Dearest reader,
Couple of months ago I shared my summer knitting plans and amongst them was a green cable knit cardigan which I though would be a welcome addition to my ever growing knit wardrobe. Now, three months later I have finally finished the project, however, it was not as smooth as it might have looked over on Instagram where I tend to share updates more regularly. Namely, I had to start from the begining multiple times (typical) and felt increasingly irritated after each new try, but I got there in the end.
Therefore and in case some of you were thinking of knitting a cardigan here are my tips and tricks that will hopefully ease your attempt.
THE YARN
I used a light pistachio green bamboo blend yarn (70% bamboo, 30% cotton) from Hjertegarn which I knitted using number 3 knitting needles. For this cardigan (size XS) I used about twelve yarn balls. In my opinion, the yarn was quite nice to work with and maintined in good condition even after unraveling my work many times. Over all, the knit feels soft and quite light on.
THE PATTERN
The cable pattern I used in this cardigan I found on Pinterest which you can view here. It was quite easy once you got the hang of it and simple enough to repeat over and over again. I also like this patter because it is not as romantic as traditional cable patterns (which I do love) but more geometric and art decoish. What do you think?
What's more, I knitted this cardigan in five pieces: two front pieces, a one back piece and two arm pieces. The collar I knitted straight onto the knitted front and back pieces.
THE BUTTONS
I love shopping at Etsy whenever I am doing a handicraft project because you can always find such beautiful and more sustainable material options there while also supporting small businesses around the world. For example, during the past two years I have ordered some vintage mother of pearl buttons and vegetable dyed velvet ribbon which both were absolute hits. So, when it came to choosing buttons for this green cardigan, naturally, I went straight to Etsy and found these 1940s pale pink glass buttons from Vintagefabricsamfr. What is more, I still have 15 buttons left for another project!
TIPS FOR KNITTING CABLE CARDIGANS
Cable patterns make the knit smaller in lenght and width so make sure you add bit more room to your knitting plan so that your knit will fit you perfectly in the end.
Take into consideration different trims, button panels and collars when drawing out our knitting plans. They will not only effect on the look but also the size and fit of your knit.
Always knit a try on piece before starting your real knitting project. Test how cable patterns look and how the yarn performs. This will help you to desice how many stiches you will actually need, what patterns look best and how you place your patterns in the knit.
Tons of patience! Remeber, if it goes wrong you can always start again. I know it can feel really frustrating but it is better to make it perfect than somewhere in between.
It is okay to change plans if your original idea doesn't work out. For example, during this knitting project I change my plan on how I will place the buttons. First I thought I will knit seperate panels for them but I could not manage to do it in way that looked nice, so I placed them in the actual patterned part.
Hopefully you found these tips helpful.
And of course, you can look foward some styling posts very soon.
Happy knitting!
What are your tips for knitting a cardigan?
Are you familiar with the cable pattern I used in this cardigan?
Do you shop for handicraft materials on Etsy? What are your best finds?
Yours truly,