Friday 13 January 2012

The Foundational Key*

Success at last! Cria is finally finished *grins*


Which is about time really, considering my Ravelry notes show that this was cast on at the beginning of July! Yikes, it did take me a long time.

The pattern shows most of the pictures with the cardigan fastened like this:


Cute, but not entirely flattering I don't think. So I will probably wear it more like this:


Much more my style *grins*

So, details:

Pattern: Cria by Ysolda Teague. I didn't love the way the pattern was written, there were parts that I thought were needlessly complicated. But there were some good features, like the one row buttonholes.
Yarn: Jaeger Monte Cristo Cool Crepe DK. The yarn (which is discontinued) was a gift from boyfriend's mum, as she no longer knits. It's a heavier weight than in the pattern, so I used smaller needles to get the same gauge (mainly so I didn't have to calculate any changes to the pattern!) - which does make this a more dense and heavy cardigan than the original.
Modifications: I omitted the faux seams down the sides, I didn't really see the point of adding seams when I was knitting it seamlessly! I added some extra increases towards the end to fit my measurements more accurately.

I really like this cardigan. I don't 100% love it, but that is usually what happens when I finish knitting something, especially something that has taken a lot of work and wasn't too much fun to knit. I need a little space from it first I think *laughs*

This picture is probably the most accurate representation of the colour, and shows the buttons too. I got these from ebay, for not a lot of money at all. The first set I found that I liked would have come to £25! No way was I paying that for buttons *laughs*



I'm toying with changing the sleeves, I didn't have enough yarn to make them as long as I would like, so I will most likely wear them at 3/4 length. So I may unravel and just make them that length anyway. I haven't decided yet but I did have them rolled up when I wore it earlier in the week.

Overall, I'm just glad this is finally off the needles! Finally getting down to some action on it recently really helped move things along.

* "Action is the foundational key to all success" - Pablo Picasso


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43 comments:

  1. Looks really good! Love the colour!

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  2. Beautiful sweater, what an amazing thing to be able to make! I am a huge sweater fan, and love the color!!

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  3. That's really nice and I prefer how you wear it. I had the same thing with the In Threes cardigan, it was knitted seamlessly and it had faux seams added, so I left them out, like you say, why knit it without a seam and then add a fake one?

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  4. Looks fantastic! Well done. I agree, second way of wearing it gives you much more defined waist, very flattering (save the first way for when/if you ever decide to have a baby, then that's the only way of ever wearing anything cos your belly won't fit under a coat!!!!). Never heard of a faux seam before, sounds a bit bonkers because I'm always striving to make invisible seams on seamed cardis, so a faux one does sound a bit counterintuitive (unless it helps to keep the shape? I have no idea).

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  5. Wow! Love that cardi! I agree with you and prefer how you wear it in the second photo. I like the idea of your simply making the sleeves 3/4 too.

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  6. I haven't met an Ysolda pattern that I didn't like. Projects from her patterns always look great done on classic colors too. Yours is a perfect example. I do like the second pic of the sweater on you better too. You did a wonderful job and I'd say you knit that pretty quickly...I spent almost 4 years knitting a sweater so I might not be a good judge of time, LOL

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  7. Love your cardy! And the way you prefer to wear it :-)

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  8. Looks lovely on you. I like how you wear it.

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  9. Gorgeous sweater! It looks fantastic on you. I too prefer the way you like to wear it. It's very flattering that way.

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  10. It looks great on! I also like the fact someone else takes as long as I do to knit sweaters!

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  11. Wow!!! I love it - and I agree, I like it better in the second photo - it's much more flattering on you that way. (although you are adorable and anything would look good on you!!!) Congrats - you did a fabulous job. Wear it with pride!

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  12. Natalie--It's very pretty and such a good color choice for really wearing often!!

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  13. That deep blue is so pretty! Nicely done! Seems it'll get quite a bit of wear and it looks great on you!

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  14. I agree that buttoning it in the middle looks better. I love the colour too. It's so pretty :)

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  15. I love it just like it is! Congratulations for finishing it! One less WIP!

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  16. I like the cardigan both ways. I imagine I'd end up wearing it the first way because it'd warm my cleavage while wearing lower-cut shirts. :)

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  17. Lovely and I love the fit!!

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  18. Lovely! And it looks good on you. I agree buttoned in the middle looks better than buttoned at the top.

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  19. That turned out beautifully! Wonderful job. I would personally keep the sleeves the length that they are though, but that's just how I prefer my sweaters.

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  20. yay it looks awesome! I agree with you about where to button it too, I think that's the best look. I've never understood the concept of "fake seams" but I recently read that they help give a sweater it's shape - but I'm not entirely convinced on that. your seamless sweater without fake seams looks very shapely!

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  21. Hurrah, it looks great on you....and i also prefer how you button it as well, suits you much better.

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  22. I really like it, and I think your choice of how to button it is the right one. I don't really understand all those cardigan patterns that are only made with buttons at the top like in your first photo; they don't seem like they'd be very flattering unless the wearer is pregnant or something, LOL!

    Anyway, well done!!!

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  23. So cute!! Go ahead and love it...I get the same way about knitted items that took too long and I really didn't enjoy making. But, time will pass and you will realize it's pretty wonderful!
    –Cassandra

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    1. I love it. I aggree, I prefer your button plan to the original.

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  24. Congrats, you! I love your cardi -- the color looks great on you. I think the first button option only looks good on women who are kinda small up top so if you're curvy in any way, #2 is more flattering. You look great!

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  25. it looks fantastic! congratulations! it's a lovely pattern you chose and i agree on all the unneccesary fiddly stuff! great job. :)

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  26. Beautiful sweater! I love the color and the shape is really nice. I agree that option #2 in wearing it is more flattering. Great Job!

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  27. Nice job, it looks great and it's a nice shade of blue too!

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  28. The sweater turned out great! I love the color and agree with the second photo... more hour-glass shaped. :-)

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  29. HEY! LOOK OVER THERE! *Steals sweater*

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  30. I love your sweater! WOW!!!!!!

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  31. Your sweater looks great the way you wear it. Thanks for the Picasso quote. I hadn't seen that one and it is a good one.

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  32. It's fabulous! I don't get the whole only doing up the top buttons thing with cardigans. I have been put off so many patterns while browsing Rav because they are designed that way (February Lady Sweater and Shalom jumping instantly to mind).

    I prefer to roll up long sleeves, than have intentionally short sleeves, so if it was me, I'd leave the sleeves alone :)

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  33. Great job! I think the sweater and the pics of you wearing it look great. BTW, I don't think 6 months is too long for a whole sweater. It usually takes me about a year to knit one!

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  34. It looks great (including the sleeves). Thanks for the pattern notes.

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  35. It looks very nice on you. I also love the stitch pattern.

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  36. It's awesome! Wear it in good health :)

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  37. Yea for you....it look great!

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  38. Looks great! I like either way for wearing it. Great color too!

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  39. Super colour it looks great and I agree, the second way of wearing it looks more flattering.

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  40. *wonders how to type a wolf whistle noise* It looks gorgeous on you! :)

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