Velynda

Way back at the beginning of the year I started knitting a cardigan.  I talked about it and showed you a little bit here, when it looked like this.



It didn't actually take me too much longer to finish the knitting part, but it did take me a heck of a while to get my lazy self to the button shop.  I do have lots of buttons at home, but mostly mismatched and nothing that would work.  Eventually, I got some cute little spotty ones that I'm quite happy with.



So, at last, I can show you the whole garment.




Hoorah and ta-dah!

You can see also, that I'm wearing the very dressy-tunic top that inspired me to make the cardigan in the first place.  The yarn colour is exactly what I wanted to go with it, which was a very lucky break.  It just so happened that I had found this particular yarn only a few days before in a Christmas Sale.  So when I thought of the cardigan idea, there it was, ready to go.  That never usually happens!



A little word about the yarn, while we're here.  It's Rowan Cashsoft Baby DK, which as you can see, is not that cheap.  That's why I was so glad to find it in the sale!  Now, I would whole heartedly recommend this yarn, it's gorgeously soft, a lovely colour, delightful to knit with.  The stitches look good and it feels lovely to wear.  But...

It was absolutely full of knots!  I should think of the eight balls I used, only two balls didn't have a knot somewhere in them and some had more than one!!  Is it just me, or is that a bit much?  I mean, £6 a ball and you can't even give me a whole piece of yarn - wow.  So, I'm torn.  I love the yarn, but I don't love the knots.  There.  That's the full disclosure, I shall leave you to make you own choice!  Maybe I was just unlucky?



Well, that aside, I really enjoyed knitting it.  The pattern is great and well written.  It's called Velynda and it's by Bonnie Marie Burns of Chic Knits.  It's actually a worsted weight pattern, but I knit to the 38" instructions and it fits my 36" frame very nicely.  I even did a swatch and everything to make sure!




The only other thing I changed, was to change the sleeve to a three-quarter length sleeve, instead of the full length on the pattern.  Strange really because I always used to hate 3/4 length sleeves.  'What's the point?' I'd say.  'Surely if it's cold enough to want a cardigan, I'm going to need my whole arm covered', I'd moan.  Yet now, I love them.  Odd.  I wear layers more now-a-days, that's the only thing I can put it down to.  I often wear full length sleeve tops under my cardi and hey, if I'm still cold, then that's what hand knitted arm warmers and mitts are for, right?




Just to make life easy, here's a summary of all the essentials:

Pattern: Velynda by Bonnie Marie Burns (And the Rav link)
Yarn: Rowan Cashsoft Baby DK
Yards: I used 1172
Needles: 3.5mm (US 4) and 4.0mm (US 6)
Size:  Knitted a 38" in DK to get a 36"


S x

Comments

  1. I love your Velynda! Beautiful! And have just bought the pattern. Read through some of the notes, and many complain that the necks too wide, how did you overcome that problem? Thanks, Celeste

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  2. It looks lovely, and matches perfectly with your tunic (which is also gorgeous what a pretty cut and fabric.)

    I'm with you on the yarn, if it was cheap you'd let it off, but as it clearly isn't then it's not really good enough.

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  3. Lovely cute cardi. Like the colour and the buttons myself.

    I'm with you on the yarn, I recently used some Rowan Colourspun, (at around £12/100g, and it was awful. In fairness it is a very loose twist, but mostly the thickness of the yarn wasn't consistent, and in a couple of places it just shredded apart. Knots too! I emailed a complaint to Rowan but never had a reply (!)

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  4. What a lovely cardigan and it looks great over that gorgeous top.
    Hugs
    Pene

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  5. It is really lovely. I have the pattern but never cast on because it is bottom up and I am a top down girl. I may be tempted to give it a go now after seeing your beautiful cardigan :)

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  6. Lovely is exactly the right word! Great choice and fantastic work.

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  7. Beautiful. I love that colour - gorgeous

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  8. What a gorgeous cardigan! I've wanted to learn to knit and this may just be the inspiration I need to give it a go. Well done.

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  9. Wow, that is a gorgeous cardi!

    Oh to be able to knit at more than snails pace!

    Alison
    x

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  10. Super cute sweater and those buttons!!!!! Love!!!

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    Replies
    1. Your cardigan is gorgeous, beautifully made. I love your tunic too.
      Anne xx

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  11. gorgeous cardigan, Sandra! I will have a look for that on Ravelry. Lovely! xx

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  12. The cardigan is beautiful.
    Teresa

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  13. This turned out just lovely! I really like the color and stitch definition of the yarn, also you picked great buttons. I've been wanting to knit this eventually. I've made a couple of Chic Knits patterns in the past and really like them.

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  14. That looks lovely, you have done a really good job.I made jumpers for myself when I was younger but avoid making them now as I'm always disappointed with the fit,I do get tempted though. I agree with you about the wool, it's incredibly frustrating when you have spent a lot of money on good quality wool for it to be full of knots, it's not what you expect.Sue

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  15. Oh wow, this is so pretty. Well done!
    The little cables are so cute.
    It goes perfectly with your flowery tunic!
    I'm just learning how to knit myself, knitting a cardigan in 2012 was my new years resolution :) xx

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  16. Wow, what a lovely cardigan! I really like the fabric your top's made from too. I am new to your blog and am off for a browse through your older posts now.
    P.s. fab curtains from a couple of posts ago!

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  17. Hello, I just discovered your fab blog! Oh my goodness, what a gorgeous cardi! It is such a perfect colour! Ugh about the knots though, how annoying. There shouldn't be any knots in 50g balls, should there? Love, Tina x

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  18. It's lovely, gorgeous colour, and I'm with you on the 3/4 sleeves :D

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  19. very nice cardigan..original, i like the different type of knitting in the back,,, congratulations

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