Top Down? Top Done!

Got the Top-Down Cardi done. Now here is the cool part of this pattern--when you are done knitting, all you have to do it block it and sew on the buttons. I just tossed it in the washing machine, gave it good soak in some wool wash, and then spun it out, and then laid it out to dry. And Voila, wearable. Okay, I confess I've haven't sewn the buttons on yet, but that's because I want to line the button bands with this grosgrain ribbon I picked up.



My grandmother always finished her sweaters with grosgrain ribbon, because it gave you something to sew the buttons securely to. On the last sweater she made for me, there is the grosgrain my mother sewed in for her because Grandma was having trouble seeing by then. I love that sweater, and those buttons have never come loose, not once in the 20+ years I've been wearing it, so I am taking the time to finish my new sweater in the same fashion.

I really can't believe how quickly this sweater came off the needles, but on the next one (yes, I am going to knit another one) I think I will do some things differently.

1) I'll knit the neck ribbing wider, at least 2 inches, maybe 2½ inches wide, and I'll knit it in smaller needles. Ditto on the cuffs and waistband. I did seed stitch on this one, but I think I am going to use a twisted rib or something else.

2) I'll stop increasing around the yoke a little earlier. Even when you put it on waste yarn and try it on, it really is your best guess as to where to stop and I'm a few rows past what I would have preferred.

Other than that, I love the pattern, which offers so many possibilities. I think I am going to knit my red hand dyed into one and will probably do a cable for the button bands.

But in the meantime, off to finish my CPH, (which I've got the back done) and I want to knit the Fair Isle hat from my Fair Isle class at Madrona.


One can never have enough cardigans or hats!