Classic Cardigan

Its DEGEN Classic Cardigan release day and I wanted to talk through some details about this pattern that make it a special piece to me.

This piece started with the solo inspiration of buttons that I got from the Button Lady at Rhinebeck.  In fact, I went a little too crazy with buttons at New York Sheep and Wool in 2024 and I craved to use them.

Rhinebeck haul 2024 with way way too many buttons + some Oh Dang DK from The Farmers Daughter.  The buttons I used for this cardigan are the bottom-most ones supplimented with the top most ones.

So with a desire to use those buttons, I went to Knit Club, and set out to pick a yarn for my cardigan.  I ended up picking the most beautiful minty-green color fingering weight sock yarn from Ritual Dyes.  The color is called In the Pines and the base is called Maiden.  I actually really like using sock yarn for garments because it holds its shape nicely over time. 

At the time we only had a few in stock so I knew I was playing yarn chicken from the start but I was willing because I loved the way the sort of aged looking yellowy plastic buttons with black details looked against this color.

In most of my patterns I like to challenge myself to do something I have not done a lot of.  For this pattern I was interested in creating the perfect set in sleeve - a sleeve with a cap. Doing something knew-to-me is typically a guiding factor in all of my designs.  I want to be interested in it if I am going to go through the whole ordeal of knitting, photography, pattern writing etc.  

Because this is a fingering weight sweater, it certainly took a while to knit but I look back fondly on the process as I can place it perfectly in a memory.  I decided that this project would be my vacation knit for my family's trip to Alaska for my mom's 70th birthday.  It was the perfect companion because it is a whole lot of stockinette. If you are looking for a low thought project with little bursts of interest, this is a great pattern for you.  A great social knit.

My happy first sleeve try on.  That moment where I would have to decide if the fit was right or if I needed to try again.  It fit perfectly! Also the yarn color with the shorts color is so beautiful to me.  I love this combo.

In terms of fit, this is a more fitted style for me.  It has about 2-3" of positive ease with the set in sleeve. I hope you will get your buttons out and make a sweater around them.