Finished object file: Puntilla Sweater | Skein Merino Cashmere Fingering

This is the kind of pose you end up with when your 6YO gives the directions. He thought that I could best show off the lace by holding my hands this way.

Here's another finished object for a couple of months ago but I have been wearing it so much since I finished it and it is certainly one of my current wardrobe favs. I'm talking about the Puntilla sweater designed by Joji Locatelli that I knit for the recent Skein Sweater KAL that Kristen hosted through her Ravelry group.

When Kristen first announced that she was going to offer a preorder sale for sweater lots of her yarn I was immediately hooked. I started obsessing over her colour ways and bases and dreaming of the different sweaters I could make. Then Kristen announced that she was also going to host a sweater KAL starting in May just around the time the preorders were due to be sent out. This totally sent me down the Ravelry rabbit hole. I ummed and ahhed over two patterns initially but every time I logged onto Ravelry I started adding more patterns to my short (long) list.

'Milk Glass' is a beautiful colour way but it was not quite what I expected.

Finally, I decided to make Joji Locatelli's Puntilla sweater from her recently released Authentic Collection. From the Skein update I ordered 4 skeins of MCN Sock in the 'Milk Glass' colour way on a whim because the photo of the colour looked like a soft neutral with subtle splashes of pastel purple and bluey grey. When the skeins actually arrived and I started swatching with the yarn I realised that the colour way was much deeper and variegated then I had expected. I kept looking at my swatch and I kept thinking, "I love these colours, it looks amazing." However, something still nagged at me in the back of my mind about the colour and only after I had cast on and started knitting the shoulders did I finally admit to myself that I just didn't love the colour way when I was knitting it in st st. I was troubled by just how variegated it was and I didn't feel comfortable wearing that blend of colours in a sweater that was predominately knit in st st. Luckily, I had some Skein Merino Cashmere (MC) Fingering in 'Graphite' in my stash and so I frogged what I had knit with the 'Milk Glass' and started all over again. 

The knit went fairly quickly after I got past the shoulders and the short row shaping for the neckline. I had never knit a Joji pattern before and her shoulder construction method was a style that I had never tried before either. But all credit to Joji for writing such clear instructions, because it was not tricky at all and I was surprised that in a relatively short amount of time I had a neck hole and a pair of shoulders.

It's hard taking photos in the yard without the dogs getting in the way.

Those dogs are still there in the background.

Once I had the arms holes done and had joined the work in the round I buzzed through the st st body. I knit the sleeves on short circulars, which has become my favourite method of small circumference knitting (BTW, I use 20cm Addi turbos for that) and then I finished the neck ribbing with an invisible ribbed bind off to give it a bit more stretch. Bang, the main body of the sweater was done and I was onto the lace trims. 

Here is where the 'Milk Glass' came back into play. I decided that though I didn't like the colour way in st st I was going to love it knit in lace. So I picked up the the stitches around the ribbed ends of the sweater and knit the easy to memorise lace in the beautiful 'Milk Glass' colour. I adore the little touches of mauve and bluey grey that peak through in the lace trim. I love how the lace sits at the end of my sleeves and at the bottom of the sweater giving it a touch of femininity to an otherwise boxy and androgynous garment.

I like this pattern over Joji's very popular Boxy sweaters because it is not as wide in the body and the added lace trims just gives it something a little special for the everyday. Hence this top has been my favourite one to wear as our weather has turned colder and colder in Melbourne. The MC Fingering is just so soft and cuddly, so when the weather wasn't so cold I would wear a singlet underneath and the yarn was so divine against the skin. Now that it is colder the generous boxy style of the jumper means that I can still wear it comfortably over my layers.

Thanks to Kristen from Skein for hosting such a fantastic KAL and for the awesome prize.

And, as an added bonus I won a prize from the KAL. Kristen announced me as one of the winners at the end of the KAL and she awarded me a Kimi Silks project bag. I am extra chuffed that on top of having a gorgeous new sweater to wear I won something in the KAL. Who would have thought I'd be so lucky?

What to knit Wednesday: girl sweaters

It may have been forecast for 28 degrees Celsius today but it was still cool enough for a cardigan in the morning.

As we approach the cooler months of the year in Australia I want to talk girl sweaters in this week's post for 'What to knit Wednesday'. It is with a slight feeling of guilt that I realise I have knitted more for my daughter than for my son but it is because I have knitted more for her that I can compose a list of 5 patterns of girl sweaters (pullovers and cardigans).

1. Livie designed by Carrie Bostick Hoge.

I wrote about this gorgeous cardigan in a 'Finished object file' post a couple of weeks ago and you can read about it there. I love this pattern and I will probably knit it again when Miss L grows out of her current one.

Keeping cosy at the park in Camilla Babe

2. Camilla Babe designed by Carrie Bostick Hoge.

As you can guess I am a bit in love with Carrie's designs which is totally understandable once you have a look at her patterns from her blog. I knit the Camilla Babe as Miss L's winter pullover last year and I made it a generous fit so I am certain to get another year's wear out of it. Knit with a simple fan pattern set within garter stitch this pullover is the perfect balance of an everyday sweater with a little bit of fancy for a special outfit too.

Carrie designed this pullover to be knit seamlessly from the bottom up and it was easily adapted to make the size larger. I added 3 extra sets of the fan pattern before dividing the piece for the armholes to give the jumper a longer body and I knit longer sleeves that I rolled up a little last year. Take a look at my Ravelry project notes for more detailed MODs.

It was such a lovely cosy jumper for Miss L last year and I am glad that we get to keep wearing it this year too.

3. Knitted poncho with hood by DROPS design.

Technically not a sweater, but when Miss L went through a stage where she hated putting her arm through sleeves, I decided that a poncho would be the solution. I first came across this pattern when I was searching on Etsy for a handmade poncho and I noticed that a few different sellers were making this poncho. Then I had a light bulb moment, "Maybe I can find this pattern and make it myself." and I hit the jackpot. Not only did I find this pattern it was also available as a free download.

As far as designs go it couldn't get easier or quicker than this pattern

This pattern is incredibly easy and a very quick knit. Using super bulky yarn and 8mm needles it only took me a week and a half to finish it. Again, I am getting heaps of wear out of it because it easily drapes over the shoulders and has just gotten shorter and shorter as Miss L has grown. Initially I thought some arm slots would be good on the poncho because the length equaled Miss L's entire body, but now that it is short enough to just sit over the elbows it does perfectly well without arm slots.

Miss L's Everyday top was worn nearly everyday of her first winter

4. Everday top by Anna and Heidi Pickles.

This pullover is exactly what it's name suggests; an every day top. The Pickles girls designed this with simplicity and warmth in mind, much like most of their designs. By choosing some luscious high quality yarn to knit it with, it becomes that special hand knit item that is a joy to wear every day.

Knit seamlessly in the round from the top down the pattern is offered in size 6-12 months for free from the Pickles blog or you can buy the pattern and have all the sizes from 6 month to 8 years. The purchased pattern also has instructions to make a long sleeved boy version of the every day top which I haven't had a go at yet but since the sizes are all the way up to 8 years I can still make it for Sir S next year.

5. Wee Melia designed by Ysolda Teague.

This is one of my queued projects and I've even purchase the yarn for it. I love it because every little girl needs a little red hooded outfit. This beautiful jacket has a lovely honeycomb border to give it that special look and the simple single button clasp makes it a easy to put on garment just like the Livie cardigan.

Image source: Ysolda Teague

I have set aside some beautiful Cephalopod Traveller DK yarn in Gallifrey colour way; this yarn is a discontinued range because Cephalopod was an indie dyer who stopped dying due to health reasons. I'm glad I snapped up this yarn and I will enjoy knitting with it for this pattern.

Gallifrey is the perfect colour way for a Doctor Who fan.

Share your favourite girl sweaters. What have you knit and loved?