Pattern: Millefiori cardigan, Interweave Knits Spring 2009

Yarn: Ella Rae Bamboo Silk

Needles: US 4 and 5

Notes: Finished in time for St. Patrick’s day!  I made this pattern with no mods other than the yarn substitution.  I am fairly pleased with the outcome, but it was frustrating to knit.  I’m not sure that I would use this yarn again.  While it is very soft and drapey, it sheds like nothing I have used before.  The black skirt I was wearing in these photos is covered in green fluff, and while I was knitting it kept ending up in my mouth and nose.  It worked out ok as a sub, but it doesn’t have a lot of body to it.  The sweater could benefit from a little more structure I think.

Now the pattern.  Well… it’s super cute in the magazine, and I do like it on me.  However, the clam stitch was frustrating to knit, and to be honest I don’t think it’s all that pretty.  It might be better with single rather than double YOs, but this would affect the length of the lace panel.  The pattern asks for you to knit the button bands with the fronts through the ribbing, and then knit the rest of them separately and seam them on.  I generally don’t see a lot of benefit from this technique – I would rather pick up and knit stitches than seam them on.  It this case, because of the large number of buttons and buttonholes, it was impossible to get them to line up properly when seaming, even if I made them on the same rows.  That’s why it isn’t completely buttoned – it looks wonky.  The buttonholes are impossible to find as well, a common problem in this sort of band.  The clam stitch is not pretty wherever it meets as seam, including the button bands, so I prefer not to emphasize that.

I just remembered one mod – I did knit the sleeves flat and seam them up.  I hate sleeves in the round, and find them hard to sew into armholes.

I know I’m being all complainy, but this sweater is really lovely to wear.  I would recommend the pattern, but be aware that you’re getting into something that will take longer than you think.  It took me quite a bit more time that I would have expected from this sort of sweater.

I think my hair looks red in these photos.  I can’t tell if the brown didn’t take properly, or if the sun is just reflecting off of it.  It does look more brown when I’m indoors.  I think I’m going to end up at the hairdressers.  I’m not going to be happy with it if it fades back to red… though it does look nice with the green!