8-13-2010: Perhaps it is fitting that I finished this on Friday the 13th! It has been the project from…anyway, it is done and so am I! I spent countless hours finishing this jacket: and I mean countless. I cannot describe all of the steps and missteps that went into the final production, but it is done and I am now at peace. I should say somewhat at peace, because once I actually completed this sweater (and I had to make it in order to figure out how to “fix” it), I came up with all sorts of improvements to eliminate the headaches that I incurred. More on that later.
Here are some pics. The collar is the soul of this design and its downfall. It is a b@llbuster to sew into the garment.
There is supposed to be a folded hem, but I outsmarted myself and ended up having to cut it off. I like the rolled hem very much, so I don’t feel too bad about it — again, this is fixed in my revised plan.
Whisper Cardigan by Kim Hargreaves for Rowan
The buttons are shell and sewn with beads between the holes.
Grade
Yarn: Jaeger Extra Fine Merino DK, light gray (no longer available but other yarns are available that are similar) — A
Needles: US 6
Fit: A+
Garment: A
Worth the work? — Not sure yet!
Okay, what did I learn? The collar is a PITA and needs revision. Of course, I did not know that going in and would not have known what to do about it at that point anyway. The way the pattern is written, you end up with 5 layers of knitted fabric at the center front of the garment — way bulky and almost impossible to get to look nice. The whole construction of the collar and its attachment to the sweater is bulky.
If I were to knit this again (Huh? Do I look that crazy?), I would knit the collar as a single piece with the front. In other words, the collar would be part of the front and would not need to be seamed. No bulk. No sewing. Use short rows and 3-needle bind off for the shoulders; use short rows and grafting for the back neck join (instead of multiple binds offs and seaming). “Graft” the front facing provisional cast on sts to the bottom of the hemline. Less bulk everywhere.
Larger copy here. I hope this helps others, but to be honest, this is not a project that is upper most in people’s queues as it is a few years old.
Another thing I did was kind of invent a buttonhole (?), at least I think I did. The pattern has a front with a facing that is folded back: two layers of fabric. Hargreaves simply put BHs on each of the layers. They are not attached in any way — I guess you just button through both buttonholes when you want to button the jacket. I wanted real buttonholes that joined the two layers. I know you can graft stockinette buttonholes but when I swatched, that type did not look very good, so I tried something else. To learn about my buttonholes, click Susan’s Stockinette Bound Buttonholes. There is certainly not a lot of use for this buttonhole: it only works when two stockinette layers are joined…but, I think they are kind of cute.
Death by finishing, for sure!!
PS: Lori K informs us that this Kim Hargreaves design (referred to here as Whisper) is also called Merry, so it is featured in two separate queues in Ravelry. Interesting!
That is magnificent looking! Likely a small reward for such enormous hassle, but perhaps time will pass and you’ll just enjoy the wearing and the rest will fade away. It’s a blessing of aging, this fading away of memory, I remind myself of this daily now. 🙂 I like the hem the way you did it, but I don’t know how it was supposed to look. I think it looks so perfect the way it is, it’s hard to imagine it otherwise!
Comment by Lori — August 13, 2010 @ 5:06 pm
Wow, sounds like you slew a dragon on this one! Thanks for writing up revisions to give others the benefit of your experience!
Comment by Natalie — August 13, 2010 @ 6:58 pm
you are a brave and determined soul…
it looks absolutely wonderful…
ps… the button hole info doesn’t seem to come up…
Comment by Eileen Fry — August 13, 2010 @ 7:46 pm
Maybe it is like childbirth, and once you get some distance you forget the pain and only remember the joy. And think about trying it again.
It is a wonderful garment. I can see you in it in my mind’s eye. You look Mahvelous.
Comment by twinsetellen — August 13, 2010 @ 7:59 pm
Gorgeous sweater. The color really makes this. Thanks for sharing your adaptations and tips.
Comment by Beverly — August 13, 2010 @ 9:05 pm
That collar is so beautiful, it takes my breath away. It sounds like it was awful to do…but I’ve never seen another collar like it. No, I love it. I want to make a sweater for a man with that collar!
Comment by gerald — August 14, 2010 @ 12:01 am
Very cool!
Comment by Romi — August 14, 2010 @ 1:43 am
It was worth the effort. It is very attractive. Classically chic.
Comment by joanna — August 14, 2010 @ 3:07 am
Your cardigan looks stunning and very professional. I actually do have this sweater in my Ravelry queue – although, it is under a different name. It’s listed as Merry by Kim Hargreaves and looks to be the same sweater.
I want to express my appreciation for the time that you and your sister take to clearly explain and illustrate your modifications. I used some of Sally’s revision notes on the Tangled Yoke cardigan and I’m sure that I will come back to this post when I get around to knitting Merry/Whisper. Your site is such a valuable resource for knitting.
Thanks again – LoriK
Comment by LoriK — August 14, 2010 @ 7:41 am
What and incredible sweater. It looks like it belongs in the window of a posh Paris design store. I love it, too bad it is such a killer to make.
Comment by Barbara — August 14, 2010 @ 7:47 am
Oh, my god, I love you. I wish we were related. This post is so generous, practical, compassionate, humane, goal-oriented, reasonable, sensible, wise, well-informed, thorough, detailed — You really understand the agony knitters experience when they pursue an image based on a poorly planned or poorly explained pattern. The misery we go through when we credulously set out to put together some cute thing pictured in Vogue Knitting only to discover that it’s a never-ending impossible shambles in the finishing!
I wish you would be my life coach. I need this kind of patience, creativity, and good sense in my life.
Comment by victoria — August 14, 2010 @ 12:34 pm
You obviously love a challenge or you wouldn’t have stayed with it. I’d have frogged the SOB and used the yarn for a nice easy pullover with a pretty cable.
I’ll never understand why patterns that seem to require an advanced degree in engineering to turn out successfully (knitting, crocheting, sewing, or whatever) are even distributed.
I turned away from knitting for years because of hitting the wall with a pattern that I just couldn’t understand and started over eight times. After a more than decade-long hiatus from knitting, a more highly skilled knitter shared with me that she had attempted that same pattern and found it to be impossible to knit following the instructions.
I suspect more patterns than not are released without ever being test knitted.
Comment by PurrlGurrl — August 14, 2010 @ 4:25 pm
It may have been a PITA, but it is beautiful. Your revisions make for a much smarter knit! And one has to wonder, why oh why were they not written that way to begin with?
Comment by Kim — August 14, 2010 @ 6:00 pm
Well it looks amazing!!
Comment by LaurieM — August 15, 2010 @ 6:28 am
Fabulous results!! And inspiring me to move on to my own finishing efforts. Thanks for sharing the tips, too!
(Do you think twinsetellen is thinking about having another baby??!)
Comment by twinsetjan — August 15, 2010 @ 5:09 pm
Hey!
When googling for TGAA and looking for some advise on the colorchoice you site ‘theraineysisters’ came up. I am writing from Norway and came accidently over this afghan. Thank you for sharing the alternative edging. And I know this is years back since it was created. A Norwegian supplier can provide cascade 220 and the heather has so many wonderful colors.
Could someone tell me, please which colors/tones will enhance the pattern and make it look its best? Is natural/off-white the safest choice? As we have a white cat (with blue eyes) it is very safe when it comes to camouflage. (both when blending in and in Springtime when the Winter-fur is “falling off”, (is that the expression?) It is presented in natural white and if that is really the best choice I will go for it. But some light tone that does not expose every single hair from our cat would also be lovely. How about 8907, Carribean or 2412. It is so difficult to imagine this from a square on the internet. Any successful suggestions? I am grateful for every comment on this…
Wiktoria
Comment by Wiktoria Merete Wiker Rønningen — August 15, 2010 @ 6:01 pm
Oh My this is beautiful! I have missed so much during my absence, I hope I can get back into the swing. Good job Susan, hope the foot is feeling better!
Comment by Kim — August 15, 2010 @ 7:19 pm
I have no doubt the finishing was a PITA, but it’s a really original-looking, beautiful sweater, at least!
Comment by Angela — August 15, 2010 @ 10:16 pm
You do the most amazing job with your blocking. Could you explain what you do/ Do you steam – from a steamer or an iron – or do you wet block it and pat it out? Please share whatyour technique is. You should advise many of the knitting magazines to use it, as so often, the sweaters they show are very poorly blocked.
Congrats on a lovely sweater.
Leslie
Comment by Leslie — August 15, 2010 @ 11:54 pm
That is really lovely. I’ll echo what the previous commenter says. Your finishing is always so absolutely lovely. Crisp.
I aspire to this but shall be content with the mere suggestion that I have attempted ‘Rainey’ class finishing.
Comment by Needles — August 16, 2010 @ 7:46 am
Is there a Rainey class on finishing techniques?
When and where? Sign me up!!!!
Comment by Patsy Fisk — August 16, 2010 @ 4:45 pm
I believe this is the most beautiful one color stockinette cardigan I have ever seen. Every drop of blood sweat and tears was worth it.
Comment by Grace — August 19, 2010 @ 10:23 pm