The day finally came – when I finished my Bayview Street Cardigan!
I’ve since steamed out that little “wing” on the side, and decided I’m not as much of an hourglass as the pattern seems to be written for!
I started back in September, and I now know that giving myself a month to make a cardigan, or any such large project is too much for me. I’m not the fastest of knitters! And that is ok (at leat, I tell myself that!).
For once, I really tried to follow the pattern, but I still goofed up. I realized my waist-shaping issues wasn’t from any error in the pattern, but from me all of a sudden following the numbers for a different size all together! Silly me.
I really did enjoy knitting this cardigan though. The stitch pattern is very easy to memorize, and Elinor has done a wonderful job with the pattern – I found it easy to follow, full of information, and a lot of nice little touches that made me appreciate her as a designer and pattern writer.
For example, she calls for the front edge, that will later be picked up for the button-bands, to be knit every row, so you end up with a purl-bump edge. It makes a great deal of difference when you do get to picking up those stitches! I’ve already done the same on several other things I’m knitting, and I love learning to become a better knitter through projects.
This is the first time I’ve done tubular cast on’s and cast off’s, and I’m completely in love! They are such a beautiful finish to a garment! I also learned a couple of other things: this particular stitch pattern; three needle bind-off; and the kitchener grafting stitch.
The metal buttons are a bit of a hodge-podge collection. Some are from a good friends button-jar, and one is on loan from the boy. I rather like that there is some sense of story behind them.
So who cares that I should have knit this cardigan just a little bigger so I didn’t have to add those extra wide button-bands? It’s warm as nothing else, I love the color, and I am so proud of my first cardigan!
Ravelry link here.
All photos by the boy.
indigorchid 
Oh wow this is very beautiful and love the color too. Looks comfy and warm….
This is gorgeous and you definitely should be proud! The colour really suits you and it fits beautifully. I’ve recently started knitting and am looking for a good first cardigan pattern. You’ve inspired me with this and now I may have to give it a go too.
Thank you Clare! (P.S. – your owl-sweater is *beautiful*!). I really enjoyed knitting this cardigan, and I’ve been using it lots. I’m actually wearing it right now! I do want to encourage you to enjoy the time making it, and know from the beginning that it might be a longer project; at least it took me a while to make it!
so beautiful!
I like the color, too!
lovely work! Where is the pattern from?
Hi Jeni! I’m glad you like it! The pattern is Elinor Brown of Exercise before knitting‘s Bayview Street Cardigan. This is the link to her post on it, and this is the ravelry link to the project.
It’s so lovely! Great colour too! What I love about knitting garment patterns is all the new techniques you learn, there are so many out there, and knitters are always inventing more. Beautiful…