Tuesday, June 1, 2010

FO: Flutter-Sleeve Cardigan + Happy 30th Birthday to Me!

Teal Flutter-Sleeve Cardigan remix (37 weeks pregnant)

Sewing is still my favorite craft activity by far, but knitting wins hands down in the "activities appropriate for extremely tired pregnant ladies who need to keep their swollen ankles up on pillows all the time" department.

This one's from the UFO pile--I started knitting it in June 2008, but had to put it down in September 2008 when it was 90% complete due to repetitive stress issues in my wrists. A few months ago I dug it out and started working on finishing it bit by bit, an hour or two a week. I patiently knit up the button bands, seamed the shoulders, wove in the ends... and last night, I attached the buttons.

Of course, it's not actually a maternity sweater, so it should fit quite a bit better when I don't have a 37-weeks-pregnant belly!

  • Pattern: Pam Allen's Flutter Sleeve Cardigan from the Spring 2008 issue of Interweave Knits. The flutter sleeves are knit as one with the body pieces. It's mostly stockinette, with a seed stitch border and ribbing at the waist to create shaping.
  • Sizing: I like negative ease, so I made the smallest size--36" finished bust. I had a 38" bust at the time (it's 42" at the moment--thanks pregnancy hormones!) I didn't do any horizontal FBA action, but I did add vertical length over the front bust area with short rows--at least 1.5" if I recall.
  • Yarn/Needles/Notions: I used 4.5 balls of Classic Elite Classic Silk Yarn (cotton/silk/nylon blend) in a teal color (color# 6949) with circular needles size 2.5, 4 and 5. The buttons are from M&J. Although this yarn is wonderfully soft, I think I'm through with cotton and/or silk blends--they just don't have enough give for my liking. I'll stick to wool and alpaca in future.
  • Modifications: Besides adding short rows, I omitted the cuff/tab detail at the sleeve ends, and just did some more seed stitch.
  • Here's a link to all the details on Ravelry (I've made it public so you can see it even if you're not a member).

I'm worried that I placed the buttons too low and overdid the short row FBA. I'll wait until the pregnant belly is mostly gone to be sure, but I have a suspicion that there needs to be a third button to fix the gaposis I've got going on over the bust--not that I have a clue as to how to add a buttonhole on a finished knit object!

Button detail:

Teal Flutter-Sleeve Cardigan Button Band Detail

Closer-in front view:

Finished: My Teal Flutter-Sleeve Cardigan

Back view:

Teal Flutter-Sleeve Cardigan Back View

Does it need a third button? Hmmm...

Teal Flutter-Sleeve Cardigan--should I add a third button?

Side view:

Teal Flutter-Sleeve Cardigan Side View

Flat views:

Teal Flutter-Sleeve Cardigan Flat View, FrontTeal Flutter-Sleeve Cardigan Flat View, Back

Oh, in case you're wondering what's with the new backdrop--that's Cartoonist Baby's room/my parents's room (my mom is going to stay with us to take care of Cartoonist Baby when I go back to work) in progress.

Masheka painted it a beautiful shade of (low-VOC) "Sweet Butter" yellow, and we're working on adding art to the walls and setting up furniture, etc. Cartoonist Baby is going to sleep in a cosleeper next to our bed for at least 4 or 5 months, so we still have some time to get it all together. Here's a picture of one corner so far:

Cartoonist Baby's room in progress

The rocking chair is the same chair my mom rocked me in when I was a baby--she just refinished and recovered it. The crib is IKEA's Gulliver crib in a wood finish (don't worry--we know there should be no stuffed animals or quilts in a crib when the baby is sleeping in it, they're just on display for now.) My amazing mom sewed the quilt and the Mei Tai style baby carriers hanging on the door.

Finally... I turned 30 today. I thought it would feel like a bigger deal than it did, but I'm way more focused on another upcoming birth day!

P.S. Cartoonist Baby is getting another cardigan too, as I mentioned before, Elizabeth Zimmerman's February Baby Sweater on Two Needles from Knitter's Almanac, made with some yarn I kettle-dyed a few years back. But I'm going slow to be careful with my wrists:

Hand-dyed pink February Baby Sweater in Progress

18 comments:

  1. Happy birthday! and your sweater is so pretty, I love the colour.

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  2. Happy Birthday!! Your sweater is lovely, it just might need another button I'm thinking, like you say. Baby's room colour is gorgeous and the little jacket you are currently knitting is so cute. It's a beautiful colour.

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  3. Happy birthday! I've been reading your blog for roughly 3 months now & you always make me smile. I imagine your little one should be arriving any day now... Hope everything goes smoothly and we'll all miss you while you're gone.

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  4. Hey! Happy birthday! Glad to see you are doing well - you're in the home stretch now!

    And I vote 3rd button -- even flat it looks better with one, I think.

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  5. Happy birthday! It's always nice when a project works out. Maybe a decorative pin could take the place of a third button?

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  6. Happy Birthday, and gorgeous sweater!!! I'm glad that your mom is coming. I was extremely fortunate to have access to outstanding onsite childcare when my daughter was born, and feeling good about your child's caretaker(s) really takes the edge off of going back to work. Love the sunny yellow walls, too!

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  7. Happy Birthday! I love the flutter cardigan on you. You look amazing. Glad to hear you were able to pick it back up and complete an UFO.

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  8. Happy birthday!! The cardi is super cute! I try to make myself something new to wear each year. It's pretty fun, like giving myself a present!

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  9. Happy birthday!!! I love the cardigan. Great colour choice. I'm never patient enough to finish a knitting or crochet project.
    The baby room is very cute too, love the rocking chair!!!

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  10. Thanks everyone! I'm not really super-patient... it's more that I'm incapacitated and need something to do when my belly is too heavy to stand up and walk!

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  11. Happy birthday! I like the color of Cartoonist Baby's room - it's pretty much the same color I painted my room about a year and a half ago. A yellow like that is great - vibrant color but it goes with anything and isn't overwhelming.

    Your sweater looks amazing, and I can't wait to see the finished pink one for Cartoonist Baby.

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  12. Happy Birthday! Looks (from your photo) that you have a little while longer wait on that miniature cartoonist to show up. Hang in there!

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  13. Happy Birthday! Welcome to the 30s :)

    Funny - we have the Gulliver crib too, in white. Was given to us by some friends after their baby outgrew it. I love its simple, modern design.

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  14. Happy Birthday! Love the color of the sweater!

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  15. Happy (belated) birthday! The sweater is lovely! I wish I had the patience to complete a garment from knitting.

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  16. Happy Birthday. I just have to say how inspired I am by this post. I have also knitted that interweave knitts cardy but I also put it down and didnt pick it up again. It was exam stress I think. Yours looks really good, prettier then the original picture. I really should dig it out and finish it.

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  17. The sweater looks lovely. Great work!

    I'd wait until after the baby arrives to pass judgement on the extra button. In the meantime, what about using a shawl pin or a button-brooch to hold it?

    Happy birthday, and wishes for a Cartoonist Baby birthday soon!

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