Projects
Mood Cardigan, Here We Go
Dear Ann,
My knitting motivation left me for a couple of minutes there, but oh boy, is it ever back.
The reason?
I’ve cast on my first Mood Cardigan. (This is a little like referring to one’s mate as “my first husband.” Hopefully, it will keep my Mood Cardigan on its best behavior.)
Three repeats in, here are the things I’m loving about this pattern.
- It’s a rectangle. I cannot be expected to do any shaping in this humidity. I cast on 85 stitches, and this sleeve will stay at 85 stitches until it’s done.
- It’s a one-row lace pattern. Every RS row is the same 6-stitch repeat.
- It’s a lace pattern that I memorized on the first row. When a pattern is this easy, it quickly becomes take-along knitting.
- It has this little wrapped-column effect, the result of slip 1, k2tog, psso. I love it in part because it reminds me of the wrapped cables on my beloved Whitby pullover.
- It’s easy to count rows. Every RS row is the same pattern. Every 8 rows you offset the little lozenges of lace. You know when it’s time to offset the pattern again when you can count 4 vertical holes in the lace.
- The yarn, Neighborhood Fiber Co.’s Rustic Fingering, is a dream. It’s a bit woolly for August in New York, I’ll admit. But sitting in front of the fan knitting it, it’s fine, and come September/October, my Mood Cardigan will be the perfect lofty, light layer of merino.
Neighborhood Fiber Co.’s Rustic Fingering, Shade: Cooper Circle. A nice rusty red with flashes of lipstick pink. Important note: In this yarn, you knit the mood cardigan with a single strand.
Technical note: How did I do the provisional cast-on? As always, with the crystal-clear guidance of Jen Arnall-Culliford, in this case her Crochet Provisional Cast-On video. It worked like a charm, on the first try.
Ahoy, Knitalong!
Readers may be wondering, are we doing a knitalong for Jeanette Sloan’s designs in MDK Field Guide No. 15: Open?
Have you met us? Of course we are doing a knitalong!
We’re planning the official launch of the Field Guide No. 15 knitalong after the Labor Day holiday here in the U.S., which falls on September 7 this year. But there’s no reason not to knit along with me if you’re raring to go.
If you’ve got schemes and dreams, or questions and answers, about the Mood Cardigan, pop them in the comments, or join me over in the Lounge.
And if you fancy a flip through our fabulous look book of Field Guide No. 15: Open designs and yarns, tap here.
Love,
Kay
Ooh–fabulous color! And it’s looking gorgeous already. I may not be able to resist.
Question. For a provisional cast-on, any reason why you can’t use an extra needle?
I’m going to make it in the Gleem Lace, Tweed Imp (which arrived yesterday! It is gorgeous!!!). I’m determined to finish my Shakerag sweater for immediate wear, then will cast on the Mood Cardi. Can’t wait!
I cast on for the mood cardigan yesterday too. I was going to wait for the knit along but I couldn’t resist. My color is similar too. I bought some three Irish girls fingering weight yarn years ago for a sweater I never got to and this pattern seemed to call it’s name to me. So off I went. And I agree. I learned that pattern while doing the Swatch. It will be good to do in this heat we are having in New York
The new color assortment has some beautiful jewel tones, clear and calling to me! “Knit me, knit me”.
Mood is definitely going to be my first knit from Open, too! I really do have to finish my friend’s birthday scarf first, though, or I run the risk of getting caught up in Mood and being late with her gift. Really. I REALLY DO. *sweaty palms*
Had already planned mine in the same color and rushed to buy my yarn this morning in case of a sellout! ::waits by mailbox::
My husband of 30 years refers to me as his first wife. When people look at me oddly, I reply that he is my LAST husband. First, lasts… Either way I can’t wait to cast on from this Guide!
It’s a beautiful sweater with a lovely texture and an interesting construction… and I just can’t knit wool right now and can very, very rarely wear it. If anyone knows of a cotton or linen substitute that might suit, I would be grateful to know.
I am going to try linen Kestral because I live in So. Cal.
I’d suggest the Rowan Summerlite 4ply cotton. https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/shop/summerlite-4ply/
The right weight/gauge, and so smooth, with great stitch definition.
Given the humidity I wouldn’t mind having it on my needles right now!
Kay
Are you using one or two strands held together for this?
One strand! That’s important. The skein quantities in the product listing are what is called for knitting it single-stranded.
The original pattern sample was knit in laceweight so that’s why it calls for double-stranding. If you knit the Mood Cardigan in Gleem Lace, you double-strand it.
I’m enjoying not double-stranding, one less thing to worry about in the heat.
Could you use one strand ofneighborhood
fibers sock weight or barnyard knits fingering instead of the rustic fingering ?
Yes you certainly could. The fabric would be slightly different since those yarns are superwash and they are plied (Rustic Fingering is a single and non superwash) but they would work gauge-wise and I think they would make a lovely fabric.
I love this cardigan and the idea of no shaping is an excellent one right now. Do you have any samples of the Stephen Townes skeins knit up? While I love the Cooper Circle, I am drawn to this other color but am unsure what it would look like in the lace pattern. I can’t find samples on Ravelry or NFC sites.
I can’t wait to watch your cardigan unfurl!
That surprises me! Did you try the spelling Stephen Towns (with no e at the end)?
We carry this same shade in NFC’s Studio Sock also, and I’m sure it’s been knitted up. I hope it’s been documented somewhere.
Cooper Circle is definitely more of a layered solid, while Stephen Towns is truly variegated with pops of bright colors, so it will definitely look different knitting up. Such lush peachy tones, Karida is a genius.
I love the flip book, so inspirational! I haven’t purchased this book yet, but seeing your cardigan makes me want one too…
I ordered the Cooper Circle color way as the red really called me after Mosquito Coast (fitting given the weather….). Feverishly trying to finish my Bottom Line Pullover from MDK Field Guide #10, which is looking awesome!
Question: how often are you using lifelines? Looks like every 2 pattern repeats?
I am just casting on the provisional. Do I knit one row straight before starting on the alternating lace pattern. Won’t it be hard to pick up stitches later on with the waste yarn all caught up in the lace pattern?
Just cast on my Mood Cardigan in a medium mustard color, two strands Cloudborn 1 ply fingerling. It is a dream to knit with. Project is going quickly.
I found a beautiful yarn by Bernat called Plentiful but it is listed as a bulky weight. It has over 870 yards of Content: 60% Acrylic, 26% Wool, 14% Polyester. Wouldn’t this be great with the right sized needle? I really would like a great guess before I spend the money for the yarn. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
When you measure the piece it is unblocked, so how do you know how long it will be after it is blocked? Maybe just slightly stretch it? Or multiply your blocked gauge by your finished inches and go by row count?
Any tips for swatching for the Mood Cardigan?
I have my yarn. I am just not sure which size to knit, I have a 40″ bust but somewhere I read that Kay was doing the third size and she doesn’t look bigger than me. Help!
Is it necessary to use stitch markers to separate the repeats? I have always used stitch markers for lace but the repeats were more than 6 stitches.
Thank you and Ms. Sloan. Before. I begin, are there any errata/corrections for any of the patterns in Field Guide 15 Open?