The Fibre Co. team are all taking part in Me Made May ’17, a challenge started by Zoe of ‘So, Zo…What do you know?’, and today we’re talking about finding the perfect pattern for your handmade wardrobe based on what you have available to you. Our newest team member, Clare Devine, is here to talk you through what you need and some of the resources she uses before she even casts on.
“My wardrobe is pretty simple and while I always long to ‘sew all the dresses’ during Me Made May if I am really honest with myself I know that my daily uniform of jeans, casual tank top and cardigan is really where I should focus my making efforts.
When I joined The Fibre Co team earlier this year I was incredibly excited about getting involved in MMM and treating myself to a new knit that would slot perfectly into my wardrobe. Knitting for myself is a huge treat, while I knit every day, sometimes all day everyday (although that is pretty rare), I very rarely knit for me!
This meant choosing the right project was crucial – time is precious for all of us – and I am a great believer in carefully selecting knits that will stand the test of time and get the wear they deserve. After all knitting a sweater is a big investment.
As I scrolled through Ravelry searching for “the perfect project” I quickly realised if I was not careful I was going to end up with yet another grey cardigan. I stopped and took a careful look at what I already have and wear. As soon as I did this I saw a huge gap in wardrobe that needed filling.
The Search
After my mini “cardigan audit” I had a good idea of what I was looking for:
Medium weight cardigan, perfect for transition months in Melbourne.
Casual – but not too casual
Simple, unfussy design with clean lines
V-neck with buttons
Top down, seamless
I then chose my yarn – I love to get the yarn first and then see what it wants to be. After swatching with Luma, the new lightweight transition yarn from The Fibre Co. I knew that it was the perfect yarn for this project. Warm but not too warm with a beautiful subtle drape and the perfect blue colourway! After grey, blue is my all time favourite.
Armed with my “perfect cardigan” list and my gauge I went to Ravelry and started searching. I love using the advanced search function and it really helps me to stay focussed.
Tip #1 – Ravelry: My favourite tip for Ravelry searching, especially if you have fallen head over heels in love with a yarn, is to swatch and once you have the fabric you love go in search of the perfect pattern for your yarn. I am a firm believer in letting the yarn speak to you.
It did not take me very long to find the perfect cardigan for my Luma swatch. Lanes by Joji Locatelli just called to me and I think it is definitely going to be a great wardrobe staple – once I get it finished.
Tip #2 – Gauge: Make sure you wash and dry (block) your swatch before you measure gauge! I always measure before and after blocking to see what the difference is.
My top tip for making is to enjoy the process – it isn’t a race.
When I started on this project I had all these fantastic ideas about how I was going to speed knit through my cardigan … but life happens and I am really enjoying slowly making my way through this interesting knit.
The construction is not one I have used before and so far the fit is great. This is the joy of top down knitting – you can try on as you go. The details in this pattern are really lovely and well thought through. I especially like the slipped stitch details that run along the sides of the body. They add a tailored detail to this casual knit but more importantly they offer stability – perfect for Luma with its subtle drape.
I’ve almost finished the body and I am really looking forward to playing with the short row shaping for the sleeve caps. I have found it very helpful to read through the notes from other knitters who have already finished their Lanes.
Tip #3 Ravelry: Always have a look at project pages for helpful hints and tips. So many Ravellers keep excellent notes. Did you know you can search through projects for those that others found useful? Just select “most helpful” from the search dropdown at the top of the screen.
On that note I better go and add some more rows to the body of my cardigan.”
If you fancy making your own Lanes you can find the pattern in Laine Magazine – Issue 1 and a full list of Luma stockists on our website. You can also read all our MMMay17 posts so far over here and we’ll be sharing another insight into our making from the team next week.