Hello! It’s been over a month since my last post. Life has been hectic leading up to the holidays. I’ve also been volunteering a lot of hours in an effort to keep my son’s preschool open, leaving not much free time. (It’s a Waldorf inspired, parent-run kindergarten where I’ve become heavily involved). Days go by where I don’t have time to knit, read, or even check my social media. I thought I’d have more time for crafts, baking, and decorating for Christmas, but I’ve had to prioritize other things.
Last weekend I did manage to finish knitting my Love Note sweater at last! I photographed my progress here in October. I still need to block it and weave in the ends. I’m very happy with my sweater even though the lace isn’t perfect. It’s my first attempt and overall it turned out well. The color is beautiful and it’s oh so soft and cozy! I knit the cropped version to wear with dresses or a high waist skirt. Instead of the 3/4 sleeve, I adjusted the pattern because I prefer long sleeves. I’ll post a photo of the sweater on Instagram soon.
Each project is teaching me something new. The Love Note features short rows so that the back is longer than the front. I love that detail! As I mentioned, this was my first time knitting lace. I plan to make another sweater- full length, with DK wool- and I hope to improve. It helped placing stitch markers between the repeats, but I still made a couple of mistakes. The pattern also uses a provisional cast on which I hadn’t used before.
I am running behind on my projects. A couple of months ago I bought wool to make my 18 year old a cardigan for Christmas. It’s the JW Anderson patchwork cardigan popularised by Harry Styles, which is joining the Victoria and Albert’s fashion collection!
The cardigan sparked a TikTok trending sensation after Styles wore it to rehearsals on the US broadcaster NBC’s Today show in February this year. During lockdown, fans of the star created their own ingenious versions and shared them on the social media platform using the hashtag #harrystylescardigan. The hashtag has received 40.1 million views to-date and JW Anderson’s Creative Director, Jonathan Anderson, was so overwhelmed by the response to the cardigan, that he released the pattern and tutorial of how to make it online.
Victoria and Albert Museum Blog
It’s unlikely I’ll finish within 9 days since I only have 3 panels complete. I’ll do my best though! It’s a pleasure to knit since each square has a different color and stitch pattern. I’ve only knit top down sweaters so this is my first cardigan. The instructions seem straightforward so I’m hopeful it will turn out well.
I’ve had to experiment a bit. It’s a one size fits all pattern and some people are upset by how large it is. I’m knitting 10 cm squares instead of 14 cm because my son is thin and under 6 foot. Plus the wool is expensive and I don’t want to waste. One thing that drove me a little crazy at first is that the squares are different sizes. Each stitch pattern seems to alter the size; for example, garter stitch squares are fluffy while the jersey slip squares are narrow. The easiest way around it is to use varying needles. On the ersey squares I use the recommended 8 mm needles. On some squares I use 7 mm or even 6 mm. Trial and error has helped me achieve a more uniform look. Once it’s all pieced together I’m sure it won’t matter much. The irregularities probably add to the charm.
This is not a sweater for everyone! It’s loud and colorful. My son is an outgoing, charismatic musician who loved the cardigan at first sight. It suits his playful personality. He’s not a One Direction fan but he will wear this sweater with pride because it celebrates youthfulness.
How are your projects and holiday preparations coming along? Sending you well wishes from my cozy corner on the couch!
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Creations of a Patchwork Momma 