Cabled cardigan test knit, finished

Remember how I said I was knitting away on a test knit? It's done! Cestari reaches out to me about test knitting a pattern for them, as a sample and to make notes on the the not-yet-published pattern, and I said yes. Completing an entire cardigan, knit in pieces, in just under two months felt like a huge accomplishment to me. I was pleased with the finished product, and happy to send it off to Cestari in the hopes that it can be useful as they proceed with the publishing process.

Before I mailed it off, Nicholas took a few photos for posterity, and Cestari said I could share them here, as a teaser. I'll update with post with pattern links in the future, once the pattern is published!

Details

For more details, see my ravelry project page

Yarn: Cestari Monticello Collection DK in the colorway Scarlet Mallow

Size: 38

Pattern: a test knit for Cestari yarn (pattern not yet published)

Needles: US 5 for all pieces, except for button bands (US 4). Recommended needles size all around, which is unusual for me, since I'm typically a very loose knitter and nearly always need to size down a needle size.

Specifics/modifications: All the details are on my ravelry (linked above), but I knit the size the yarn company designated (likely one size up from what I would typically knit for myself). I did use Barbara G. Walker's one-row buttonhole for a cleaner finish for the buttonholes in the button band.

Overall thoughts:

Beautiful pattern! I have never knit a fully seamed sweater (only a vest, knit in pieces). The structure of the seams seems to be a great match for the yarn, if it stretches a bit over time. Order of knitting/assembly is logical. I did find it easier to sew the side seams (back to each side) prior to doing the 3-needle BO shoulder join, just because I could lay all the pieces flat for seaming. If I were to knit this again, I would likely knit the sleeves in plain stockinette stitch and without the garter ridges on all pieces, for a simpler look (just my preference). But it fit well and the finished sweater looked so "finished" in my eyes!

Notes on the yarn

It was a beautiful yarn! I did alternate skeins for most of the sweater, but I didn't notice that much of a difference in color between skeins. Wonderfully soft. Considering that it's a rather inelastic yarn and a cotton/linen blend, it didn't hurt my hands at all, which is surprising. Would definitely use again.

I'll write more about my current knitting projects (3!) and upcoming knitting plans in a post soon. :)