Clarity Cardigan
yarn: Stroll Sport, midnight heather. It’s a gorgeous blend of black, navy, and emerald with a lovely soft feel.
I have an olive coloured, store-bought sweater that I love tossing on as a layering piece. It’s snug, with three-quarter length sleeves, and a bit of a collar. I wanted to knit something like it, but knitted – to have more warmth.
When I saw Clarity, I knew it was what I was looking for. It has a classic style that will never go out of fashion, but with that special collar it was more than just a stripped-down basic.
After I knit it, the collar achieved its look only very unwillingly. It wanted to flop.
Hmmm. That wasn’t at all what I wanted. I had this odd idea: why not just treat my knitting like I would a store-bought piece that I wanted to change?
So here’s what I did:
I buttoned it as suggested in pattern. Then I took removable stitch markers and stood in front of the mirror. I arranged the collar as I wanted it to be, then pinched it and figured out where having a permanent fold would be optimal – then placed a marker to keep that fold in place. With black sewing thread, I did a little stitch, just looping it through the two layers of cloth about 2 stitches wide.
I did two near the edges of the cowl, then two further to the sides of my neck. I also sewed one of the cowl sides folded so that the top of the collar was permenently matched to the ‘neckline’ to make it easier to button the side that buttons underneath. That’s the left front on mine.
Left side, wrong side view
left side
Right side, wrong side view
Two folds and the top of the collar sewn down to the ‘neckline’
Right side
This was more like it! When Sandra and I went downtown to take the photos, I didn’t even touch the collar to adjust it. I wish I had. The weight of the front had dragged things forward a bit, but it still looked great. I’m feeling a warm glow – part satisfied pride in my solution, part woolly sweater.
See my project notes for more details on my modifications.
4 comments
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March 14, 2013 at 9:34 am
leslie
Well done! It’s beautiful! Love your mods – off to Ravelry to check it out right now.
March 15, 2013 at 1:22 pm
cheryl
Oh my I love this! I am so going to make one for my 9 year old who is very tall and has a lovely long neck. The cowl will look amazing on her! Now to find some yarn!
March 15, 2013 at 8:13 pm
katharine
I just finished up this sweater my self but have yet to photograph it. I worried about the collar the whole way through but in the end it worked out. Your mods to make the collar work are genious! I would never have thought of that even though I’d readily do it to any store bought item. Wierd.
March 19, 2013 at 7:58 am
Rosa May
wow that’s beautiful Sara