new year, new sweater

By now it is a tradition for me... Angel started it... She starts a project every new year for good luck. Since they say, that at the first day of the year you should do things you would like to do all year... Casting on a new project fits perfectly in this theme... For a couple of years it was by chance that the sweater I started as the first thing in a year happened to be red. But then it started to become intentional, as red is a lucky color (not only for the chinese, right? ).

So this year, I was all prepared, selected the pattern, and got the yarn well in advance. And as a self imposed job-duty, both of them is from DROPS.

As for the pattern...after finishing the translation for the DROPS winter catalogue I was free to roam in the old(er patterns) and I found quite a few treasures. Like this absolutely simple, but lovely cardigan.

The structure of it is basically very simple and old fashioned. Knitted flat, in pieces and sewn up afterwards. My gauge was off ... or... as the original version was written for a DROPS Loves You yarn (that is no longer available), or Karisma. I had a lovely red Nepal for this... I checked an old swatch, I thought was knitted from Nepal, and it was close enough... Only after I frogged about 10 cm of the back I realized that the swatch was knitted from Lima (similar, but thinner yarn). DUH.

The only modernish thing about the cardigan is the A line, and probably the flowery wood buttons I put on, to break up all that redness.It took me exactly seven days to knit it (would have been less, if I would not kept frogging it)... from the Nepal I started with size S, but still had to tinker with the armhole and the sleeves.At the end it turned out a simple, but nice, and comfy, everyday cardigan. I think it would do for teh start of the year.

Pattern: DROPS 108-22

Yarn: DROPS Nepal

Photos: Christopher Laurent Deli