The Ultimate Cardigan

It has been a little while since I last posted, but only because I've been hard at work on my latest knit! It's a little something from Vogue Knitting Magazine I call the Ultimate Cardigan, because it has so many different style elements all in one garment. It has cables on the front; wide ribbing at hem, cuffs, and collar; a belt; a shawl collar; and big buttons! I used a machine washable wool yarn called Washable Ewe by Stitch Nation in the color Zinnia. It took about 6 weeks to complete, and thanks to JoAnn sending me coupons all the time, I was able to purchase all of the yarn and the buttons for less than $30! (Fellow knitters will know that the sky is really the limit when it comes to price ranges in yarn!) So, without further ado, the Ultimate Cardigan!

<3

A closeup of the cables

and finally, on me!

Not the Usual Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last weekend at Whole Foods I picked up a bag of almond flour and was anxious to give it a shot. So today I actually used it in two different things: my breakfast pancakes (yum!), and chocolate chip cookies! I just ate one. and they are SO yummy! They're still soft and delicious, but they have a lovely nutty flavor that tastes so nice with the chocolate chips. I got the recipe here.

Fall Flannel

Time for a cozy new flannel bathrobe! I found some great pink and black buffalo plaid flannel at my local JoAnn Fabric, this Butterick pattern on sale for $0.99, and I was in business. I also bought plain black fabric for the contrasting collar and cuffs. It turned out pretty well, I think, and it sure is cozy! Bring on the fall weather!

One Final Warm Weather Sweater

Before cold weather comes, I quickly made one final warm-weather sweater. It's a short sleeved top with a drapey sort of cowl neck, and it has a side tie at the waist. It was featured on the Knitscene magazine cover of the Winter/Spring 2011 issue, and I've wanted to make it ever since. My mom, a newer knitter, made it as her first sweater, and it was a wild success, so I just had to have one of my own! I also had a Groupon coupon to Sit 'n Knit, a local yarn shop, so I was able to buy the Bebe Cotsoy yarn I used at a discount. It's a very wearable soft 50/50 blend of soy and organic cotton. I love how it turned out! It's soft and drapey and comfortable. It didn't take too long either; I finished it in about three weeks.

Blocking

The finished product!

The Morse Code Tunic

...so called because of the random dashes and dots! It's made of cotton yarn, but I think I still need to wait until it's low 70's before I can comfortably wear it. Up top the shoulders and sleeves are held together with buttons, which I can undo and wear it in an off-the-shoulder way if I feel like it. I took way too long to finish it, but here it is!