A Lake Blue Cardigan

May I introduce my first piece of crocheted clothing, the lake blue cardigan.  Or at least, the back of it.

I’ve also finished the front two pieces, but have not as yet managed to replace the batteries in the camera so a picture of said pieces is not currently extant.

This is what I was working on while traveling. I managed to finish the back and 1.5 sides before I got home.  I’ve begun the sleeves now, but it’s having to take a back seat to another project for a while, just until I get caught up on the things I *really* have to do.

I, being smarter than usual, chose a simple raglan-sleeve cardigan as my first clothing project - no shaping, no armhole weirdness, no complicated stitches.  The pattern is the Matinee Swing Jacket from Lion Brand using Cotton-Ease yarn in Lake (you’ll have to log in to view the pattern).  It’s entirely made of HDC (half double crochet). I will probably add a trim, but a subtle one, and not fussy.  Open squares, perhaps.

Due to the cotton, the pieces will need blocking, but it’s a nice yarn for the project.  It’s the right amount of substance for a light jacket.  I do have problems with finding broken pieces of yarn (tied together) and find that the fiber’s ply separates easily, but to some extent that’s just a cotton problem that’s not limited to this fiber in particular.  The addition of acrylic made it easier to work with, because plain cotton can be on the stiff side.

The jacket, as you can see, is a casual light layer piece with 3/4 sleeves and raglan piecing.  I liked the terracotta they suggested, but when I have to look at yarn for long hours, I am more at home with blue.  My grandmother really liked the color I picked.

I have promised some people more pictures from my trip, and will do that maybe soonish.  I took a lot of pictures, so it’s a bit intimidating, really, and the office is still a mess, though the desk is located.