Another Vintage Knitting Project
This is my third attempt at knitting a vintage cardigan and I think I am gradually improving!! I’ve actually worn this one a lot, it fits better than any of the others and is a pretty straightforward style to wear. Again the pattern was a download from www.thevintageknittinglady.co.uk I love this site, so much choice and very quick to get the downloaded pattern. (please excuse my scribblings on the pattern in the photo) I also liked the pattern because it uses an Aran or light chunky wool which meant it would knit quicker. The thing that drives me mad about knitting is that I’m not very quick at it and thicker wool means quicker end result! The wool was just a basic Aran weight 80/20 acrylic/wool mix and I managed to make it from 400g too.
I thought that the rib was just a basic k1, p1 but it wasn’t. It was a k1 tbl (knit one through back loop) p1 row below. I could manage the knit 1 through back loop but it took me ages to get the hang of p1 row below. Good old Youtube comes in very handy when you’re not too sure what you’re doing. Once I’d got the hang of it it progressed really quickly and looks lovely and chunky.
Once the rib was complete it was on with stocking stitch for the rest of the back, so again quick to complete.
I love it once you start decreasing for the sleeves and shoulders since it gets even quicker!
The back was finished in no time, and the fronts were pretty much the same.
The front bands were knitted in garter stitch – just 12 stitches. I have to say this got pretty annoying having to turn so many times and so quickly!
There was also a bit of odd shaping going on, which I wasn’t sure about whilst I was knitting it, but when you look at the front and the band lying next to each other it kind of makes sense how it is going to go together.
I’ve found it a bit disconcerting when knitting the button bands that they always look A LOT shorter than the actual cardigan fronts, but am reliably informed by my expert knitter mother-in-law, that they are supposed to be that way. She tells me that it is to avoid them being ‘baggy’ once they are attached. Nothing worse than a baggy button band ladies!!
So all that was left was for me to knit the sleeves and stitch it all together (my favourite part!)
Not much to say about the sleeves, they were pretty straightforward.
Sewing it together wasn’t too difficult either. I’m trying to master mattress stitch and I think it makes a really neat side seam. I tried to join the top of the shoulders by grafting which worked pretty well too. I picked up some nice navy vintage buttons on Ebay to finish it off.
Final pics of me wearing it, front and back views – excuse my startled expression in the first one!
