever with the construction.
Yes, Cline is so worth it! I am not a repeat knitter by any stretch of the imagination but that’s a pattern I’m hoping to make multiples of. I also think given its simplicity the sweater can adapt to different fabrics. I made mine with a Shibui Baby Alpaca + Silk Cloud mix and was really stunned by how well Cline works with that kind of drape. I hope to try out a more lofty version, maybe with a woolen-spun Cormo :)
Those both sound luscious.
I love my Cline so much I have already bought the yarn for a second; I’ve never taken good FO pics of my first one but I swear I will someday. I have a similar frame to what you describe – wide shoulders, small bust, narrow hips (except I’m rather short) – and it’s pretty easy for me to look “unbalanced” when my square shoulders are highlighted. And to be perfectly honest, Cline is probably *not* the most flattering shape on me, but knit mine cropped (again, I’m short) and with the right layers, I love it. Also mine is in a pretty firm yarn, and more drape would definitely benefit the shape. My second one will have some silk in it, so I’m looking forward to seeing how it comes out in relation to the first. My friend Anna (who never takes a FO photo, wah-wah) has also already knit two – both marled – and they are perfection. And yes, Jess’s version in Junegrass had me dying of jealousy… can’t wait to see yours!
I had originally swatched with Junegrass on 6s (for a different sweater idea) and loved the fabric. Did this swatch on 7s for Cline, and it’s amazing how much looser it is — not my natural tendency — but I think it will be good. It’s very light and airy, right for Cline, so it’s good to be forced to go against my nature.
I like the cropped length of your black cardigan. I think it looks great on you with a longer shirt underneath. If you want to shorten your list, that would be my choice for leaving as is. You have great style. I wish I had your closet!
I’m only adding about 2″ — it’ll still be on the short side, just more conducive to more wear.
I love Cline, also, but I’m afraid it will look like a sack on my small frame. I’m happy you were able to give her a test drive before casting on! I’m looking at the No Frills sweater (on Ravelry) in a beautiful yarn…lots of stockinette but I think it may be a better fit for me.
On another subject entirely…why can’t/don’t we have a clone of the GBSB (Great Britain Sewing Bee) here in the US? I would love to be in London this weekend! I always think that you can do anything/everything…so here’s a big challenge for you! Please whisper in the ears of the sewing movers and shakers in our country and let’s celebrate sewing here! As Henry Ford once said…”If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right!” Happy weekend!
I’ve never even seen it! Keep meaning to rectify that …
I haven’t gone as far as declaring September to be a month of finishes…more like a month of making as much progress as possible before starting anything new.
Because I have new yarn and new fabric, and when new things for stitching are welcomed into my life, the temptation is too great to start playing with them.
So, knowing myself as I do, I’m being nice and not pressuring myself to finish any of the (mumble number) project already going, but to work on as many of them as possible as often as possible. If I end up with a finished or three, more’s the better.
Either way, finishes or no, I will cast on something new in October, completely guilt-free. (Because, let’s admit it: when we start this thing, and then this other thing, with several other unfinished things languishing in the background, there’s a bit of stitcherly guilt involved!)
I made a Cline….back in the vintage year of it’s release, 2015! Wonderful pattern, though if I were to repeat it, I would do it in a different yarn than Lark. And, in a smaller size. Julie builds a lot of ease into her designs, which I love, but which I also forget. The armholes run extremely deep, almost poncho-like. It has gorgeous details, one of which is the turned collar using different size needles, which I mentioned here recently.
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yeah, there’s something about the model for the cline pattern that makes it look tenty but the FOs I’ve seen are cute and look like great pieces to layer. alas, I am still working on wintour which I started in May. I finished the body and it was too tight so I went up a size. I’m much happier with the fit now but it’s been a lot of stockinette + purl ridge for a while so I cast on a chiral shawl to keep my attention. I also do not have all the funds up front to get all the shibui pebble I need to finish wintour so :$
I’ve been making a Puntilla (by Joji Locatelli), except without the lace trim, and am partway through one sleeve – so just that, second sleeve, and collar to go. (Except I might rip back the ribbing at the bottom and make a split hem…but will decide once the rest of it is done.)
After that I have TONS of plans – a So Faded sweater (although I might just fade a different pattern instead), a long Featherweight cardigan, a bunch of hats… such aspiration, so little reality!
It’s always so interesting to be reminded how individual taste is – the fit of Cline on the model is pretty much exactly why I love it.
Thanks so much for the shout out! It’s funny – I had the same reaction to the Cline sweater when it first came out. I thought it looked great on the model but just wouldn’t look good on me. However, the multiple lovely versions out there on all different body types really convinced me! I think the construction of shoulders and sleeves help provide structure to the oversized sweater (and help it sit well on the body), and the bracelet-length sleeves balance out the bulk as well. I hope you give it a try in the Junegrass. I just purchased some Junegrass Batch 2 for an improv cardigan, but this is tempting me to make a second Cline.
There is no rule that says that a loose and boxy sweater can’t be knit in a smaller size if you think that a lot of fabric is overwhelming to your own shape. Keeping some drape in the fabric also helps; a dense sweater just stands away from the body.
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