CWT, you PYT

For some reason, whenever I think of CWT, the song PYT starts playing inside my head. Fortunately, I really like that song, because I think this sweater will be in heavy rotation.

When we last left the sweater, I was working on the ruffle. I finished the ruffle somewhere around the 16th (I know this because of when I took the following picture), and was astonished enough by the ends hanging out that I was moved to take a picture.

Thankfully, I had already woven in the ends of the top portion. Otherwise, I may still be glaring hatefully at the sweater, rather than wearing it.

I spent the next day on all of the finishing while watching BTVS. Finishing tasks included attaching the top portion with gathers, basting the cinched waist to make sure I could get it over my head (I could), and staring disconsolately into the mirror at my ruffle which had become a tutu. Believing in the magic of blocking, I finished it anyway, and was rewarded!



I'm glad I added some length to the ruffle, though I only added about an inch or so. I also decreased the number of stitches for the ruffle by... one repeat? Two? I need to keep notes. I did a wet block, and am surprised to report that wet cashmere is just as stinky as wet wool. I guess I thought maybe it would be odorless, or carry the gentle scent of a rolling spring meadow, freshly mown. I laid the wet sweater out on a towel overnight, and moved the mostly dry sweater in the morning to a drying rack to finish the job. I didn't actually sew the side of the corset waist and ruffle until after blocking, because I wasn't sure if I would want to add a few more inches to the ruffle.


The tank top I'm wearing underneath it is bunching around my middle in this picture, but I'm so pleased at how well the ruffle lays. I kept petting myself all day, this sweater is so soft! I didn't think it would be possible, but it got even softer after a wash! I don't remember how much yarn I used, but I want to say it was almost 8 balls. I have some left over, and also a few balls of black, and I can't wait to find a project for it! To recap, I used Laines du Nord Royal Cashmere and US10 needles. The center portion was done on US6 needles, which made a very firm fabric. The pattern is from Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2006, and the original pattern was done in cotton. I might consider making another one of these in cotton, but I rarely knit the same thing twice (and if I do, I probably knit it three or four times!).

I started the February baby sweater from EZ's Knitter's Almanac, and have just reached the fun part! Reading the breezy directions have me feeling that maybe another spreadsheet is in order, but I'll try it without first.