Lois: Cropped Cashmere Cardi

I didn't make it to Rhinebeck... yeah, yeah, the best laid plans of mice and men and working knitters and all that. But I am doubly determined now to go next year, rain or shine! (So, next year, co-conspirators! You know who you are! ;) )

At our local fall festival this weekend, that stranger to these parts, the sun, finally showed his face -- just in time for me to wander giddily about in the fresh air, grab a pumpkin spice latte, hang about listening to live street music, and... wear this. If you read the fashion press, you already know that the cropped jacket is IN this season. Though there are dozens of knitting patterns out there, I didn't find one sufficiently appealing, so I came up with this one. Everyone, meet Lois (cropped cashmere jacket with 3/4 set-in sleeves):





I started this on Stitches weekend and finished it in just 4 days using:

-- 6 skeins of Pippin in colourway Hotel California
-- 1 hank of Louisa Harding's Sari Ribbon colour #1 for the crocheted border (you'll need only about 1/3)
-- 1 crochet hook
-- 1 pair US 9 needles, and
-- a glass button from my stash that had found its true calling

The version above fits bust sizes 36-38 and is the perfect TV/radio/cooking/laundry/otherwise multitasking knit. And off the needles it's instant cozy, casual chic.

The pattern for Lois accommodates bust sizes 32-34 [36-38; and 40-42] and would require 6 [6; and 7] skeins of Pippin (100% aran weight cashmere) and is available at no extra charge with purchase of Pippin for the project. Available colourways can be found at the List of Colourways; pricing and ordering information can also be found at the very bottom of that rather long page.

Let's talk samples...

For those of you wanting to see a side-by-side comparison of Mont Blanc and Estelle (both 100% cashmere), here's a shot of a strand of each fiber (Mont Blanc on the left, Estelle on the right):



The texture difference is easier to see from two skeins juxtaposed (Left: Mont Blanc in Briar Rose; Right: Estelle in Cranberries):



Thanks again to all of you who left good wishes for Stitches in comments and emails. And just for those of you who couldn't make it, here are a couple of lovely projects that had kindly been loaned to us for display at the convention (seen here modelled by my new and shapely dress form, Angelina).

The first is a Clapotis in Estelle (colourway: Orion) knit by the astonishingly prolific and talented Lauren:



And I absolutely fell in love with this cashmere scoopneck tee by Brooke. She used 3 skeins of Estelle in Cranberries and 3 skeins of Estelle in Last of the Summer Berries, striped randomly to achieve this Missoni-like effect. And the feel of it on -- heaven!





And last, but in no way least, here's a simple-but-elegant halter top in Nathalie (100% bamboo) knit by Jen. She used 3 skeins of Nathalie in colourway Ursula for this jet-set summer staple, equally alluring from every angle.







Speaking of bamboo, I'll tell you what I would have loved to have seen would have been this bamboo Clapotis knit by the amazing Amy Singer, who was cruising around the Big Apple at the time on the Knitty anniversary cruise. She used approx. 6 skeins of Nathalie in colourway Briar Rose.






Ever since I've seen these photos of Amy's, I've been dreaming of seeing it in person! *sigh* Perhaps, next time.

Introducing... Mont Blanc

I've added a new cashmere to the LIST.

Mont Blanc is a Light DK weight that creates a fabric texture that is smoother and fluffier compared to Estelle, which, due to how it's been plied, has a more pronounced texture when knit.** Mont Blanc is available in all of the cashmere colourways, as well as Creme Fraiche, slightly off-white/ivory:



You've seen this before, actually, in the form of the cashmere Clapotis in Hotel California:



Yarn Stats:

Mont Blanc 100% cashmere
-- 200 yds/skein; approx. 1600 yds per pound
-- Weight & Gauge: 4-ply, Light DK; 6-7.5 sts/in on US size 3-6 needles

In a comparison between Mont Blanc and Estelle, I knit swatches of both on US 5 needles and got 7 sts/in for Mont Blanc and 7.5 sts/in for Estelle. In most cases, they are close enough in gauge to substitute for each other, although Mont Blanc is slightly more "plump" and has a bit more of a soft halo than the sportweight.

Texture-wise, they are very different. One of these days I'll see if I can't muster up some proper swatches in the same colourway to try and show you, but the distinction is really easier to feel than capture on camera.
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** Note that this does not make one any "better" than the other; they are simply different, and ultimately, choosing which fiber one would like for a garment is a matter of personal preference.