The Soapy Knitter

Have you ever heard the saying, “No hagas una tempestad en un vaso de agua?” (Translation: “Don’t make a storm in a cup of water.”) This is usually me. I’m usually the one to freak out over small things and then later say, “ok, it’s not that bad!”

This knit reflects NONE of that attitude! When I first saw this pattern in Knitty I told my friends that I would NOT be making a cardigan where I had to sew 14 buttons!! HELL NO! Yea, well, I ate those words. Happily.

(sorry, blurry pic, but you get the idea!!)

I would love to make another one of these using fingering weight yarn. I would knit a size or two larger because my arms are kind of big. The cardigan is designed to fit snugly so it accentuates my drumstick arms, as you can see by the pictures. Now, ask me if I care?! LOL

And look! A cardigan that actually BUTTONS all the way down for me!! WOO HOO!

One of my favorite features is the buttons.

There’s a story behind them. I originally went to the same store where I bought the buttons for my Capitán Hat. I needed 14 buttons for this cardigan and I REALLY did not want to spend over $1 each, as is the norm in this store. So I’m looking and looking and that’s all I find. So an employee comes up to me and says, “Can I help you?” I said, “I need 14 buttons but I was trying not to spend over $1 each.” He actually SMIRKED at me and then said, “Try Lou Lou Buttons on 38th between 5th and 6th and walked away.” THE EFFIN BASTARD!!! I was beyond pissed. Rolled my eyes at him and said, “I sure WILL!” This older woman who was standing nearby had heard the entire conversation. She said, “What address did he say??” I told her and left.

I went to Lou Lou and let me tell you that the customer service was FANTASTIC. I browsed around a bit and finally asked the gentleman there for help. I pulled out my cardigan and he started pulling out buttons!! He said, “A knitter is an artist and the cardigan should express that. I suggest you use different colored buttons.” Damn, the dude was totally right! The older waoman showed up a few minutes afterwards and I asked her opinion on the colors. She says, “Oh, that’s a beautiful cardigan. I’m a Knitter also.” I felt that K needs to be capitalized in Knitter because she said it as if it were a proper name. I agree. From here on in, I feel as if I’ve graduated to a capital K so that’s what you’ll see! Knitter! But I digress….

So, Lou helped me pick out buttons. These are from Ecuador. They’re called Fruit of the Tree buttons made from Corozo Nuts. And guess what?? I GLADLY paid $1 each for these buttons. GLAD.LY!!! And I’ll be back for more. I suggest anyone in the New York area needing buttons go here, too. Eff that other place!!!

Back to Tempest: Altho the schematic on this pattern says the armhole for the size F is 14.5” and the garment stretches ALOT, I can’t wear anything under the sweater. I will have to use it with tank tops only. That’s fine, but it was an easy and fast enough knit that I would love to have another that I could wear over a T-shirt or a button down shirt w/long sleeves. So I started another using Lorna’s Laces, in a size larger!!!! (Grey’s Corner and Mineshaft colorways.)

All in all, this is a FANTASTIC pattern. I’ve never knit a cardigan so quickly. I mean, all you have to do is count STRIPES as opposed to counting rows. You’d be surprised as to how much time is saved by this!

Thanks for a great pattern, Weaverknits!

Tempest Cardigan

• Source: knitty
• Yarn: Yarn Ahoy Laceweight Merino - a total of 975 yds (pattern calls for a total of 1,310 yds)
• Colorways: Mirage and Overdyed Blacks
• Needles: Size US3, 4 and 6
• Cost: $28 per skein, Blacks colorway: 0.32 used of skein - $8.96, Mirage colorway: 0.46 used of skein - $12.88, 14 buttons from Lou Lou Buttons in NYC - $15.02 - TOTAL COST: $36.86 (not bad for a beautiful cardigan!!!)
• Started: May 14, 2008
• Finished: June 20, 2008
• Size knit: F, 41″ chest
• My gauge: 6 sts and 7 rows per inch
• Mods: I was carrying the unused yarn from each stripe on the side of the knit. The pattern calls for the larger stripes to be 13 rows in this size. This would’ve had me changing colors on rows where the other color was NOT waiting to be picked up so I knit 14 row stripes instead. This worked out perfectly! I think if I would’ve done 13 row stripes the cardigan would’ve fit kind of short anyway, not to mention all those extra ends to weave in!

In my part of the world, springtime can be very confusing. Yes, the date says it’s spring, but on any given day the temperature can be 30 degrees! Other days, it’s beautiful and sunny with a light breeze that feels fantastic.

This shrug is perfect to wear on those breezy spring days. You’ll feel cuddled up when you slip this roomy shrug on. The ruffle meets at the front so that you can stick a shawl pin in and use it as a semi-cardigan. The Catalina Yarns Baby Pima feels like a warm, soft hug.

This pattern is worked by knitting the center-back lace panel first, then picking up stitches on the sides of the panel to knit the back sides and the sleeves. Stitches are picked up all around the collar and garment to knit the ruffle.

If you wear the shrug upside down the center-back lace panel will look like hearts instead of palm leaves.

Designed exclusively for Catalina Yarns by, yours truly, Rosi G.

Sizes: XS/S (M/L, 1X/2X)

Measurement across upper back: 22” (24”, 26”); includes from 7.5” to 8.5” positive ease.

Yarn: Catalina Yarns Baby Pima (218 yds, 100g): 4 (5, 6) skeins, shown here in Apricot (#403)

Needle Sizes: US 6 double pointed needles or 32” circular; US 7 24” or 32” circular (I used Addi Turbo needles)

Notions: stitch holder, stitch markers, yarn needle.

- $6.50

I’m glad I’m virtually surrounded by peoples that know their shit! Most of you voted for the Yarn Ahoy color combo for my Tempest cardigan and it’s coming out fantastic.

I really like the contrast in the colors. The pattern is super easy to follow and it’s going rather quickly. It’s also good commuting knitting!

This past week I placed a couple of orders, Little Knits and Loopy Ewe. After finishing Alhambra this week (yes, it’s finished; FO post later this week!), I’m in the mood to knit lace. Mostly Anne Hanson patterns BUT I ALSO want to design my own triangle shawl! I’m really really hoping to be able to figure this out. SO I ordered some Kauni from Little Knits in a gorgeous colorway and plan to try my hand at triangles using that!

In the meantime, I also finished one little thingie:

This is the Baby Got Back Thong. Designed by yours truly.

This is my first design that I am selling. But all proceeds go to Ravelry.

As an additional incentive, I am offering a gift bag to the first person to purchase my pattern and every 10th person afterwards up to the 100th person.

So you have a chance to win one of ELEVEN gift bags! Each bag will contain a skein of Panda Cotton for you to knit your own Baby Got Back! Thong and a bar of Rosi G. handmade soap. ;o)

Baby Got Back! Thong

Source: Rosi G. - click here to purchase this pattern

Sizes available: S, M, L, XL

Yarn: Crystal Palace Panda Cotton from The Loopy Ewe

Color: Lipstick Red (I like to call it Ravelry Red). For my size XL shown here, I used 0.6 of a skein, approx. 105 yds.

Needles: Size US 2.5

Cost: $4 (!)

Started: May 6, 2008

Finished: May 8, 2008