I may not have been sewing much lately, but I *have* been knitting up a storm! Allow me to introduce Chuck, my fourth sweater.
Ok, this picture is actually kind of useless – I just like the way the light is shining all over my face like I’m some kind of Heavenly Being or something lol
But seriously:
PRETTY FREAKIN STOKED ABOUT THIS LIL’ GUY
This is Chuck, by Andi Satterlund. Also, holy shit I need to stop knitting Andi patterns, or else she is going to think I’m some weird creepy pattern stalker. For real, though, I love her stuff – the shaping is perfect for my body, and I love how everything is knit in one piece. I actually don’t know how to seam up a sweater at this point!
Oh, the skirt is also me-made! It’s pretty old (like, pre-blog days), so I don’t remember what pattern I used. Maybe Vogue 8603? IDEK.
This was knit with absolutely no alterations – although I did need to go down a couple of needle sizes, to a 6. The yarn is good ol’ Cascade 220 (another thing I need to branch away from), it’s a really lovely heathered red with bits of gold & bright blue floating around. I actually bought this yarn in Chicago; Tasha helped me pick it out. I love it, it’s such a nice shade of red!
The pattern itself was super easy to follow, and it knit up SO FAST. Seriously – I started this on 9/20, and ended on Monday. Less than a month! It didn’t hurt that the pattern is almost entirely stockinette, except for the cables in the front. And since it’s knit in the round, that’s just row after row of knit stitches. Really mindless, the perfect kind of project to talk through 🙂
I’ve had people ask me about how I get so much knitting done – I knit in little pieces every day 🙂 Mostly on my lunch break at work (I get an hour!), and then I also meet up twice a week with other knitters for an hour or so. Which, by the way – if you’re a Nashville knitter (or crochet-er, I don’t judge) and want to join our meet-ups, shoot me an email & I’ll pass on the deets. I love meeting other knitters and talking about YARN. God, I’m such an old lady. Ha.
This is the best picture you get of the back. Sorry, but backs are boring.
I did have a bit of a misstep with the cables – I turned a couple the wrong way and didn’t realize it under several rows later. Ugh!! I knew the messed-up cables would bother me to no end, so I took a deep breath and googled a solution…
… which involved ripping WAY THE FUCK DOWN and then knitting everything back up. I’m not going to lie, it was pretty terrifying. I was able to fix everything, as you can see, but the end result had some weird loose yarn pulling in the back, and giant gaps in the front. This is pretty common when fixing cables, the only thing you can really do is pull the yarn around and hope it blocks out. Spoiler: most of it did. I did end up stitching a couple of holes closed with yarn – and the inside has a spot where there is still loose yarn – but it looks ok from the outside. You can hardly tell that any cable surgery happened!
The finished sweater is pretty short (at least an inch above my belly button), but it looks great over dresses & high-waisted pants 🙂
This picture shows the color best. It has so much depth, love it!
So what’s next? I like to always have a project on my needles (it gives me something to look forward to in the middle of the day :D), so I’ve already cast on my next sweater – this will be the Central Park Hoodie.
This yarn is Ella Rae superwash. You should be proud of me, for breaking free of the chains that bind.
Here is my Ravelry page for Chuck, if you’re interested!
I’m so glad it’s finally sweater weather!!
LLADYBIRD 
Love the colour and shape!:D
Where are your shoes from? I LOVE THEM!!!:O
The brand is Sam Edelman! I got them on a major discount haha 🙂
Wow I’m impressed with how fast you progress on your knititng projects! Love your sweater and skirt, and shoes!
That is a super cute sweater! It’s very you – nice work. The colour is gorgeous.
Gorgeous sweater! I’m so impressed at your cable fix. I’ve used that technique for an error just a couple of rows down, but I don’t think I would have the nerve to it that far. I’d have ripped the whole thing back to where I’d made the mistake.
Well, I figured the worst that could happen was I’d have to frog the whole thing. I’m glad I did the rip back, though, because I learned a LOT.
That’s something I really like about knitting – if you mess up, the worst thing that can happen is that you have to start again. It’s annoying, but not the end of the world. (As I was once told, you know how you always say you need to find more knitting after you finish a project? You just found more knitting!) Not like with sewing – a monumental f*** up often leads to a wadder.
I love that sweater, and it looks great with the plaid skirt. The pattern is on my to-do list, but since my husband has a specific sweater he really, really wants me to make, I have to do his first.
Spectacular result! I can’t believe you brought that frogging back from the edge. You learned a boatload from that. I’ve been sick ever since I completed this and I’ve still managed to wear it (to doctor’s) 4 times. It’s very practical. Consider making one with an additional vertical cable if you want one that you can wear with lower-rise bottoms (and not show your tummy). Of course, your tummy is lovely. I’m not suggesting you don’t want to show it off!
I did learn a lot! I’m glad I did it 🙂
I probably am going to make another one eventually and lengthen it like you did. I love yours with the extra cable! I am curious as to how you handled the decreases, though – did you follow the pattern as normal & then knit the third cable with no changes to the stitch count? The only thing I wonder is if I’d need to increase the size at the bottom to fit over my hips.
I didn’t increase for hips over the third cable because I’m not wide there (proportionately), though I might have added a couple of stitches with no ill effects. The rib does give extra room, remember, but you might want to increase it a bit.
You are so FAST at knitting! And I love how your whole outfit is styled.
Fine, fierce, flawless etc. LOVE IT. It fits perfectly on you and that color is amazeballs.
A lovely sweater, nice colour and shape. I love cables myself, they look really classy and are not hard to do. Well done!!
The sweater looks great! I have just added it to my favorites on ravelry. I am looking for a new knitting project.
Holy moly Llady! You are kicking my ass in terms of sweater production. I mean, I know I’m a slow knitter, but you are churning those things out like it ain’t no thing!
…
I feel somewhat ashamed of my non-sweater-progress now.
: ) It’s a gorgeous knit though — love the simple, BIG cable in the front — very flattering!
i don’t even understand any of this lingo but you are talented and wonderful! so awesome to see you wearing handmade things— and looking fabulous!
Oh oh oh oh. Abso-fricking-lutely spectacular. I want to steal your entire wardrobe for me (although I’d have some problems fitting into it, so you’re safe for now). You look incredible and the sweater is perfect. And I’m so fired up to start my cardigan soon!
OMG ITS FABULOUS!! Love that color, and those fantastic cables! bravo on conquering the cable surgery – you cannot even tell that you had any issues 🙂 You are a rock star with all of these marvelous sweaters – I’m casting on for my first one next month! Holla!
Your first sweater!! Oh yay, so proud of you boo ~♥
A knit that you can chat through – only stockingette “& some cables”! LLadybird, you get me. I am in awe of your knitting skills. This is such a wonderful colour & style on you – very glamorous with your peachy plaid skirt. I have ripped back SO much in my cardigan, but not with scary cabling going on. Looks absolutely great for it though.
How amazing! I love this! It fits you beautifully!
You are on a roll, lady!
It’s so good! I love it! I may have to look up that designer for her shaping… Looks great.
Her shaping is seriously flattering & super va va voom – I think you’d love her stuff! I just wish she had more patterns for me to knit up, but you know, that’s just me being selfish 🙂
This looks absolutely amazing! I wish I could knit like this, I’m useless. Nice work!
That skirt is a perfect compliment! And that shade of red is so beautiful. I think you’re very brave to attempt surgery. Success!
Oooh, so beautiful and well done on the scary fix! You’re very brave! And I still insist that you must be a super fast knitter, even if I knitted for an hour or so a day, I still wouldn’t get the results you do ;o)
Lauren you make me want to learn how to knit!
Gorgeous work as always.
I lurve it. The colour is delicious!
Nice job! I’m going to look at these patterns for my next sweater. I need to start taking knitting lunch breaks at school. I forget just how important those things are when things get crazy. But that’s exactly when you need the break!
Knitting breaks are what made me start looking forward to going to work. Haha! Seriously relaxing & I feel all energized & ready for the next half of the day 🙂
So you and I are both Andi pattern creepers. I am making the Agatha right meow and I have plans to make the Miette and Chuck in the near future. I love your version. Adorbs.
P.S. After seeing your Simplicity scalloped neckline dress I ordered the pattern off Ebay and it is in my sewing queue. So thank you for the inspiration!
P.P.S. Maybe I’m a Lladybird creeper, too.
Creep on, creep on! 🙂
Although I love sewing, the more I see what you knit, the more I think knitting is really THE thing that can easily be made in almost any situation (like on the train…) and therefore it seems to go faster than sewing…and makes me want to start knitting! So I ask, which patterns would you recommend for an absolute beginner, and which knitting gear?
It is pretty great to have a portable craft that you can take anywhere! I don’t think it goes faster than sewing, though – unless you’re knitting chunky yarn with big needles in a simple scarf. But quality yarn can get so expensive if you’re not careful, it’s kind of nice to have a project that takes a while to finish up (plus you get to manhandle the yarn the entire time, woohooo). But you should totally start. It’s so awesome 🙂
For beginner recs – I might not be the person to ask since I just dove straight in haha. But I will say the patterns I started off with were the Scrunchable Scarf and then the Casu Cowl (also first charted pattern). The first will get you familiar with knits & purls & keeping a good tension, the second will introduce you to some very simple lacework stitches. As far as gear – well, you can get straight needles for pretty cheap! I’d start with those and branch out once you figure out what you like. I have this interchangable needle kit and it’s really great – but $50 might be a bit much to dump on something that you don’t know if you like yet 🙂 Oh! And try to keep your first projects in a wool yarn – it’s much easier to knit than acrylic, since it has elasticity. And you can block wool 🙂
Looks great! Fit is awesome. Wow on the cable surgery – that looks freaking scary!
That’s adorable Lauren – perfect for your shape and the colour is fabulously seasonal. Ooh you’re all Joan Holloway does Autumn!
Lauren this is seriously AMAZING!! Gaaawwwdddd I just love it so much. Must. Learn. To knit!! You’re really really inspiring me to learn. It looks amazing on you – the color and the cropped length – I can just see it fitting in so well with your handmade wardrobe. Can’t wait to see the next one!
This is beautiful! It makes me want to try my hand at cables, but they really scare me. I love that you’re already on to your next project. You’re going to be an expert at cables pretty soon. I’ll have to keep that in mind if I get myself into trouble with cables in the future… 🙂
I thought cables were scary too, but they’re actually pretty fun! You’re just moving the stitches around and knitting behind them 🙂 Way easier than lace (and I like knitting lace haha).
I’ve just learned how to fix ladders and how to change a purl to a knit and vise versa, but your fix here trumps all of that. Way to go!
You. are. the cutest. AND! I’m wicked envious of your knitting skillz. …and your hot shoes.
cute! I am just learning to knit. Any suggestions on cute sweater patterns for beginners?
Oooh, I’m not sure I’m the one to ask since my first sweater was pretty non-beginner 🙂 I do like the Miette (also: free pattern alert!), if you want to try knitting top-down in the round. I’m currently working on the Central Park Hoodie, which is super easy to the point of almost being boring 🙂 Hope that helps!
Hi!
I have knitted nothing but socks and shawls for ages, as I’m always nervous about getting the size of an actual garment wrong, and having to start all over again to make it fit! Sewing=so much easier in that respect!
So, I have a question. Because this looks so ridiculously ABFAB on you, I ordered the pattern and the yarn right away (of course) but I’m not sure of sizing. In your opinion, should I knit it with negative ease? My bust measures 35″ so I’m thinking of knitting up the 33″ size.
Am I way off there?
Again: your sweater is really really gorgeous and looks awesome on you (ha! but everything looks that way on you). You have enticed me back to knitting sweaters, no less!
I was worried about the sizing with knitting too, but I think as long as you get a good gauge swatch going (and occasionally check your gauge while you knit, to make sure it hasn’t changed drastically), you can really just trust the pattern 🙂 And wool is so nice & elastic, you can really stretch the pieces out if they get a little tight haha.
To answer your question, I have the aforementioned 35″ bust and I knit the 33″… so yes, if you like the fit of mine, then I say knit that size 🙂 It is supposed to fit with about 2″ of negative ease.
Sorry this took days to reply to – Gmail had been sending my comments to spam, ugh!! And thank you! 🙂
What lovely sweater! Love that it is short, matching your pencil skirt so perfect.
Your sweater is great (Yay for the brave fix) and looks fabulous with the skirt! I think you’ll like the Central Park Hoodie – I made it for my daughter a while back to good results. It has all that cable-ly glory that I think you like!
Pretty sweater!
This is awesome. I wil definitely have to try some of her patterns. Also I stumbled upon your blog and am really enjoying the profanity. There isn’t enough of that on sewing blogs!