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Sunday, August 31, 2014

Another Miette Cardigan - because the other sweater is in a time out

Vintage Knits and sewing

This was not the sweater I was planning on sharing this week. THAT one is in time out. It is in the corner being punished, only to be let out when sufficient time has passed and I am no longer personally offended by the crime committed. That mean little witch had the audacity to be so tight at the cast off edge that it creates a reverse muffin top. I was really hoping that blocking it would whip it in to submission, but alas it is still too tight so it will be spending some time in the corner till I can bring myself to undo the cast off and try Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind off. So instead I am sharing this outfit with you.

Vintage Knits and Sewing She Knits in Pearls

Yesterday my man and I decided to go downtown for a walk around and enjoy the sunny day. There was a bit of chill in the air and you could really feel the changing of the season stinging the cheeks but we enjoyed ourselves non the less. We both love this massive graffiti style mural. We have talked about using it as a backdrop for photos many times and decided that it was time.

Vintage Knits and Sewing She Knits in Pearls

This sweater is another Miette cardigan, made from a free pattern by Andi Satterland. I believe this was her very first (of many) awesome vintage inspired sweaters. She talks a bit about the pattern on her blog Untangling Knots. I've been obsessed with her patterns lately. That naughty one that's in time out is another one of her patterns as is the next sweater that I'm already working on. Oh and I'm also planning on doing a knit-a-long that she's hosting for her Marion Cardigan. If you are interested, you can find out more about it in her Ravelry Group. This is the second Miette that I've made. The first one I shared about in my Lil Red Miette post. Her patterns have such a great vintage feel but, unlike most truly authentic vintage patterns, use modern construction techniques and usually, worsted weight yarn. This means that they knit up MUCH quicker(and cheaper)than vintage pattern which usually call for fingering weight yarns.

Vintage Knits and Sewing She Knits in Pearls

I used Dream in Color Classy yarn in Bermuda Teal. I have a serious love/hate relationship with this yarn. The color ways are just amazing and it's so soft to the touch. I enjoy the feel of this yarn as it weaves around my fingers. That's the love part. However, I never seem to know what the hell this yarn is going to do during blocking. This is the second sweater I've knit with this exact yarn. The first one grew during blocking so much I was in tears, it seriously grew 3 sizes. In a last stitch effort I was forced to wash it in hot water (in a machine, yikes) and dry it on high heat. This, is usually the kiss of death for a hand knit sweater, who would do such a thing? But I was desperate. It did shrink down some but I lost so much stitch definition and it instantly aged the sweater 10 years. So, when I decided to try another sweater with the same yarn, I thought I was being smart to knit it up in a size too small, knowing that it would GROW during blocking. Ya, look how tight this puppy is. I like my cardigans to fit snug, but this is pushing it a little. I'm glad I sewed those buttons tight, if not they might pop off and injure someone.

Vintage Knits and Sewing She Knits in Pearls

As for the rest of my outfit, check out that headband. Cute right? Guess who designed that little gem. Yep, you got it. It just happens to be the first pattern I ever shared. Check out the post and pattern Bandana Bow Tie. That was back when I thought small pictures were some how a good idea. I've gotten over that.

Vintage Knits and Sewing She Knits in Pearls

The skirt is also made by me. I will be sharing the how-to for this skirt in a future post, doing so now would make for a very long post and I just don't have the energy for it now. I'm totally in love with it though, the fabric is fabulous. I have 3 cardigans that match it already and the one I'm working on now goes with it as well. It doesn't get much more versatile than that. Making this skirt has rekindled my desire to sew and I'm now having to decided whether I want to be knitting or sewing. Oh, decisions, decisions. I see lots of matching skirts and cardigans in my future.

Vintage Knits and Sewing She Knits in Pearls

So for you crafty gals out there, do you have more than one craft? How do you decide which one to do and when? If you're not particularly crafty, what do you do in your spare time? I have more free time than most people and am always looking for new and different things to do.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate you spending some of your free time with me.

Cherry

Outfit details
Skirt, cardigan, and headband - made by me
Ankle boots - Thrifted
T-shirt - Walmart
Earrings - Berlington Coat Factory
Purse - Thrifted

8 comments:

  1. Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog. I've read your last few posts and am now a follower of your blog. I thought you were about my daughter's age (she's 20) until I read the bit about your teenage daughter. I'm speechless!

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  2. Totally thought that was a dress! Can't wait for the tute. My crafts go into triage. "When's their birthday? You need a dress when? etc"

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    1. Some form of a triage would be a great thing for me to incorporate. I've been having project ADHD always wanting to work on all of them and in turn, not focusing on any one thing.

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  3. Absolutely fabulous cardigan. It is beautiful! I really love the blue and you look fantastic in it. I've been admiring vintage styled cardigans a lot lately.

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    1. Yes you have, that one with the umbrellas is totally swoon worthy.

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  4. I wish I had the patience to sew. I never knit clothes before and kept telling myself it would take to long.I knit my first cardigan Peggy sue (in just under 2 weeks) and I could so see me making a ton of cardigans,I completely understand it now.I love anything vintage but can't afford it so knitting vintage style is so much cheaper and I'm going to be joining the knit-a-long too.

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  5. The cardigan looks fantastic and the colour you picked for it is beautiful! I enjoy knitting vintage patterns but I'm always looking out for modern vintage-inspired patterns as well, so I'm glad you shared this one! I've grabbed it off Ravelry and I might even make it my next knitting project.

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  6. Three massive cheers for the return of cardigan weather! (Though, objectively, I do sport them all year round, no matter if it's -40 or +40, but still, they go hand-in-hand with late summer/fall like snowmen and winter! :))

    Love the classic, fun design of this handmade beauty and of course that colour, too. It's like the last moments of blue sky at dusk in October before the inky blackness of nigh envelops the world.

    ♥ Jessica

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