Look - Cardigan!

Yes the cardigan is all done, eight days from go to whoa! Eight days! I'm starting to see the attraction of thicker yarns. The cardigan was finished on the trip up through Central Otago, and it seemed a good time to make some photos so here it is unblocked.

 I had finished one sleeve whilst the cub was asleep, when she woke she decided it was a tad short. I worked the second sleeve on the trip and had the cub with me so had her try it on. Little darling that she is ... insisted that it wasn't long enough and would I add more. So I did ... now the sleeves are generously long, so long that they can be folded up as cuffs. The hem of the cardigan comes to a few inches past the waist of the dress, so there is a little growth allowance in there.

 Buttons are always tricky, Bear and I visited the local designer charity shop (Shop on Caroll) where someone takes the time to sort vintage buttons and attached them in sets to brown paper cards. There were some that exactly matched the faded mauve of the cardigan - but these seemed a more sophisticated match. Is it me or are vintage buttons generally thicker and smoother and nicer than modern ones?

And the back, the leaf lace motif does seem to create a puffed sleeve effect, slightly unexpected but nice all the same. If I was to knit this again (and I might just do that in another colour), I would try and space the lace leaves around the yoke a little more evenly and hide the raglan increases between them. I also wonder about working eyelets at the top or bottom of the ribbing ... and then I tell myself that sometimes less is more.

And this is the front, personally I like it with the topmost button undone, but little cub is a sticker for doing up all the buttons all the way. The location is the Shaky bridge in Alexandra, built in the 1870's over the Manuherikia River, which really does shake as you walk on it. In the background you can spot the bright orange vest and workboots of the local inspector who was performing a 'walk-over' when we were there. I freely admit to not being the best with heights and liking to be be on solid ground - so the ease with which both cubs skipped and ran along the bridge was a little disturbing, and I was much comforted by the sight of the inspector.

So I'm back with knitting my Deciduous lace shawl, thinking about the Sanqhuar gloves, and being plenty distracted by spinning.

take care
na Stella