Hey look, I finished another sweater! That makes 3 sweaters now – not bad for someone who’s only been knitting 9 months, eh? Instead of a baby, I made sweaters trolololol
I still don’t think I look nearly as gorgeous as Andi + her sweater in the Agatha pattern photos, but hey, I’ll take this!
For those of you who are new, this is my second Agatha sweater – I loved it so much, I wanted a second version. I am calling this one the “Blagatha” because, well, it’s black & saying Blagatha is kind of fun (another word I really enjoy saying is “goo.” I’m sure you are just fascinated with this). Anywhoodoo, this is pretty much the same as my first one – I knit the size small, using heathered black Cascade 220 & size 5 needles. My gauge must have loosened quite a bit since the first sweater because this one barely needed any blocking to get it to fit – I mostly just blocked to even out the stitches. On the mustard sweater, I really had to stretch the sleeves because they were soooo tight. Not with this one! With that in mind, it is also a bit longer than the mustard one. The sleeves are super long. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.
I’m sorry these pictures are so crappy. It’s rainy, grey, overcast, and black just does NOT like being photographed! Meh!
This is my back/side porch, by the way. I promise my entire backyard isn’t a mud pit – just that section. Fine with me! I hate mowing haha.
These are really awful. Here are some flash-photos, so you can see the lacy details!
I just love all the side & waist shaping – it really makes the sweater extra-awesome.
Oh, and of course – it looks good unbuttoned too 🙂
Aren’t the buttons cute? I actually found them at Joann’s, although they definitely have a sweet vintage vibe to them
The button bands are backed with petersham ribbon for stability. I used my sewing machine to sew the button holes on first, then hand stitched everything to the sweater. It took 3 episodes of Arrested Development, whoop.
And for those of you who want to know how I get all this knitting done – I knit on my lunch break at work 🙂 I get a full hour, so it’s perfect for squeezing in some tv or music & just chilling out for a bit. I don’t really knit much at home, home time is sewing time! Unfortunately for me, my sewing time right now is completely wrapped up in draperies. BORING. At least now I can *see* the light at the end of the tunnel!
Oh, I also embroidered this:
It’s old-ish – I was working on it during that hellish week when everything was packed but we hadn’t actually moved yet. I’m not sure what I want to do with it, though. Maybe a pillow? Eh.
For my next project, I’m taking it easy with a hat. Well, it has cables.
How exciting! I’ve never worked with cables before 😀
I’ll be starting another sweater as soon as I can afford the yarn 🙂 Buying all that yarn at once is such a debbie downer, btw – yarn stores should have some kind of yarn layaway where you can set aside all the yarn you want in your preferred dye lot, but you can pick it up a ball at a time. Actually, I’m not really sure how that would work. Someone make it happen!!
Now let’s see some cold fronts so I can start parading this new wool baby around!
LLADYBIRD 
You so talented!!!! (also love the peacock!)
It looks awesome! And I agree with you, black is so hard to photograph (but so versatile in the wardrobe.)
Looks great!! And I’m always impressed when people knit black sweaters. I always want one but just can’t bring myself to do it, I always get enticed by other colors. You’re on a roll with your sweaters!
How in the hell do you knit something like that after only 9 months?!?! I figured you’d been knitting for years!
It’s not so hard once you learn all the stitches… and it doesn’t hurt that the pattern itself is written out so it’s easy to follow (at least, I think it is!) 🙂
When I saw the word “blagatha” I thought you were going to say you blagged some of it because it went wrong somewhere lol.
Another great sweater! I love that you just dove right into knitting, I’m sure you will master cables in no time. When I first learned, I thought they were like magic. Anyway, wish I could bring myself to knit a black sweater, but my one experience with black yarn, was just yawn – too boring. I think I need color to keep me interested.
Haha, yeah, black yarn is pretty boring! You can’t tell in these pictures, but my black has a little bit of heathered grey. Still, the lacework kept the knitting interesting – and honestly, I wear black sweaters the most! Except I keep losing them… I hope I don’t lose this one haha 🙂
Our yarn store (before it closed!) did exactly that! Gorgeous sweater, love it. Unfortunately I have no patience for knitting. Boo to me.
This is crazy good for someone knitting 9 months! I’m trying to pick it up and I can barely make a hairband! Amazing!
I have been knitting for a long time, and that’s a great job! I would recommend that you try looking at Webs for your yarn (yarn.com). While you can’t buy it one skein at a time, you can get a big discount if you buy a certain amount. And, they run specials all the time, so the discount can be quite deep. I really envy that you can knit on black. These old eyes can’t take it anymore.
Super, super super cute! Maybe I should send you my Levenwick, that poor sweater has been getting no love in my house lately.
Your skirt is just lovely, too. You make?
Oh, I love the Levenwick! I’d really like to knit one someday. Or you can send me yours hahahaaa jk 😉
The skirt is actually part of a dress – it’s the Gazer 🙂
i have my eye on this pattern for future projects, yours turned out great!
and Cables?! man i was so excited the first time i knitted some, some would say overly so, but i still stand by it so enjoy your cable-y hat 🙂
Instead of a baby, I made sweaters
Instead of a baby, I made sweaters
Instead of a baby, I made sweaters
OMG MARRY MEEEEEEEEEEEE
♥ !!!
Lady u are amazing!!!! Looks fantastic!
AMAZING! I’m still in awe at your knitting skills and productivity! It looks so good. Maybe this could be the ‘sweater’ pattern for me (quotes because i don’t really use the word sweater)…
You’re simply amazing Lauren! I can’t believe how fast you knit and what great results you produce with such relatively ‘short experience’!!! I love this cardigan on you, it looks awesome with your Gazer too ;o)
Looking good and super cute buttons. Oh and I love the embroider.
Omg, your hair is getting so long.
You’re just plain ol’ awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your talents and skills with us; I love reading your blog 🙂
Oh my goodness – that’s your THIRD sweater and you’ve only been knitting nine months?! HOLY COW! That’s amazing!
It looks so good (love the patter) and you’re already onto cables? I like the look of them but I’m too scared to give it a go!!
They’re actually not too bad! Definitely easier to learn than, say, knitting in the round with DPNs. I learned lace first & apparently that’s harder than cables… and I thought lace was easy. If that gives you any confidence! 😛
I like knitting lace patterns to – and I found dpns fairly easy (so far) so there’s hope for me after all!
ooh that’s just gorgeous. So cute and so your style. I love little cardigans over summer dresses – just adorable. 9 months of knitting – wowsers. You might already have done this but are there any great books or sites out there for beginners that you would recommend to get started on knitting?
I actually learned most of what I know via people – I have to have someone hovering over my shoulder to tell me what I’m doing wrong haha. So that would be my first suggestion! I do use the Stitch’N’Bitch book quite a bit for reference, and my favorite sites for learning new stitches are the Purl Bee & Ravelry. Or you can just come to Nashville & I teach you :3 hehe!
Amazing job on the knitting. Really impressed you can do that after 9 months of knitting. Well done!
Wow! that totally looks awesome, now that’s talent! I love how you say’ Oh! and I embroidered this haha! well done.
you sure did a great job for knitting for only 9 months. Wow and wow. I actually like the black. I’m not a huge fan of the color but I’m kind of sick of all the pretty and pale colors we’ve seen lately.
Yeah, those pale colors wash me out something fierce. I’m a jewel-toned kinda girl, personally! The black is already filling soooo many gaps in my wardrobe haha 😀
Oh, you’re making me want to start knitting a new cardigan RIGHT NOW. But I have so many other projects I need to finish first. But this is so cute! It doesn’t help that I’ve had a fever for black & white gingham lately, and this whole outfit is kind of making me swoon. Well done.
oh this looks so cozy and wooly!! just love it! congrats on finishing your SECOND sweater!! thats a pretty big deal imo…
Your hair has gotten so long!!
Girl, I know – I want to cut it off soo bad haha.
I’m surprised you haven’t, but it does really flatter you being long. Plus, winter is coming and it’s appropriate to have long hair.
Ok, I’ve been working on the same damned scarf/hood for like 6 months and I think you’ve whipped out 2 or 3 sweaters in that time. You’re a speed knitter or something, ha. I can’t believe how quickly you picked it up, also. It took me a whole year before I tackled a sweater and then it was a nightmare. ha!
Cute skirt! =)
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Pretty, and such a perfect fit! I’m curious, how many hours did it take? I’m curious about knitting, and I wonder what kind of time commitment it requires. Also… Draperies?! This I’m dying to see!!
❤ jen @ stuff jen did
Hmm, that’s a good question! I knit that sweater over about 2.5 months, working for an hour or so 5 days a week. So maybe 60ish hours? I’m sure it took longer than that haha. Knitting is definitely a time-suck, but it’s such an awesome portable craft (and a great way to de-stress!), and the end result is something you can wear! Yeah!!
The draperies are pretty boring lol. White fabric with white lining! But maybe I can get the dude to let me share some pictures of them when they’re finished & hanging up 🙂
You give me 18 tons of hope that I will be able to churn out sweaters after learning how to knit! You’ve only been knitting nine months and you made this stunning piece?! I love it and all of the fantastic details – very well done!!
gorgeous! I love black sweaters but knitting black yarn isn’t the most fun, so kudos to you! Your yarn layaway plan sounds excellent to me too — now if only we could convince shopowners to go for it!
one place i do like to buy sweaters’ worth of yarn from is little knits (http://littleknits.com/). the website is a little, uh… retro, haha, but they often have pretty great deals. (i really love when you can score a full bag of yarn all the same dyelot for $25!)
What a beautiful sweater! I am a beginner knitter as well and you are way more ambitious than I was! Also thanks for posting your “terrible” pictures. I recently started a blog and was very disappointed today when I tried to photograph my sewing projects. You have cheered me up to persevere and get my stuff out there!
PS. Blagatha is VERY fun to say!
Lovely sweater! Andi is a total babe! And I LOVE the peacock embroidery– I’m excited to see what that turns out to be!
So cute! 🙂 I love Agatha and I can’t wait to knit it 🙂
I’ve recently started sewing, and I love your style. All of the clothing you’ve made is really inspiring.
Great job on the Blagatha! Interesting how much your tension changed from the first to this one.
I like your idea of yarn layaway! It *is* hard to buy all that yarn all at once!!
you are soooo pretty!
This is gorgeous! I started knitting in December but haven’t produced very much, mainly because I haven’t put a lot of time into it, but your output is encouraging. Also, I’ve realised after watching the way you style your clothes and cardigans that cardigans cropped to sit right on the waist the way this one does, rather than long to the hip, is EXACTLY what I need to be making for me, so thanks for the inspiration, again!