I know a wine variety is not an actual cocktail, but it seems appropriate for cooler weather to have a glass of red again, and the color of this yarn just is very Red Wine. Deep, smooth red wine.
This cardigan is due in no small part, to my friend Amy's Fit to Flatter series, something that has kept my knitting friends chatting for the past few months. We've been evaluating what we each look good in, and how to modify the designs we love for our shapes so that they work the best they can on us. We are knitters, after all, and we should be able to make things perfect if we're creating the thing from scratch, yes??
So, I wanted to create a design versatile enough that it would flatter a number of different body types - and I wanted to construct it in a way that would allow knitters the freedom to play with it for their own specific needs. Without re-inventing the wheel (or the pattern), so to speak. I wanted mods on this to be easy.
So, this is knit top down, and you can adjust the length or width as you need. You can create short sleeves or long, or 3/4 ones. The textured hourglass in the center draws the eye in towards your waist, and visually creates a proportional, feminine shape. Button placement can also mix it up nicely, as it affects where and how the closure nips in.
I wrote the pattern with buttons only in the center, for the hourglass effect. That said, you can put them anywhere. They can just close the top, "February Lady" style, they can run the entire length of the cardigan for a traditional fit, or they can begin in the center and go down to the bottom, leaving the top open. Each option gives the hourglass a different feel, and flatters a different body type.
You can see I've already made two versions for myself. The details remain the same, but the fit and the silhouette are a little different. The first (darker) one is knit in Berroco Vintage, the other (lighter) in Cascade 220.
The Cascade version is knit as the pattern is written - hip length, a bit fitted, buttons in the center to create a nice long V above and below the waist. The Berocco one is a variation on the theme - I went shorter and added ease in the body. (specific mods are here - and you'll see, it's easy. You don't have to veer off the pattern to do it!)
On both of mine, I kept the buttons at the center, as that's what works best on me.
Once my test knitters post their pics on Rav, you will see a few button variations!
Details are on Ravelry, but here are a few:
Yarn: Cascade 220, Berocco Vintage Wool, 850-1700 yds
Needles: US6/4mm and US7/4.5mm
Sizes: 32,34,36,38,40,42,44,46,48, and 50 (2" ease in pattern)
Gauge: 4.5 sts, 7 rows per inch on #7s
So that's Shiraz. I hope you guys have some fun with it!
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All those awesome pics? Copyright 2010 Splityarn. Big thanks.
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