autumn morning cardigan

Greetings, all! I’m very glad to say that I come bearing a new pattern! Meet my Autumn Morning Cardigan!

The AMC (as I’ve taken to calling it for efficiency’s sake) is a seamed set-in sleeve cardigan. Don’t you sometimes just want a traditional sweater with all of the trimmings?

My inspiration for the design was two-fold. First, I wanted to design a seamed, set-in sleeve garment because I hadn’t done it before. Our closets are filled with this type of garment and I wanted/needed to understand its construction better. Second, I came across a beautiful cable stitch pattern (a couple of years ago, at this point) and I knew that I would modify it and use it someday in a design. Today is that day!

(Although I don’t have a picture of it included here, the cables on the fronts and back line up at the shoulder seam, something my Type-A+++ personality finds particularly pleasing. And of course the cables flow into the ribbing pattern at the hem !)

As I began to come up with the design in my head, I thought about, but ruled out, a number of features (including a longer length, like a car coat, and doubled or folded cuffs). I knew, however, that I had to have a shawl collar. A particularly cozy detail, the proper shaping of this collar was also a learning experience for me and I have discovered the following: knitting a ribbed shawl collar takes a loooooong time!

Finally, the finishing touch for the cardigan was already sitting in my notions box: five glowing, perfectly smooth Italian leather buttons from (where else?) Tender Buttons. I think that the photographs do a great job of showing how well the buttons set off the tweedy flecks of the yarn.

Speaking of yarn, how about some actual details on this design? I designed the cardigan as part of Knit Picks’ Independent Designer Partnership and the cardigan features Knit Picks’ Wool of the Andes Tweed yarn. The colorway is the aptly-named “Down Heather,” which casts a lovely grey-taupe tone. While this yarn is technically worsted- to aran-weight, I knit it down to almost a DK- or light worsted-weight gauge to get the cables to really POP! The yarn happily withstood the increase in tension and created a defined fabric that is still very soft.

The cardigan is knit as you would expect for a traditional cardigan: flat, in pieces, and from the bottom up. The collar is worked after the shoulders are joined. The sleeves are set in, after which the seams are finished, the collar is pressed, and the ends dealt with. Because I prefer them, the shoulders are joined with a three-needle bind off, but you could easily seam them with a mattress stitch. And you’ll find waist shaping as well in this design, to enhance the fit.

In addition to all of the information you’ll need about yarn, materials, gauge, and sizing (including sizes up to a 50″ chest), the pattern includes written instructions as well as charts and schematics. For their professional layout skills and keen technical editing, I must thank Elizabeth Green Musselman and Maureen Hannon of Stitch Definition. I can’t recommend them enough.

For these gorgeous photos, Andrew was the master photographer once again. We had the perfect, flat, grey autumn light on the day that we took the photos, and I didn’t drive him too crazy making him go out 4 times to reshoot the same thing over and over and over…..(It was a good hair day! Strike while the iron is hot!) I love how the stones in the background set just the right tone, complementing the texture and color of the cardigan. Would it surprise you to know that, actually, I was kneeling on my driveway next to my garage door? Ahh, the glamorous life. 🙂

I am so thrilled with how this design turned out – it is exactly as I had pictured it all those months and months ago. It fits beautifully and will take a proud place in my closet. I hope that you love it as much as I do!

To learn more about the pattern or to purchase it, you can click over to the MWD page here or you can purchase it through Ravelry here.

Happy Happy Knitting!
xoxo Danielle