My first cardigan

It took me a month, during which I had a two weeks long break for holidays, to knit my first cardigan, but it’s finally finished!

The cardigan is  based on the Morning Glory pattern by Pam Allen and knitted with Louisa Harding Colline in deep raspberry pink. It’s worsted weight cotton and alpaca yarn and I love it: the addition of alpaca makes it a little more soft and stretchy than pure cotton, but it is still good for spring and autumn knits, when the weather is warm but not hot.

The cardigan is not full at the front, as the edges don’t meet, and the raglan sleeves are three quarters length. It’s knitted in stocking stitch with a delicate and simple lace shells pattern, which makes it good for confident beginners: it’s easy but interesting and requires some attention not to mistake the rows in the lace edge. The construction is bottom up which kept me worried all the time if I had chosen the right size 😉

Some details of the shells pattern:

I used three skeins (600 metres) of yarn which is less than I expected and still have two skeins left. I haven’t decided how to use them, for now they are waiting safely in my stash until I find a good purpose for them. I’m also pretty sure I’m going to use this yarn in other colours in the future – I actually found a pattern of a short sleeved sweater for my Mum and I think this yarn would be perfect for it.

And today I had an opportunity to wear my cardi for the first time. The weather is amazing, with 15 degrees Celsius, no wind and completely cloudless sky, which in Ireland means summer 😉 The cardigan was just perfect for a short trip to the seaside in Greystones near Dublin and a coffee outside in the sun.

I’m already thinking what to knit next!