Who is Blue Cardie?

Blue Cardie is a raglan cardigan made from Tahki's New Tweed. She has 3/4 length sleeves with a cable detail. She is stockinette stitch with a seed stitch border. But perhaps the most amazing thing about her is that she was made and *designed* by me! I can hardly believe it!

This is the first sweater that I have ever completed and I'm on a serious high. Sure there were a couple of tank tops and even a little sweater for Maddie, but this is an honest to goodness sweater! I'll have Pete take some pictures of me wearing it this weekend.

Since I designed this sweater too, I want to say a little about that process. I had never knit a raglan sweater before, so frankly I was totally discombobulated when I started. I knew that I wanted that cable to go up to the neck though, so I persisted. That's my favorite detail in the completed sweater. I also like the side shaping and I'm surprised to find that the neckband I finally chose (simple seed stitch like the rest of the trim) worked out well. Now for things that didn't work. I think it may be a little large in the body. I designed this to be a sweater to throw on when I'm chilly, so it may work out after all in the bulkier clothes months. But I made it 20 inches across and I'm only about 35 in. around the bust. I also think the sleeves might be a little long. I wanted 3/4 length and wasn't sure how to go about getting that with a raglan. I'll have a better idea next time.

One book that was a great help in this learning process was Sweater Design in Plain English by Maggie Righetti. I also used Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book extensively. If you don't have this book, I highly recommend it. My mom got it for me one Christmas many years ago and I find myself using it to look up things during many knitting projects.

Charlotte is waiting for some attention, so I think I'll work on her before I start another sweater. Isn't knitting great?

Comments

[TheresaW]

Congrats on your sweater! Are you going to put some buttons on it? Or a zipper?

Some day I need to get my tookus in gear and think about designing one for John. Men may be big, but their sweaters don't require much shaping.

[Amy]

Blue Cardie is just lovely! So simple and elegant. That shade of blue is very pretty ... looks like a cornflower shade in the picture? I think your career as a designer is definitely launched!

[Maus]

Oh that's very pretty! Congrats on your first sweater design, can't wait to see it on you!

[Kitty]

Congrats! Excellent design, it looks so sleek and classy!

[Katherine]

Oh that's so purty! Any chance you might write up the pattern and post it/sell it? I really really like it...:p

[Kerstin]

Beautiful! I'm impressed! Love that shade of blue and the cables going up the sleeves. I'm glad your first attempt at designing and knitting a sweater was such a success. WooHoo!

[Julie]

Wow! Thanks for all the encouragement! You guys are so sweet!

[michelle]

You are kidding! Your first completed sweater *and* you designed it? Ex-cel-lent!

[Emma]

Absolutely fab !
Can we see it on you ?

[Rachael]

Ooooh, I love it! and I adore the cables running down the sleeves - you're right, that's a terrific detail. (ps - finished a Booga J bag, and I love it! Thanks for sharing the pattern. You're a deeezine-er, all right!)

[gwen aka tllgrrl]

ya know something? you should submit that bad girl to KNITTY. The BOOK version, if there's still time.
if not, then the online version because Blue Cardi ROCKS.