Off the Needles: Square and Stripe

Looking for a fast, fun knit that fits great?? Square and Stripe by Veera Välimäki totally fits the bill! I love, love, love how it turned out!

The stripes and slipped-stitch seams were perfect for keeping this interesting, while not slowing me down!

The shoulder shaping was new to me, and I love how the fitted drop shoulders turned out.

Perfect for date night, or thrown on with yoga pants to get all comfy. I love the "seams" and simple stripes. The slim arms totally balance out the blocky body so that you don't feel lost in the sweater (or even worse, like you gained 10 pounds when you put it on!)I used Rowan felted tweed for my yarn, and while it started about a bit scratchy, it has really softened up now that it has been washed and blocked!

Off the Needles: Blue Sands Cardigan

Between diapers, nap time, and cooking up a healthy new diet - there is knitting. Every spare moment, row by row, stitch by stitch! Now if only there was blogging ;) Thankfully, I have finished quite a few of my projects and am so excited to start sharing them here again! I've also been cooking up a storm and am excited to share some recipes soon as well. On to the good stuff...

Blue Sands Cardigan

 What I absolutely loved best about this pattern is it was an amazing learning experience! The designer employs a fantastic new (to me) short row method for shaping the back of the cardigan longer than the front.

 The stitch pattern for the stripe on the sleeves and the hem of the body is so fun and fast, and I love the way it looks! I will definitely utilize it in future projects.

She also utilizes the I-cord bind off for all of the edges. I had never done this, and I really appreciate the finish it gives the project. Very tidy and clean looking.

I chose to use KnitPicks CotLin yarn for this project and it knit up really beautifully. Perfect for stitch definition. And also perfect for my mom! This woman will get hot in the middle of winter in a snow storm, so much better to keep cool cotton and linen next to her skin as opposed to wool.

I highly recommend this pattern to anyone who wants to learn some new techniques and needs a cool sweater to wear during the warmer months!