This is the time of the year when my mailbox fills up with catalogs full of potential Christmas gifts. Warm sweaters , fleece jackets and flannel sheets. Toasty and cozy stuff. They're all so tempting, everything from Eddie Bauer to LL Bean to Cabela's and back again. I can't get enough of these Fall/Winter catalogs. Ohh the mail lady left me a stack today! Make the hot chocolate and grab the wool afghan, I'll be on the couch a while browsing, looking, drooling and ear marking pages. Some things just tend to jump out at me more than others. Like certain knitted cardigans and pullovers. Some I think "I can totally knit/sew that!". So then I'm on a mission to find a pattern for it. Something maybe similar that I can modify or is close enough. But it's not just the pattern I have to hunt down but also the perfect yarn or fabric too. One item that has been bugging me for the last few days is a cabled cardigan from Eddie Bauer. I've been wanting to knit a cabled cardigan for myself for a while now. But I just haven't entirely settled on a certain pattern. Of course I LOVE this one! Just not the price so much. Also I've been finding that I'm less than impressed with store bought sweaters lately. Seems like what I expect the yarn to be has been dissapointing. The fiber isn't soft enough or it states wool cashmere nylon blend and it ends up being more like Nylon, some wool and maybe a hint of cashmere... and completely scratchy! So dissapointing when I can go and buy yarn with a 80/20 blend and it's SOFT. Not to mention cost is more reasonable or at least even. But of course there's nothing like instant gratification either. Here's a shot of the cardigan I love. It's the Open Cardigan Cable Sweater from Eddie Bauer.
I love this cardigan because:
1. It's cabled. What says Fall like a cabled cardigan?
2. It looks classic and modern at the same time.
3. I think it would look good with a skirt or jeans or dress pants.. whatever!
4. I like the idea of the wool cashmere blend. Soft but durable?
5. I love the transition of the cables into the open lacework on the yoke area. Very pretty.
I haven't seen another cardigan like this though I know I could probably modify a pattern and do any kind of lace work at the top. Also this comes in a deep green shade. I keep thinking I'd like a sweater in an Olive/dk. Green Heather shade.
Also another sweater thats moved itself from Catalog to swatch mode is the Jacket Deconstructed by Lion Brand Yarn. It's a free pattern from Lion Brand and I think you have to have/create an account to be able to print it. But hey it's free so what the heck.
I like this pattern because it looks super easy and I love the simple modern look it has. I think though I would like the front to be a little lower hanging perhaps. I have swatched up some Jo Sharp Rare Comfort Kid Mohair for this. It would have a nice light airy quality I think. Plus it's a stash yarn too. So kudos for that.
So it's these two projects that are really tugging on my brain and keeping me from finishing current WIP's.! I blame them for my lack of motivation on anything else. Like the baby hat that I need to have finished by this Sunday for a shower.
Anyone else completely distracted or in love with something new? Oh if anyone has a favorite cabled/aran cardigan pattern they'd like share I'd be so happy to hear it. !
