Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Year of the Cardigan

Looking back over my 2011 knits, I realised that I hadn't knit any cardigans!  I had good intentions (as always!) but I didn't quite convert those intentions into actual cardigans.  Or even started cardigans.  So I have decided I am going to try to make at least 4 cardigans (for me!) this year.  Although I suspect, even at this early date, that it might end up more like 3.  But that's ok, because that will be 3 more than last year!

I made myself a short list...thinking about the patterns I've had in my queue (and my mental "must make" list) for some time, as well as yarns I want to use.  Desperately want to use!  Ha, my short list has 13 patterns... I am still deciding which of these will see the sticks in 2012, but I thought I might as well get your opinions too!  I should add, I do have the yarn for all of these, except maybe 1 or 2 of them...

1.  Faith by Kim Hargreaves using Berocco Ultra Alpaca Fine - this is a definite - both on the pattern and the yarn.  I will be devastated if I don't get gauge with this yarn! 
2. Sea Tangles by Kie Zuraw using Habu Silk Stainless.  I bought the yarn for this ages ago - maybe 4 years ago...not long after the pattern came out, I suspect.  Just love this pattern!  Unique and interesting.  Oh, and I know it isn't a cardigan...neither is the next possible!  (There's nothing like breaking my own rules before I've even started, heh!)
3.  Sahara by Wendy Bernard using Karabella Empire Silk - I bought this worsted weight silk, in a lovely khaki colour, on sale years ago.  I think it will be lovely, and I'm keen to try Bernard's top down seamless method.

4.  Amiga by Mags Kandis using Rowan Calmer - I think this will be a lovely versatile cardi, perfect weight for Sydney winter (or late autumn and early spring!).

5.  Chevron Lace Cardi by Milobo - I don't have a yarn in mind for this - I may use my Christmas vouchers for the lys to buy yarn for this.  But I think I will definitely make it this year - it's crochet and seamless, so I know it will be a quick one.  It might be my Tour de France project!  I'm hoping this will mean I can actually fit in 5 cardis this year (yes, I swing between optimism and pessimism on this cardigan goal!)

6.   Olivia by Kim Hargreaves using Rowan Felted Tweed or Grignasco Tango.  I think this is the pattern I will use but I am definitely going to make some type of cardi out of the Felted Tweed or Tango this year (which yarn I use will depend on the colour I want...Um, I have a few different colours of each to choose from...green and brown in FT, red, charcoal and purple in Tango)
7.  Metro by Connie Chang Chinchio using Cascade 220 in mallard.  I have the pattern, I have the yarn, I know it will be really wearable.  This one is firming up as one of my definites.

8.  Greenfield cardigan by Melissa LeBarre - I have a couple of possible yarns for this - one in red, one in navy.  Or this one might be the recipient of the chrismtas voucher purchase.  Or maybe it would work in Felted Tweed or Tango?  Hmmm, will have to consider that.
9.  Shapely Boyfriend cardigan by Stephanie Japel or New Concetta Cardigan by Elizabeth Smith, using BMFA Twisted in My Blue Heaven.  I saw this yarn in the socks that rock and loved it, and heard great things about the Twisted, so it was a bit of an impulse buy.  Now, I'm not so sure about how it will knit up and whether I can cope with that amount of variegation.  Sometimes I think about destashing it.  And other times I really want to knit it.  Decisions decisions!  As for the pattern, I think the Shapely Boyfriend will be better for my shape but I like the ease of the New Concetta.
10.  Atelier by Heidi Kirmaier using (I think) South West Trading Company Yin in red.  Lush yarn, lovely pattern.  Or again, this might be good candiate for Felted Tweed/Tango (heh!)

11.  Rocky Coast Cardigan by Hannah Fettig, using Karabella Aurora 8 in blue.  This is the yarn which I would reclaim from my Must Have Cardigan long term WIP.  If I get gauge.  As it is an all over simple cable, I think it's an (easy) level of difficulty and concentration I could manage right now, unlike the Must Have cardigan.
12.  Driven by Veera Valimaki in Malabrigo Worsted in charcoal grey (I can't recall the actual name!).  I bought a cardigan's worth of Malabrigo a while back, intending to make a Liesl from it.  I think now that is a bad idea, due to the pilling issues, but I think this pattern, knit at a tighter gauge, might be a good option.  If I have enough yarn, heh!

So I've got two definites - Faith and something in Felted Tweed or Tango; Two strong maybes - Rocky Coast and Metro.  And the crochet Chevron cardigan.  Any thoughts? Any other pattern suggestions? What are your "must knits" this year?

14 comments:

DrK said...

oh god. i thought i had my cardigan list all sorted. now im rethinking everything. i especially like olivia. apart from my amiga in calmer i need to finish the atelier in madtosh pashmina, and then i want to do something with the madtosh merino light. a little cardigan pixie showed me the pattern for 'darling emma'. maybe you want to add that to your queue! ha ha. so many lovely choices, but start with the berocco i reckon. such a lovely yarn!

Ann said...

Looks like a great list & a great idea to match the projects with your stash. In fact, I was thinking of making such a list myself as I need cardigans too.

missfee said...

OMG so many cardigans so little time

Bells said...

ambitious but I like it! A lot!

I hadn't seen some of these before. Amiga in particular stood out. I've got some cardigan's worth of yarn set aside for projects too - must decide what and maybe get a start. I like the idea of making them a focus.

Bells said...

meant to add that my favourite for you would be driven. I can totally see you in that one especially.

Yarna said...

I've got my Captain Sensible hat on (for once). Since you are limiting yourself to four (or even three) this year, I would select patterns that you will definitely wear. Some of your short list are gorgeous but I wonder how much wear you would get out of them?

I agree with Bells - Driven should be top of the list. Or Olivia.

Sue said...

I really love the Rocky Coast Cardigan and I think it would be great in the dark blue. Some of the others on your list I hadnt seen before but I do love the Concetta cardigan!

kgirlknits said...

Olivia in red!!! How beautiful will it be? Metro is very appealing too, though...

how many cardigans did you say you were going to attempt? ;)

MadMad said...

What a great post! Love the planning! And your choices. I have a Sea Tangles on the needles myself. Well, maybe it's just a sleeve, I don't remember, since it's been awhile since I visited it... maybe I should do that! I love Metro, too, and Rocky Coast.... Have you thought of Peasy? Lots of stockinette to make life easy. And I'm finishing up a Laar, which was also nice and easy, and a nice summer sweater. There's a linen one by Quince and Co that is simlar to Sea Tangles (sort of) that I have on my definites.. (maybe to compensate for not having finished my Sea Tangles)!

Donna Lee said...

I have never made myself a sweater and am determined to do so this year. I even have the pattern and the yarn. Too many other things are in the way first.

You have some beautiful choices there. I am not a stasher by nature and am amazed that you have yarn for most of those patterns! I tend to pick the project and then buy the yarn, except for skeins of laceweight and of course sock yarns.

Zena said...

Ooh cardigans. I love cardigans. Lets knit lots of cardigans this year! I really like Olivia and Amiga. May need to add them to my cardi list too!

jp said...

Twisted is such a gorgeous yarn and knits up so beautifully. I mean just beautifully

Do it!

Kate said...

You are going to have some fun this year! Enjoy the planning and the projects!

Sweetp said...

Goodness there are some lovely yarns/patterns there. I made my first cardigan of the year already, thinking about another one now :) In your list I particularly like the greenfield (though I wonder if it would stretch, being all garter...what do you think?). Good luck with your cardyplans!