Ok, so I’ve finally pulled my finger out and I will be posting not one, but two FO’s today! Both are of the knitting variety but only because they are in chronological order. I have three sewn items to blog about too but they came after the knits and I haven’t photographed them yet. So there. 😉

So this post as you’ve probably guessed from the title is for the Alpinia cardigan. Ain’t she purdy? 🙂

This is a pattern by Claire Slade and is available through Ravelry download for GBP3.50 (~AU$6.62). It is a top down knitted cardigan that’s great as a layering piece. I knitted this in mid-spring and I was able to wear it a couple of times before the weather heated up. Although today is very mild (23*C) so I could probably get away with wearing it today!

I threw it on today to take some piccies for y’all. I’m also wearing my favourite Anita Ponte Pants today in the blue cheetah print. They make me so happy! 🙂 I made the Alpinia in size 1X and included a fifth garter eyelet section before the stockinette body. I figured being of the bigger busted variety, that it would look better with a longer yoke.

When knitting this, I also opted to make it longer than specified. For my size is said 10.5″ of stockinette body but when I tried it on, this fell at my natural waist and even with the 1.5″ garter eyelet section on the bottom, I didn’t think it would be long enough so I added about an extra 2″ to the length.

Looking a big smug. Well, it is my first completed knitted sweater!

I used Bendigo Woollen Mills Neon yarn in Claret. The main coloured strand has a variegated contrast strand wrapped around it to create the mottled colour you see. I had 11 skeins of this in my stash and used almost exactly 6 skeins (642 yards/587m). I had about a foot’s length of yarn leftover from the sixth skein which I used to sew on the buttons. And speaking of buttons…

Englarge the piccie to see a bit clearer. The picture isn’t quite as good as I thought it was! 😉

My very clever husband found these beautiful carved metal rose buttons when we stopped in at Lincraft. Even better, the day we went in they had 30% off store wide so I only paid about $4.50 for these gorgeous things! I just love how this cardigan has turned out and can’t wait until it’s cardigan weather again. Although, I reckon I could get away with it today! 🙂

Ravelry notes are here.