Carol's Cardigan from Hell is DONE

Yes this puppy is done. Nine months of knitting and fighting. I confess, I fought with my cardi.  She just was so sassy but I put her in her place and I like the finished result.

The buttons are not sewn on in my photos. Here is a photo of a couple sewn on.

Peanut and I spent a long time looking at all the buttons at JoAnn's. They couldn't be shinny or too fancy since this yarn and style is casual.

Here is how I will look when I hang from a tree.

Here is the side view of the cardi. You can see that the diamond pattern goes from the waist to the collar.

Here is the back. You can see better how the diamond pattern starts and ends. The bottom of the cardi is seed stitch. As is the cuffs of the sleeves, the collar and the button bands.

Hmmmmmm I didn't realize that I didn't wear shoes. LOL

This is another side shot.

And then the front again. The sweater is even at the bottom. It's just that when you take a photo the sweater shows her sassy side.

So here is the skinny on this cardi.  It took me 9 months. I was doing a lot of other knitting projects at the same time. The original pattern was made for a man. I liked the simple classic shape and pattern so I knit the small size.

The pattern had the sleeves with a saddle that went from the sleeve cap to the collar.  I knit it and pinned it in with the front panel and back of the sweater per instructions. OMGosh. It was so slouchy. I looked frumpy.

So I ripped out the saddle on the sleeve.  Then I joined the front panel to the back of the sweater so it looked like a vest. I put it on sleeveless and it fit good. Looked perfect.  So I basted in my sleeves minus the saddle. They didn't fit right.

So I ripped back more on the top of the sleeves. I reknit the sleeve cap to be larger and rounded.  Then I pinned them in. I was tired of basting. And I gently tried on the sweater.  It was better but not really pretty. So I Pinned the top of the sleeve cap 2 inches up on the shoulders. Waa Laa.  That worked.

So then I started seaming them in.  The first sleeve perfect. It looked good.  The second sleeve looked goofy so I ripped out the seaming and adjusted it. Seamed it and Waa Laa it looked good.

At the time I was fighting with the sleeves I would take a break and I knit the button bands and the collar.  Since I had changed the sleeve saddle I had to adjust the collar too.  I think this sweater should be called Carol's sweater since I had to do so many changes.

Part of the problem is that the directions were so poorly written. Parts were left out. Some instructions were just confusing.  Many times the use of RS and WS didn't help because you didn't know if it was on the arm hole side or the collar side.

I went to my local yarn store and sat with one of the owners. She wrote down a whole section of the instructions for me that was goofed up.  I knit the front panels like she had advised me.  But then in the end I was messaging a friend on Ravelry who made the same sweater. She said that the she did the same mistake as me on the front panels with which side to do the decreases.  

My lesson learned was that I will be more picky about the patterns I pick. Although when you buy a pattern online you can't view it first. Maybe just to see that more than a handful of people have made it might be good to look for.

I also learned that if a pattern is not working I can change it and not ruin it.

I knew that I was good enough in crochet to make anything I put my mind to but I have only been knitting for 2 years. So I am happy that I have learned enough to make alterations.

I do like my new sweater.  I can't wear it now because Summer is almost here. I will take it on vacation and I hope I can wear it in the cool evenings.

Oliver says nite nite and I forgive you mommy for throwing that live lizard outside.

Coraline says feed me !!!

Photographer of the Cardi: The Peanut

Stats on Cardigan:

Pattern: Kenneth McNeil Cardigan

Yarn: Madeline Tosh DK

Colorway: Briar

Needles: Signature Arts US 4 or 3.50 mm

Yardage: 1417.5 yards

Good Night everyone....it's 1:50 am and I'm off to bed.