Okay, so I haven’t timed my posts just right. Because of that, you’ll be seeing yet another finished knitting project at some point in the next week or so! I like to space these babies out between sewing projects, but what can you do? Between travel and the holidays, I made much more progress on my knitting than my sewing. But it’s okay – I am pretty psyched to have added another warm wool cardigan to my wardrobe arsenal because, brrrr, it’s cold out there!
This is the Agatha cardigan by, you guessed it, Andi Satterlund. I have loved this design long before I actively took up knitting. So beautiful and intricate. Ravelry tells me I added it to my queue in September 2013, close to a year before I knitted my first ever cardigan. I made a few mistakes with this one, but since I’m still in “I turned that string into a thing!” mode I’m pleased with it. I started this around Thanksgiving, slowed down a bit over the holidays, and finally finished in January. Still playing catch-up with project posts, t’would seem.
I first wore this cardigan to work and then for dinner at Benihana in midtown – gotta look put together for my hibachi shrimp!
Red is quite difficult to photograph, especially under my less-than-stellar indoor lighting. I took close-ups of the cardigan so be sure to look through the rest of the post for those. I’ve paired it with my Charlotte skirt that I made last year!
Yarn, Size & Needles
I knit the size small and used four skeins of Cascade 220 Superwash (color: Cherry Pie) that I found last summer at Knitty City on the Upper West Side. At the time I didn’t realize that superwash can grow once blocked so going forward I probably won’t be using it for sweaters! Of course I also didn’t block my swatch, which would have helped me figure out how much the yarn would grow.
It may be hard to tell in the photos, but the yarn changes color every so often. I didn’t notice that until I started knitting, and I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me! This yarn felt so wonderfully soft as I was knitting, and it still does as I wear it. I’ve paired it with a black camisole in these photos and it feels great.
Just for reference, I used size 7 needles (circulars and DPNs).
This pattern isn’t that tricky actually! I thought it would be, but a lot of the work is repeating the same pattern over and over to form three distinct patterns on the body and sleeves. I’m glad I worked my way up to this cardigan though.
Markers Are Your Friend
I decided to place markers on either side of each lace panel to help me figure out when they started and ended. The number of stitches changes from row to row and, even though vertical columns of knit stitches on either end of the panels are helpful indicators I liked the extra visual guide the markers provided.
Here’s a close-up of the lacework on the sleeve. I switched to DPNs the closer I moved to the cuffs, and I made sure to place the lace stitches all on one needle. Phew, that was perhaps the trickiest part!
It’s strange how lava-like red yarn (or fabric – like my in-progress coat) can look in front of the camera.
I have to be honest: during this knit I was disappointed with the way the 3 x 1 ribbing was turning out. The knit stitches were too loose, which didn’t look so great. Somehow they seemed to correct themselves, either through blocking or the work of magical Keebler elves. Thank goodness!
I bought these cute buttons from Mood. I was going back and forth on what color to use, but in the end I thought red on red would give me the true pop of color I wanted.
Actually, this photo shows you the color changes of the yarn (although the red in this photo isn’t the true red of the yarn).
Here’s another shot of the cardigan unbuttoned. With the superwash growing after being blocked, Ms. Agatha is a bit too big perhaps on the sides. I will likely always wear it buttoned up save for the top three or so buttons. This is how my grandmother told me to wear it when I saw her over the holidays – buttoned all the way up was too conservative for her, I suppose. ;)
Love it- well done!
Thanks, Amy!
What a beautiful pattern! The intricate lace looks so beautiful on. Your skirt is so fantastic too, lovely, lovely, lovely.
Thanks, Kelly! I do love that intricate lace. And it’s fun to be able to combine my knitting and sewing creations!
Red looks gorgeous on you! And, I still want to steal that skirt. (or I could sew something similar so I can stop being a green-eyed monster) :-D You’re tearing it up with the knitting needles!
Haha, I do love how well my me-made pencil skirts pair with these cardigans! Makes me feel like I’m actually creating outfits rather than random separates.
It’s super lovely!! The color is marvelous, and I love how you’ve styled it here :) Well done on tackling this pattern, and I might just need to add it to my queue now after seeing your fantastic version!
It’s a great pattern, and nowhere near as intimidating as I thought it would be! You, Michelle, and Liz could knit it all together and then have one of your great photo shoots. ;)
I love this on you! It’s so, so cute!
Thanks! Anything cheerful to get us through the winter, am I right?! ;)
Hey Abes, don’t know if I replied to this one yet but, how was Benihana? Love the color on you. Ah, Gizmo just ate protein. :-)
Beautiful work! And you look great.