In Progress - Crochet Cardigan and Machine Knitting Dress

CrochetMachine KnittingMachine Knitting Chall...Work in Progress

Jan 14

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Happy Thursday!

I am sorry for missing my usual Wednesday post, our Internet company keeps cutting us off from the world :) Anyway, the life goes on - working, walking and crafting of course.For the past several months I've been pretty faithful to one project at a time from start to finish, but now it looks like I want to cast on and on. The main thing for me is to keep up with my craft goals that I set for myself.Machine knitting challenge is right on the schedule. It doesn't look like I am going to make it right in time for my birthday, it doesn't really matter - I want to get on a long road trip and a hike, so I definitely won't need a dress for this. But I am determined to have one machine knitting FO a month, so our home is filled with the sound of the carriage moving across the needle bed in the early morning hours... The math is done and the back is already on the machine.I try to capture the real color of yarn with my camera, but it keeps slipping away. On all photos it looks closer to blue shade, but in reality it has more green "flavor" in it.I wasn't planning to cast anything new, but one pattern caught my attention and I just couldn't resist. Kram Cardi crochet cardigan by Katy Petersen is a classic elegant and timeless knitwear piece! Katy was so generous to share it for free on her website. I am late for the CAL, but it will be still fun following all her posts! For those who prefer the usual standard downloadable PDF Katy offers it for just $1! What a deal, isn't it?!I got into my stash that is getting smaller and smaller and found fingering weight cotton skeins. It's way too thin for the fabric suitable for the cardi, but I decided to crochet holding two strands together, that led me to the idea to add a little bit of gradient fun in the project.

The colors are so subtle that mixing them is a breeze! I am not sure if I want to try combination of three - grey+grey, then grey+ivory, then ivory+ivory; or just two - grey+grey, then change to grey+ivory; or grey+ivory then ivory+ivory. Oh my, it looks like an equation :) Anyway, I tried three combo on the swatch and now I know that I have to just put it on my coffee table and leave it there for awhile, then the decision will come on its own.

This is not the stitch pattern used in the pattern, I will switch to it when I decide on the color, but this swatch gives me more information how the colors will behave.I also realized that this is the FIRST crochet pattern that I follow! I love experimenting with the great variety of crochet stitches and creating on the go without taking notes, but now I want to understand the logic behind the crochet pattern and how it flows. The practice is the best way to do it! I will try to hold myself and not sneak in way too many modifications :) The project is Raveled here - Kram Cardi.