Dad's Camel Cardigan
Yarn: Harrisville Highland 2-ply
4 cones @ 450yd/cone
Gauge: 5st = 1”
7 rows = 1” over stockinette stitch
Status: completed, washed, blocked, mailed & delivered
Click photos for closeup views
Dec 22 2005
Here it is, the final product. I had Dad try it on when he was here. The sleeves were a little short so I added about 1-1/2” to them.
Final measurements
Width 25.5”
Length 23.5”
Armhole depth 9.5”
Sleeve length 20”
I compared the final measurements to the original measurements I took of my dad quite awhile ago. I should have blocked the sweater a little longer and narrower. Unfortunately, I figured this out after I wrapped the sweater for Christmas and mailed it to Arizona. Oh well.
The buttons are brass, with a crest putatively of the city of Salzburg. They look nice, very manly.
Oct 26 2005
Ah, the great unwashed. I’ve got the sleeves done. All that remains is to tack down the cut steeks on the inside, wash and block, and add buttons.
Button shopping is its own bit of fun, capping off a good project. I always leave it to the last, when the sweater is complete.
The proportions look blocky to my eye. But Dad will be here in a few weeks and I’ll have him try it on. I’ll be able to tell then if I’ve got the fit right or if I need to make some adjustments in the blocking.
Sep 16 2005
I made an error when I cast off for the center steek and worked the bottom ribbing. I forgot about a small design element. I meant to have a single knit stitch between the cable and and the front ribbing. I didn’t allow for that when I worked my ribbing.
Being too lazy to rip out all the ribbing and reworking it, I picked up the back side of one stitch in. What should have been the selvedge stitch instead becomes a vertical line. It was a bit of a tight fit, admittedly. But I don’t think anyone will notice.
Isn’t that little coin cable around the neck and down the front nice?
Sep 04 2005
Progress often seems a slow thing, then it’s a surprise when I see how far I’ve come. It’s taken the better part of two months to get the rest of the way down the body. But the rest should come more quickly. Sleeves (providing I don’t rip them out 3 times) knit up pretty fast. The edging with buttonholes will be tedious to work.
Jul 05 2005
It’s not knitting unless I rip it out three times.
It’s my knitting motto and it’s holding true for this sweater as well. I had the yoke and upper body all done when I decided I didn’t like the rate of increase (because I’m working top down) for the v-neck.
I had been stumped as to how to proceed once I got the back yoke completed. I wanted some small cabling on the front to break up the monotony, both for me and for the sweater. My mother-in-law suggested running the small coin cable I used on the shoulder down the front, on either side of the front opening.
Now it’s just straight boring stockinette stitch down the body, with the occasional short row on the back to keep the sweater from riding up. Thankfully I can knit this pretty fast, though I think I’ve sprained my left forefinger from knitting too much.
May 29 2005
Dad has been bugging me for years to make him another sweater to replace the one he lost. Harrisville’s Highland 2-ply, though intended for weaving, is the perfect yarn for light-weight “dad” sweaters. Think “Father Knows Best”. I finally went to WEBS online yarn store on a different mission. I was thrilled to find they stock Harrisville Highland 2-ply. Even though it wasn’t on sale, I bought 4 cones.
I really don’t have a design worked out for this sweater yet, but that doesn’t stop me from starting. I like having a back yoke and I like having a small cable running down the top of the arm. I suppose there will be some cabling on the front. Dad doesn’t like fancy sweaters. He just wants something practical.
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You’re the woman! I like the new style of your site. I’ve always wanted to know, do you do all your own designs, or do you occasionally use a pattern (especially for Fair Isle type stuff)? I love your finished projects!
Kirstin
— Kirstin Wed Oct 5, 10:39 PM #