So here’s the sketch of my idea. I had the a while ago – it’s not a revolutionary sweater concept of course, I’m sure everyone’s seen (or owns) a cardigan like this! It’s also similar in shape to my Rayne Wrap Cardigan that I released nearly three (whoa) years ago.

One big difference with this sweater – the working title of which shall be “aguas” – is that it has set-in sleeves and seamed shoulders. This will help it sit better on the tops of the shoulders, and means a better fit through the sleeve and shoulder. I haven’t quite decided how I want to do the sleeve yet, but I’m thinking a fairly slim fit and perhaps ending just below the elbow.

Aguas will be knit from side to side, like Rayne, but in pieces to be seamed together. It’ll have the traditional cardigan pieces of a back, two fronts, and two sleeves, but knit from side to side. I drew up a quick schematic of how I’m planning to make the shaping work.

As you can see I’ll be casting on at the centre front and work across to the armhole and side seam. The fronts are long and extended for the drapey ruffle at the front. Many of the storebought versions of this shape have sort of a shawl collar at the back of the next that extends down the fronts, but this one will be more straight down without a collar.

I want to use a lighter weight yarn with this incarnation, so I’m going with Malabrigo Sock in, you guessed it, the colour Aguas! I’m afraid I’m not very creative with working titles.

Up next – knit this whole sweater in fingering weight stockinette? I do love stockinette, but maybe not that much. So stitch pattern ahoy!

Finally made it to Fabricland for some cheap ‘n’ cheerful buttons. I love fancy ones, but sometimes pewter or ceramic are just too heavy.

So I just had to rip back 5 inches. Of fingering weight. In a glove which was over 17 inches long so far.

At least the good news is that I have to decrease more, and more quickly? Maybe it’ll go faster this time.

I’m knitting it up in some nice merino sock yarn from Maple Creek Farm, a Rhinebeck vendor that has great yarn but I don’t think sells anywhere else! I’ve been working away at it and I’m almost done. I’m also taking this opportunity to add stitch counts throughout the pattern.

The pattern should be back up for sale very shortly. I’m also going to continue donating a portion of the sales from this pattern to Haiti relief through February. I haven’t calculated the total for the January fundraiser yet, but I know it’ll be an amazingly generous amount!

Thanks to you all for purchasing patterns and helping to donate. If you’ve had your eye on any of my patterns, you’ve still got one day to contribute a portion of the purchase price to MSF and the Red Cross.

Hope you’re keeping warm this weekend.

Thanks to everyone for your generosity – today I was able to donate $1000 to MSF! I have to wait a little bit for my credit card to clear up to donate more, but it’ll keep on coming. I’m planning to take a look at the end of the month and see what more I can send off.

The yarn above is three different balls that I wound the other night, for three different new projects. Somehow I’m feeling a bit lacking in the sweater department at the moment – I tossed (donated) a bunch of sweaters when I moved and I’m sort of feeling the wardrobe gap. What I really need is some neutral coloured sweaters, so I tossed the stash for awhile and came up with these.

Top one is Colinette Jitterbug for a lighter weight version of a side-to-side cardigan I knit awhile back (you know I don’t think I ever blogged the finished version, I’ll have to do that).

Bottom left is Handmaiden 4ply cashmere, less blue and more grey in real life. I only have 5 skeins which might be a bit tight for a sweater, but we’ll see. I might do a pullover instead of my standard cardigan.

Bottom right is some label-less, DK weight merino that I bought at Rhinebeck in 2008. It’s super light and fluffy, really like a handspun with a really wholesome, rustic tweedy look to it. I’ve already cast on for a simple cardigan! My goal is to knock out a couple of really basic sweaters for everyday wear, since that’s what I seem to be lacking.

Of course, it isn’t like I don’t have lots of other things to knit! One of my students asked me a few weeks ago how many projects I have on the go at once. Current answer is way too many, obviously. In my sweater-knitting mood I even dug up this brown Casbah sweater which has been sitting in a bin for over a year! The body and upper yoke are done and I just need to knit the buttonbands, and the sleeves down from a provisional cast on.

I know I can’t just go casting on for more sweaters since then I won’t be able to finish any for awhile, and that’s not useful at all. So I’m going to try and buckle down and get some WIPs off the needles.

Aaaaand…..GO!

So, some other randomness:

A wood alphabet cutout from bookhou here in Toronto. It’s super light and is hanging just on a nail in my living room. I LOVE this thing. And I hardly have anything on my walls so it really stands out.

Super super super soft organic cotton throw by Jenna Rose. Also massive love – I kind of want to get another one for the end of my bed. She has an Etsy shop but not much in it at the moment.

I bought this throw and the alphabet hanging at the Toronto One of a Kind Show along with some other stuff (clothes, candles) and had lots of fun! The free re-admission is great too, I might go just one more time this week. It’s still open till Sunday (although I’d go during the week if you can help it, the crowds on the weekend are insane).

Looking longingly at this Dream in Color (Grey Tabby and Midnight Derby) earmarked for a sweater. I got rid of quite a few of my older ones when I moved, and now I’m finding I really want new ones!

So much knitting, so little time.