Tuesday, May 20, 2008

What to do?

I have all this yarn, and so many (too many!) things I want to knit, that I need some help deciding. I bought enough of the Classic Elite Four Seasons cotton to make either a tank top or a cropped cardigan/bolero. I love this blue-red colour. It isn't at all garish, and won't make me look sallow as an orange-red would.

I have shamelessly borrowed pictures from other sites/people to ask for your opinion, but I'm hoping I won't get in trouble because 1) I am not stealing bandwidth, and 2) I have given credit where it's due. So, first up, possible patterns for the red cotton. This is Sahara, available from Stitch Diva Studios. I've seen some very nice ones that other people on Ravelry have made, with modified (and more modest) necklines and beads optional.Perhaps because it's summer (or it will be, even though it is still freezing here!), I have been obsessed with cropped cardigans and boleros! I like the nice, simple lines of the Fiery Bolero from Interweave Knits, which would showcase the smooth yarn and rich colour beautifully.And then there is Stefanie Japel's Drop-stitch Lace Tank (the one in this picture knit by Lilybeth), which has such interesting textures and her signature fitted shaping.
And, at the other end of the spectrum, a light, sweet yellow cashmere, merino and acrylic blend. I have a fleece hoodie in this shade of yellow that I have literally loved to death. It is time to retire it, which is why I was so happy to find this yarn (so soft, so smooshy!) in this colour. Rowan yarns (and this one, with cashmere!) are usually out of my price range (at least, enough of it to make a sweater with), so it's quite a treat for me, and am going to be very careful about choosing a pattern.

I want something classic - so that it won't go out of style and I can treasure it and wear it for a long time to come - but with enough interesting details to save it from being boring. Here are my many choices: Norah Gaughan's Pink Vintage Cardigan, which would be equally pretty in pale yellow.Carrie Bostick Hoge's Little Smocked Cardigan, which is another instance of my cropped-cardigan craving. I can just imagine wearing it over a sundress.Melissa Wehrle's Wallis Cardigan, which I very much want to knit this summer, but which may do better in a drapier yarn, such as the original cotton/silk blend that was used in the photo version.Pam Allen's Flutter Sleeve Cardigan, which was originally knit in a light, drapey bamboo/soy blend yarn.Another design by Stefan Japel, the Puff-Sleeved Feminine Cardigan (also from her book Fitted Knits), here knit by Charmaine. An ultra-simple wrap cardigan by Debbie Bliss, but I don't have any wrap cardigans.


Or this very cute, swingy cardigan/jacket from Vogue Knitting, designed by Margaret O'Leary. (The one in this picture was made by mzanita.

What to do, what to do?

3 comments:

Kea said...

Hey Lana,
I really like the lavender tank top with the diamond pattern. I think it'd look awesome in red.

greeeenwithenv said...

I really like the Wallis and Flutter Sleeve cardigans. They might not be as interesting to knit, but I think they're the most wearable.

MooCow said...

I like the Pink Vintage, Flutter Sleeve, and Puff-Sleeved cardigans. Like greenwithenv said, they look the most wearable. The Wallis has a nice shape, but the type of yarn it uses actually makes the cardigan look VERY homemade, and not in a good way. You can see it better on Interweave knits' web site.