Campside Cardi

I did it! My first official grown-up sweater. And I LOVE IT! This cardigan is from the same designer that created the Campside Shawl, which I finished this past fall. I loved that shawl, and wore it all winter! So of course, I had to give the Campside Cardigan a try.

The pattern is all charted, so this isn't a pattern for knitters who can't read a chart. (Although it's definitely a skill worth learning.) I found the pattern pretty straightforward and easy to follow. I made sure to review other knitters pattern notes, and many said that the arms were too tight. So I picked of 4 extra stitches under each arm to try to fix it. It helped a little, but I will add some more raglan increases next time I make this pattern. This was also a really quick pattern to knit up. In fact, I think the shawl took me longer than the cardi. I finished this up in about a week, which means it's perfect for a last minute gift. I'll be giving these as gifts like crazy.

I decided to go with Malabrigo Rios again, this time in Ivy, because it worked so perfectly for the shawl. And it worked perfectly here, too. In fact, it was my savior. Even though I made a gauge swatch, my finished cardi was a tad small. But thank heavens that this yarn grows like crazy when blocked. Just a little bit of blocking and it fit perfectly. And I love how it softens and has a subtle halo after blacking. It really is a delight to work with and wear. I'll be honest, I was secretly happy when we had a cold front come through, because it meant I didn't have to wait until the fall to wear this beauty. And I got so many compliments on it. My pharmacist complimented it, my neighbor petted it, and a knitter at the store was try to secretly deconstruct it, until I noticed and told her where to find the pattern.