Saturday 16 July 2011

Tea Leaves

July 2011

So for reasons which will become increasingly apparent over the next few months, I'm on a quest for projects which will work as maternity wear but which I'll also enjoy wearing the rest of the time. This boat necked inverted v type shape is a real winner from that point of view, and the the ruched yoke of Tea Leaves really appealed to me.

After purchasing this pattern via the Madelinetosh website I managed to lose the first copy somehow by opening the pattern and then closing it again without saving it first. Madelinetosh were very helpful about it, though, and emailed out another copy as a .pdf.

I think there is a slight error with buttonholes, as a k2tog is followed by a double yo, which means an increase of two stitches in comparison to a decrease of just one. This means you end up with one extra stitch per buttonhole after the buttonhole row unless you work some additional decreases somewhere.


I also thought that picking up stitches at the recommended rate of 3 for every 4 rows created a button-band which was much too long in relation to the body of the cardigan, and puckered rather than hanging flat. I found picking up two then skipping a row, then three then skipping a row worked better.

I love this yarn, Cascade 220, HARD. I originally bought a big bag of it to make Heroine but having changed my mind it's since been used for a Seamless Hybrid, a pair of Susie's Reading Mitts, this and I still have enough left for a hat (probably a February Beret). Not bad at all for about £60.


Other mods: short rows in neckline and bust-darts. Four buttonholes rather than two and placed closer together. Sleeves shortened by about six inches.

Dress from H&M, buttons from Duttons for Buttons in York (and I'm very pleased with the colour match). This is me at 5.5 months :)

Pattern: Tea Leaves Cardigan by Melissa LeBarre
Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers
Amount: 4 skeins
Colourway: 9448 Green
Needles: 4.00mm
Size: 36"
On ravelry: here

5 comments:

  1. Your sweater looks so pretty! And it is perfect with that adorable polka-dot dress. Well done!

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  2. It's a fabulous cardigan. Looks lovely on you.
    Doesn't the double yo create a bigger hole, instead of an extra stitch ? You knit one stitch into the double yo, just dropping the extra yo, to make a larger hole for bigger buttons.

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  3. Ah yes - that's probably it!

    Sadly as there are no specific instructions for the row following the buttonhole row, it didn't occur to me to do that.

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  4. i love this cardigan so much!! great color too.

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  5. I am finishing up this Cardigan and am also struggling with the Button Bands. They just look WONKY. Love the pattern but am on my third try and getting very frustrated. Did not understand the double YO wither so just jid a 2 stitch bind off.

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