Francis

I don't know why I dragged my feet on knitting this sweater...I've had the pattern printed for several years, and I brought this yummy Malabrigo yarn over a year ago with no particular pattern in mind.



But I'm glad I finally decided to knit this. And once I decided, I think I had it done in under a week. Yes, it was that fast!

And it's so comfortable, I think I've worn it at least once a week to work since I finished it. And I've worn it probably once each weekend as we are doing this and that. Great with jeans, great with dress pants for work....


In fact, I was wearing it so much, I never got it blocked after knitting it. And I needed it just a tiny bit longer (and looser). I forced myself to not wear it to work one day (I wanted to wear it on the weekend) and blocked it before going to work.

Watch the Malabrigo people! I did block it in cold water, but there are a couple spots that look like it might have felted - 2 or 3 rows of 3 or 4 stitches under each arm....it was either the wet block or the fact that I've worn it so much...not sure which but it's not bad, you can't see it very clearly, so I'm going to solve this problem the easy way.....

Knit myself another one so I'm not wearing this one all the time:)

Details:
Francis Revisited
Size: 36/38
Mods: Knit a hem for the bottom rather than the seed stitch edging and did some waist shaping
Yarn: Malabrigo worsted, color - Nostalgia

I did have a little bit of trouble with pooling, but I think with the colors on this yarn it's ok.....

Retro Shell

This poor sweater.....

I love it, but I did not cooperate with the sweater.....

It was a test knit for Baby Cocktails....I had it finished in time, but I didn't like the way the collar laid. But I blocked it and wore it a few times.....still didn't like it. So I re-knit the collar and blocked it again....wore it a few times....nope still not just right.....

I'm still not sure it is exactly right, and I think after wearing it 6 or 7 times, I finally figured out the problem! I started picking up and knitting on the wrong side, so the seam is on the inside of the sweater and not the outside.....

But I do love the fit, I do love the sweater, I do love the yarn:)

A few weeks ago I wanted to finally get some decent pictures of it. And since I was wearing it to work - perfect! But....Jessie was at school and it was just Tyler at home.....so he was my "photographer". This kid is a hoot!! I think in the 5 min. we were outside, he took close to 50 pictures. Although I also had to keep reminding him ...."take pictures of the sweater, NOT of your cat!!!"

Knit in the round from the top down, the pleats and the lace keep it fun, and the stockinette stitch makes it fly.

Pattern: Retro Shell by Baby Cocktails

Size: 36"

Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool

I did end up reblocking it to fix the pleats in the back. I wet block EVERYTHING that I knit and managed to block the pleats right out of it.....