Since my newfound love (knitting, just in case you didn't know), I've been leaning more and more towards clothing. I've been fortunate as a beginner to have been given the opportunity to test knit for a couple designers and so when a customer ask if I could make her a cardigan I was over the moon.
I sent her pics of the ones I had patterns for (not confident enough to design my own.... Yet);
@theeasydesign
@expressionfiberarts
@hearthookhome
She chose @hearthookhome's design (a classic cardigan), with yarn in hand I started to make her choice, but it just did not resonate with me (again leaning towards knitting), so I send her another picture (see below) and she loved it.
yarn ✔
needle ✔
With the necessary tools in hand I did my swatch (honestly, don't normally do this), I didn't get a 4" square as I should, instead, I got 4.5". That's good enough for me. I selected my size and got the ball rolling. Cast on and then a bummer..... I thought I was following the pattern, wasn't I? Panick was creeping in, but not today. Sadly I had to πΈπΈπΈπΈ (pull out) what I've done so far, but it was worth it. The pattern started taking shape and as it grew so does my excitement level.
It was not after I basically completed the full length and cast off and was getting ready to do the sleeves, front panel, and neck that disappointment sets in... It's too bigπ«π«π«. I was going for a 39 bust for the finished product but mine was measuring 44" without the front panel being added.
Then I thought... If I was doing the size M (39" bust) and got the size 2Xl... Then doing the XS might work. I didn't" bother to frog the first one, I just cast on the other size with what little thread I had left.
I worked so hard to finish my cardigan, all while praying it turns out nice. I completed the top and started the front panel... Following the pattern to the tee, but with the difference in yarn weight that would not work. Instead of doing 2 full repeats and then the half repeat, I did only one. After many, many, many hours of continuous work, it's finally completed.
It looks amazing but felt sooooo bulky. Then my eureka moment came sometime after midnight.......
Steam press... Awesome right...
I pinned the pattern in place, placed a cotton blanket over it, and steam pressed, and OMG, it felt ooooh soooo soft. It was at that very moment I felt the warmth of accomplishment.
I hang it on a wire hanger and went to bed, praying she liked it.
It was not after I basically completed the full length and cast off and was getting ready to do the sleeves, front panel, and neck that disappointment sets in... It's too bigπ«π«π«. I was going for a 39 bust for the finished product but mine was measuring 44" without the front panel being added.
Then I thought... If I was doing the size M (39" bust) and got the size 2Xl... Then doing the XS might work. I didn't" bother to frog the first one, I just cast on the other size with what little thread I had left.
I worked so hard to finish my cardigan, all while praying it turns out nice. I completed the top and started the front panel... Following the pattern to the tee, but with the difference in yarn weight that would not work. Instead of doing 2 full repeats and then the half repeat, I did only one. After many, many, many hours of continuous work, it's finally completed.
It looks amazing but felt sooooo bulky. Then my eureka moment came sometime after midnight.......
Steam press... Awesome right...
I pinned the pattern in place, placed a cotton blanket over it, and steam pressed, and OMG, it felt ooooh soooo soft. It was at that very moment I felt the warmth of accomplishment.
I hang it on a wire hanger and went to bed, praying she liked it.
I didn't take any measurements, just asked for her bust measurement.
Look at this back, wow
The first one... Oh so big
This was how it all started.
She loved it, and praised me for being almost accurate when I didn't take her measurement and just went by mere memory.
This was such an accomplishment for me.