Neckdown Hooded Cardigan
>> Wednesday, February 4, 2009
I finished this cardigan right before Christmas. I have been waiting and waiting for the one armed man (my husband) to be able to photograph me in it. Alas it isn't to be for a little while longer and I wanted to post. I attempted some photos outside wearing the cardigan by myself using the timer and they were bad so we'll have to make do with these.
Let's talk about the pattern for a bit shall we? It is knit from the top down which is fabulous as you can make it as long or short as you want. It is knit in all in one piece and you pick up the sleeves at the shoulder and knit them from the top down in the round. The not having to seam anything is really great. To finish you sew up the back of the hood and sew in all your loose ends. The stockinette stitch is repetitive but soothing and is great for watching movies. It is really comfortable and warm but I have a problem.
The yarn.......see this? What the heck?
It sheds and I think the term is pills all over. I used berroco ultra alpaca yarn in a brown and I am not pleased with how it is wearing. What do I do? Is my only recourse to never use this yarn again? Any suggestions out there?
Pattern: Neckdown Hooded Cardigan ravelry link here
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca
Needles: size 8 circulars
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22 comments:
Get a sweater shaver (Brookstone has them) or a sweater stone (try KnitPicks) and get rid of the pills. In the future, one way to reduce pilling is to knit at a tighter gauge. Generally, singles yarns (only one ply, like Malabrigo) will pill a lot; multi-ply yarns pill much less. Ditto shedding.
Love the colour and length! I'd recommend an electric sweater shaver, the battery ones eat up batteries like mad.
The more plied, the less pilling.
oh no! i have used that yarn before too, and it has not pilled at all for me. I did knit this same sweater, using eco wool and it is pilling just like yours. you must be so upset after all that hard work. I wish i had some suggestions. in high school, i used to shave my sweaters with a razor...i wouldn't try that though!
i love your sweater though. that color is fab!
Your sweater is beautiful, and the color is gorgeous. When I read about your pilling problem, I was anxious to see what others said. I have had it happen to a few sweaters and always wondered what to do myself. I'll have try a sweater shaver too!
It's beautiful! Hope hubbie's shoulder gets better soon so we have proper picture :)
I think some pilling happens with most knits and my quick and dirty solution is just to use a razor. I feel your disappointment, though.
Wow, that is really stunning. I love it :-) Pity about the pilling :-(
oh no! i am so sorry!
the sweater looks fabulous. and a sweater like that is one to be worn a lot. and for that to happen!
keana had a similar problem with malabrigo.....
you may want to check out the comments......
http://keanalee.blogspot.com/2009/01/malabrigo.html
What a fantastic cardigan. What a great length - perfect for everything. Sorry to hear about the pilling so soon after finishing your project. Good info to have for future projects, though.
Your cardigan turned out so nicely - I hope you sort out the pilling problem so you can wear it! I made a sweater that is pilling like crazy - it's sort of like I'm wearing a big, furry cat. I love the sweater, but I don't wear it too often because of all the pilling. Maybe I'll have to get a sweater shaver too. Le sigh.
I absolutely love that cardigan!!! I'm heading to ravelry to get more info. And what a bummer about the yarn.
looks like you've received some good advice. just don't do what i've done and use an electric razor. i put holes in my cashmere blend sweater :(
I absolutely love the cardigan, the colour is gorgeous. I've never had a problem myself with pilling but that's probably only due to the fact I stick mainly with baby, kids and doll knits, only the odd time venturing into the adult knitting.
That looks like a great sweater. I need one like that.
I'm surprised that the ultra alpaca is doing that. I really like working with that yarn. It's so disappointing when yarn starts to pill like that. Only thing I would suggest is using a sweater stone. They rock at taking off pills. It's a must for your sweater chest!
It looks gorgeous and really cosy. What a shame about the pilling. I agree with others above - I've got a battery operated sweater shaver, and I find that sweaters that pill don't tend to keep on doing it, or at least not as much after an initial shave. Good luck with it!
Love the tweedy factor - gorgeous!
beautiful colour. Shame about the pilling, give it a shave and hopefully it will settle down.
It looks so cosy and warm.
To bad it sheds...
Gorgeous sweater! Would love to see it on you, so don't give up on the modeled photo....please.
As for the shedding, I knit my daughter a "Tilted Duster" a year ago for Christmas. It was out of Berroco "Peruvia" and it pills like there is no tomorrow! Very disappointing....so I know how you feel.
I have a "sweater stone" that I work on it every once in awhile. It's a pain, but not as much as tossing a lovely sweater, created with tons of work. So - good luck! It really is beautiful!
Oh I really hope you worked something out for this cardigan. It looks so cosy!
It's a beautiful sweater and looks so totally wearable. So sad about the pilling after all that work!
It's a gorgeous cardigan - it looks so cosy. I've got a (store bought) cardigan that pills all the time, so let me know if you have any luck with any of this advice. I usually just sit and pick the bits off, which really isn't helpful advice at all.
Love the your sweater...and just as everyone else said..get the sweater shaver.
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