PATTERN REMIX: The Jawbreaker Cardigan Remade

Hello everyone out there in the blogosphere!

So remember how I mentioned in my very first post that a very nice woman named Anita suggested that I start a blog to record my pattern edits and notes? Well, this one is for her. (And anyone else out there interested in knitting the Jawbreaker Cardigan in a different way…)

I'm not going to retype the entire pattern here, but only the areas where I made changes. Think of it as looking at my notes, without having to read my dreadful handwriting. And if any of it makes gawdawfully no sense at all, feel free to contact me…


PATTERN: Jawbreaker Cardigan
FROM: Interweave Knits, Winter 2006 Issue

ORIGINAL AUTHOR: Kendra Cray

SIZE USED: S (37" bust)

YARN: Cascade Yarns Pastaza, Colour: 028
50% Merino/50% Alpaca
100 gms/132 yds
16 sts/4 in on #9 needles, according to
the ball band.

NEEDLES: Pattern calls for #10.5 and #11.
I used #11 and #13.


NOTES: The main changes which I made to this cardigan were:
1 ) changing the yarn (see above)
2 ) changing the number of buttonholes from 1 to 2
3 ) changing the rate of increase on the front panels
4 ) changing the collar
5 ) changing the length

* * * A warning… the following is going to make absolutely no sense unless you have the pattern in front of you! * * *

BACK:
I made no appreciable changes to the back, other than (ah, uh, erm....*accidentally*) making the whole thing longer. Happy accident though!

The pattern calls for you to knit (in size S, remember!) to 12-1/2 inches long, ending with a WS row, before you start the armhole shaping. The trick with the Pastaza is that it's a pleasantly weighty yarn, so 12-1/2" FLAT is not 12-1/2" DRAPED… so I knit 54 rows (including the ribbing at the hem) before the armhole shaping row. For the rest of the back, I proceeded with the pattern as written, until the BO row.

A note on binding off, which applies throughout: I suggest NOT binding off the shoulder seams, and grafting front and back together using Kitchener stitch. Much less bumpy at the seams. Also, when binding off for the armholes and neck, I ended up using the Elastic Bind Off (which for some reason, I don't find very elastic) which actually gave me a stiffer edge, which helped with the way I joined the collar…

RIGHT FRONT:
On the right and left front panels, I increased the length to match the back, and increased along the center edges faster than the pattern did, to allow for a second button hole.

Follow pattern as written until… PATTERN READS: …Shape Center Front: inc 1 st at beg of next row, then every foll 14th row 4 more times (for the SMALL!).

WHAT I DID: I condensed the 4 sets of 14 rows repeated above to 3 sets of 14 rows
…Shape Center Front: Inc. 1 st at beg of next row, then knit 13 rows even (set of 14, #1)…
Set of 14, #2: Increase 1 st, as described in the pattern, at rows 1 and 7.
Set of 14, #3: Increase 1 st, as described in the pattern, at rows 1 and 7. At row 9, knit the buttonhole row as described in the pattern later on. At row 12, begin the armhole shaping section.
Follow the rest of the pattern – for the rest of the armhole shaping, for the original buttonhole, through the neck shaping and until the BO row. (See note about binding off above.)


LEFT FRONT:
I simply used the same counting pattern as for the right front, and otherwise followed the pattern. See note above about binding off.


SLEEVES:
I made no real alterations to the sleeves, other than noting this:
PATTERN READS: Work even until piece measures 12" from CO, ending with a WS row. My count for this was 42 rows total, including the ribbing at the cuff. The idea is to make the sleeves the same length as the overall sweater, so if in doubt, just keep holding the two up to each other to check. See note above about binding off.


BLOCKING:
You have to block this sweater. I mean maybe you can get away with not blocking the sleeves, or maybe the back, but the front edges curl miserably unless you block 'em good. Besides it makes stitching the whole thing easier.


FINISHING:
You'll need to stitch the body pieces together at the shoulder seams before knitting on the collar. DO YOUR BLOCKING FIRST. Trust me. Sleeves are optional at this point – you can do 'em before or after the collar.


COLLAR:
I completely thew out all the instructions for the collar, and did this instead:
Using the little "holes" created by the elastic bind off, I took a length of yarn on a tapestry needle and "whip-stitched" a starting row onto my #11 circular needles. Is this allowed in knitting? I have no idea. It seemed to work pretty well.

BEGIN: I "picked up" 85 stitches along the neckline this way, starting at the right side of sweater, around the back, and through the left side.
Row 1: (RS): k all
Row 2: (WS): k all
Repeat rows 1 and 2, 6 more times, until you have 12 rows total.
Row 13: BO all. (I used the elastic bind off again.)
Take the loose tail you're left with after the BO and make a 1/2" loop with it, and weave the end back into the collar really well. This will form the hidden button-loop for the collar cross-over.

The collar will curl, oh yes it will. So I decided not to fight it, and that's how I ended up with the somewhat unusual curled collar. I'm sure all you fashionistas out there know the proper term for this – I can't remember it right now.


BUTTONS:
I bought sliced sea shells (see pic!) from Baubles and Beads on Shattuck in Berkeley for my two main buttons, but you can use just about anything. The nice thing about this sweater is it is quite plain, so your buttons get to make the statement. Or not. Up to you.

You'll also need a smallish (3/8" - 1/2") inconspicuous button, which you will place at the join between collar and left front of sweater, roughly 6" away from the edge. (you can see mine, a simple clear green button, at the very right edge of this photograph. It's faint – squint! This is so you can cross the right side of the collar over the left and fasten it here.

Like I said feel free to write me if it looks to you like I've goofed this in any way!