Finished Object: Meghan's Augusta Cardigan

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Back in March I wrote about my new WIP, the Augusta Cardigan by Kephren Pritchett from Interweave Knits Fall 2016. Nearly four months have elapsed since I started this cardigan, but it’s not because I tucked it into a corner and forgot about it—I actually finished it. Just in time for the thermostat to hit 90-plus degrees. And so it goes . . .

*Meghan’s Augusta Cardgian WIP: Taken at The Forge Publick House in Fort Collins, CO. Also shown: Odell’s Pickled Pilsner and a Pendelton Project Bag.*

Interweave Knits Fall 2016 is one of my favorite issues, and I’ll admit it was a little self-indulgent on my part. I realized after we published it that a high percentage of the knits in Fall 2016 are “Meghan Things.” Luckily, it seems that many readers love the projects as much as I do, but I do think I got away with curating a collection of personally irresistible knits. The Augusta Cardigan is one of the first of many beautiful knits I plan on making from this issue. But before I fall down the rabbit hole into another project, let’s talk about the cardigan that’s patiently sitting on the top shelf of my closet pining for fall weather while I happily sit by the pool with a margarita.

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First, I have a confession to make: I messed up the sizing of this cardigan, and it was all due to laziness. This cardigan is cocoon-style, meaning it has a modular construction, which is atypical in garment shaping. The back cable panel is worked first and then the stitches for the side panels are picked up and knit horizontally from the cable panel. When working a garment with this type of construction, row gauge is of the upmost importance. This is what I overlooked while I was knitting, and it’s why my cardigan is a bit . . . voluptuous.

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Now, let me state emphatically that I DID make a swatch. I made a BIG swatch. And I BLOCKED that swatch. But I DIDN’T pay close enough attention to the row gauge while I was knitting. What I should have done was knit by row count instead of by measurements. Why? Because my row gauge changed dramatically after I blocked the finished cardigan. It relaxed and stretched, as knitting does, leaving me with a wider cardigan and extra-long sleeves. The good part about this luxurious cardigan is that I can flip or scrunch up the ribbed sleeves and it looks just fine. It could have been much worse—I got off easy, despite my oversight. Lesson learned.

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One of the main reasons I’m not getting into a tizzy about my mistake is because the Augusta Cardigan is the most luxurious piece of knitwear in my closet. It’s a heavenly cocoon of Woolfolk Får (a personal favorite) in the original color (06) used in the sample. This thing could be the size of a fumigation tent and I’d still figure out a way to wear it.

To placate myself until fall weather arrives, I’ll be flipping through Interweave Knits Fall 2016 to find my next project. I’m thinking either the Damien Cardigan by Pam Allen or the Comanche Hill Cardigan by Kathryn Folkerth—I can’t decide which one to make first.

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I do have a final admission to make: I already made the Rodin Cardigan by Michele Wang, and the Bandelier Socks by my talented boss and all-around awesome human, Lisa Shroyer, are a current WIP.

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