My newest design Leitmotif Cardigan is out in Interweave Fall 2010.  The seed for this design started last year when I designed Raspberry Layers.  Obviously the finished pieces are very different but the basics of the construction method I used are there!  This cardigan starts at the center of the back with a provisional cast-on, works out one side (casting on the front when you come to it) and using a 3-needle bind off at the side seam.  The sleeve cap is then shaped using short rows and the sleeve is worked downwards in the round.  The second half is worked in the same way from the provisional cast on at the center of the back.  Working on half a cardigan like this at a time it can look a bit funny and floppy but the end result fits really well…and its fun to knit!

The yarn for this project was Terra from the Fiber company which was a lovely yarn to work with.  Even though it knit up to a fairly large gauge it felt really light weight a airy.  It has a very interesting mixture of fibers; baby alpaca, wool and silk.  Even though the alpaca was the dominant fiber it actually felt more like a wool/silk mixture with just a few longer hairs giving the alpaca content away!

I don’t often get a chance to knit for myself but I’m working a a version of this for me.  I had some purple cascade eco plus wool in my stash that is knitting up to a good gauge for the project.  I’ve done one half of the body but I’m so busy right now I’m not sure how long I’ll have to wait to get the second half finished!