Oct 8, 2014

Please Knit List

Thanks so much for all your comments on my last post.  In all honesty, I hadn't even thought about the possibility of the red bleeding into the white (Maryse, you deserve a knitting medal for pointing this out to me!).  I loved the words of caution (Gail, Wildflower Wool, and Andi) mixed with the cheers of enthusiasm (Ellen, Kepanie, Kelly, and Preeti), but at the end of the day, I couldn't risk spending all those hours knitting this combination of the Nangou only to watch it morph into a pink and red shawl.  Yes, my friends, I frogged it (again!).  So, what's a knitter to do?  You guessed it ~ I cast on something completely new and different.

I'm one of those lucky knitters whose children actually ask for hand-knitted garments. Each fall, Miranda has her please knit list, and presents it to me with the sweetest smile.  This is when I wish I had eight pairs of arms because she usually has at least eight sweaters (yes, sweaters) that she's hoping will fly off my needles before the first snow flake falls.


I am always so happy to oblige but sometimes her wishes take a little time to figure out. Last fall, she fell in love with a hip-length cardigan that she saw at Urban Outfitters and asked begged me to knit it for her.  It was incredibly simple (drop shoulders, V-neck, long sleeves, pockets), but the textured stitch had me stumped.  I did a bunch of swatches but none matched the look of the UO sweater.  Fast forward to this fall ~ I came across a gorgeous cardigan on IG and traced it back to the Comfort Zone pattern.  Two seconds later, the pattern was in my library, and I was swatching to pick the best yarn for the project.  I'll tell you more about my swatching process in my next post but for now, I can't seem to put this cardigan down.  And I guess you can say that I'm not done with the color red just yet!

10 comments:

  1. You are brave for frogging that project!! This cardigan is going to look amazing in the color you've chosen. The textured pattern combined with the comfortable style - it's the perfect match!

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  2. My pleasure :-) I thought I would mention it since it happened to a friend and I know how it feels when disaster strikes during blocking... Sorry you had to frog it...

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  3. This is looking lovely! Such a lucky girl!

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  4. That is a lovely cardigan pattern! Lucky girl AND lucky knitting mama. Wish my little guy would hand me a please knit list. I think that you were wise to frog before disaster strikes. I have had the same thing happen to one of my projects and it was heartbreaking.

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  5. That cardigan looks lovely! I'd love someone to knit me 8 sweaters.... ;)

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  6. I think attempting to knit copy-cat store items is so challenging, so I applaud you for sticking with it. 8 sweaters though, she must think you're superman!

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  7. How great to have children that appreciate hand knits. I think my daughter does, but in Texas there's just as big of a demand for them. I'm excited to see your progress on the cardigan. There are several store brand sweaters I'd like to knit knock-offs of, myself. Of course, hand knits are always better.

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  8. Miranda is the sweetest! But you've made so many perfect, gorgeous knits for her over the years I've been following this blog, it's no wonder she's always begging you for more!

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  9. There are children who ask for handmade knits? My daughter was triumphant when she pointed that she really won't need any knit items now that she's living in Miami!

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  10. Eegads, bleeding! I didn't even think of that, regardless, I'm always impressed with your crafty instinct. I've been visiting enough to know this instinct is good. It's a lovely combination Miranda asking for knits and you wanting to knit them. I feel like I often don't want to knit what someone has asked for, like the obligation changes it for me. funny, non?

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