The Chronicles of the Bulky Cabled Cardigan
I deliberated and finally forced myself to make a decision. I thought of ripping back to the body, but when looking at the yarn again I doubted it could handle it. I haven't even worn this sweater, let alone finished it, and it's already pilling. I love the yarn (hpy bulky merino), but I doubt I will use it again for a sweater since it felts when I look at it funny. Basically all my beautiful knitting and cables, the cables!, look out of focus. Great. Want proof?
This basically decided it for me, but I really did think about adding the length to the body. I wasn't sure if the proportions were right for longer ribbing, but if you look at the top picture you'll see I found a similar sweater with the ribbing you all love. Ok so it works, it helps that this sweater doesn't have any waist shaping to worry about and that it's knit from the top so I can do this sort of thing. I guess I could have left the length alone, but I kept hearing 'fat man in a little coat' in my head. Just because it's short it doesn't mean it's right, it needs to hit at the right spot.
So why am I going on about this? I guess to say that I do think a lot about this stuff, maybe too much, and that I'm very particular about what I like and don't like hence the indecision. The three inches of ribbing was quick enough to add, so I went ahead and knit the button bands. Hell, some could say I'm done, but of course I'm not. I still need to decide what to do with the sleeves; to aggressively block or knit some length into them (and how)? Then we get to do some serious blocking, some possible shaving (target here I come), and then pick some buttons.
Comments
Love the tommy boy reference! I like the middle button. Was I supposed to pick? Still haven't watched 24, btw..
Posted by: Angela | January 27, 2006 01:37 AM
love that blue sweater with the high ribbing.. where is it from, if I may ask ?
Posted by: sylv | January 27, 2006 05:05 AM
I love that yarn! I vote also for the middle button.
Posted by: Colleen | January 27, 2006 07:27 AM
I'm sorry it's so pilly! But the colors are wonderful! Those buttons are really great too! I think any of them would look amazing on it! Now just finish already so we can see pictures! ;)
Posted by: Leah | January 27, 2006 08:04 AM
Love the yarn, the colors are great. Can't wait to see your finished sweater.
Posted by: kathyruth | January 27, 2006 08:11 AM
Woo hoo! It's looking good. You are almost there.
Posted by: Amy | January 27, 2006 08:22 AM
That is such gorgeous yarn... Glad you figured it out! I like the middle button, too.
Posted by: Chris | January 27, 2006 09:10 AM
Whoa awesome buttons! I'm excited to see the fnished result.
Posted by: geeyouknit | January 27, 2006 09:44 AM
I bought this pattern, but it seems like everyone that has done it dislikes for some reason or another. It makes me hesitant to knit this for myself.The blue sweater is really nice, I like the open-work cable stitch pattern on it.I like the pinkish buttons best. :)
Posted by: baast | January 27, 2006 09:52 AM
As I'm at almost the same place on my cardigan(not the bulky cable, but a cardigan all the same) I totally feel your pain. I'm measuring mine every other row (because every row would be craaazy) and worrying obsessively about ribbing, button bands, buttons, etc. By way of encouragement, if you check out the new Vogue Knitting you will see that extra deep ribbing is so "IN".
Posted by: tara | January 27, 2006 10:18 AM
Love the button choices! I like the one in the middle best.
Posted by: tabbytuxedo | January 27, 2006 10:23 AM
oh, indecision. as much a part of knitting as needles. the blue cardigan convinced me that long ribbing will work. beautiful buttons!
Posted by: carrie | January 27, 2006 12:56 PM
You know, I don't think the ribbing on the sleeves needs to be as long as the ribbing on the body of the sweater. I think it will look just fine. So there. Love the buttons.
Posted by: Purly Whites | January 27, 2006 01:23 PM
First, love the buttons, and second, where did the blue big buttoned lovely thing come from, and third, still love the yarn, pills and all.
Posted by: Liz | January 27, 2006 02:03 PM
Oh oh oh! Those buttons are great...so perfect with the colors in the yarn. I love how the buttons don't look identical; they shift with the colors of the cardigan itself...scrolling down to the last couple posts, the sleeves look like they'd be fine with a bit of serious blocking. And hee, for some reason, I love shaving pills off sweaters; it makes them look brand-new again. But it's kind of creepy to think that part of your sweater is in the little plastic container, yes?
Posted by: eunny | January 27, 2006 05:27 PM
Why does the fibre I shave from my knitwear always seem to go the same shade of pink? It mutates.Anyway, buttons = beautiful. Yarn = flawed beauty, which is sometimes the most beautiful when it finds where it is meant to be.I suspect the yarn belongs to something else if you aren't fond of the cables now. Time to decide whether you can be arsed shaving or not. But I agree with Eunny - shaving is kind of like enjoying other things that you shouldn't like scratching inside your ear/nose before handing someone rude their change or something.
Posted by: Bryony | January 27, 2006 05:43 PM
Love the buttons, and I am very curious about what you decided to do with it! I hope that you kept it instead frogging it!!
Posted by: Gracie | January 27, 2006 05:50 PM
HEY! Where's your Picovoli??? Teasing ;-)Love the colors of your sweater... sorry to hear about the pilling. Can't wait to see the finished product!
Posted by: Jeanie | January 27, 2006 07:15 PM
Those buttons are beautiful. Did you get them online?
Posted by: loopylulu | January 27, 2006 11:20 PM
Those buttons are gorgeous! I can't wait to see how it came out!
Posted by: Elspeth | January 28, 2006 04:54 PM
Nice buttons! I hear ya tho about the HPY bulky. I used it for Hot Lava, and while it is scrumpuously soft, it does pill like a mother. You win some, you lose some, I guess.
Posted by: Tara | January 29, 2006 05:13 PM
Hi Just a querry, I can't seem to down load the elfin sock pattern, my computor is blocking it,darn thing! Is there another way to "get"the pattern,it's so beautiful and that colour is to die for( the green ),Be very grateful if you could help! cheers Cathy
Posted by: Cathy | January 30, 2006 05:10 AM
I must know too.Where is the blue sweater from?I adore it!
Posted by: Fiber | February 4, 2006 06:21 AM
I saw your sweater on Glampyre's site. It turned out great!! I had fun looking over a few of your past projects too. The bulky blue cardigan next to the green glampyr sweater on this post caught my eye. Do you know if there is a pattern for that or if it is something you buy? I just LOVE it!
Posted by: Rachel | February 7, 2006 11:46 AM
I completely know what you mean when you say you know what you like and don't like, hence the indecision. Seems like a complete contradiction, but _so_ is not!I really like how your knit turned out -- love the texture!Also, where IS that blue sweater at the top of the page from? And why are so many of us commenters so drawn to it?Finally, what do you mean by 'fat man in a little coat'? Thanx,jane
Posted by: jane | February 8, 2006 01:53 AM