All about the knitting

As I mentioned in a previous post, I started knitting for the first time in ages to have a portable project to take away over Christmas.  It seems that I can't just sit still with nothing to do any more!

Kerry Kestrel put me on to Kate Davies designs after seeing her lovely Manu Very Scottish Cardigan and I totally fell in love with the Deco cardigan.

I love the texture of the pattern and the way the design shapes towards the waist is so flattering (you can see it better here)!

Although I have been knitting since I was about 7, and have made loads of toys, doll's clothes, baby/ child clothes and blankets, I don't think I have ever sewn an adult garment!  So I plunged into the world of tension squares (another first!).  After trying out a heavy 4 ply, I came to the conclusion that I needed a heavier wool to compensate for my tight knitting, and chose:

Rowan Felted tweed DK in Maritime.  I actually chose it to go with some buttons I bought from the market in Brighton.  I always find it so hard to choose buttons at the end of a project, so this way I know the buttons will work!

The pattern is for 3mm needles but I am using 3 1/4 mm to get the right guage.

I'm learning loads with this pattern - there's not nearly so much shaping in kids' garments!  More about that in a future post. 

But trying to get on with this and the Tira sewalong is proving tough.  Maybe I'll hold on the knitting for a week.  I had plans to take the knitting on the train with me, which was great when it was tiny, but with a cardigan knitted all in one piece, it becomes a bit bulky when you are half way down the sleeve!