Wednesday, January 19, 2011

New ample patterns: The Waltham Cabled Cardigan

Did you know that next month Interweave Knits will release a new plus-size knitting book, Knitting Plus - Mastering Fit + Plus-Size Styling? (You may remember that I wrote about this book in October and December). This is the first book of ample patterns published by Interweave. Now go out and buy it so that it won't be the last!

Here's how Interweave describes the book:
With Knitting Plus, you’ll explore basic pullover and cardigan styles, including raglans, set-in sleeves, drop shoulders, seamless yokes, and dolmans in 15 stylish projects. Knitting Plus thoroughly outlines each element of the garment, while offering key tips on sweater measurements and tailoring for a custom fit. Included throughout are simple, easy-to-use templates of each construction type to make alterations and adaptations quick and simple.
Many months ago, Kathy Zimmerman, my personal knitting guru, told me she'd submitted a design for Knitting Plus. She described it as cabled and shawl collared, but she didn't have a photograph so I was left to imagine the design for myself. Imagine my delight when she sent me three pictures of her beautiful sweater, the Waltham Cabled Cardigan. I absolutely LOVE it.


Knit in Louet Eastport Alpaca, the Waltham Cabled Cardigan features, as Kathy says, "rope cables in grid-like panels combined with ribs for an eye-catching, elongating, vertical look. The modified drop shoulders, V-neck styling, and a three-button closure add a casual sporty touch. The dramatic 1x1 ribbed shawl collar balances the lower body and textured graphics of the cables. The luxurious alpaca-blend yarn provides drape and softness for a classic "sweatery" feel."
 

Kathy always says that great finishing turns a homemade sweater into a handmade one and she's right. Just look at this shoulder! I thought I was a pretty good finisher, but I'm wrong. This beautiful seam gives me something to aspire to.



Knitting Plus will be released in February 2011. Pre-order your copy from Amazon today.
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8 comments:

  1. If ANY sweater will inspire me to knit from charts, that one will.
    I have not found one more beautiful and fitting on a plus size woman w/o looking 'rustic'.
    A great pattern to wait for.
    t_a

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  2. Oh, that's a beautiful sweater. Now I MUST buy that book!
    Kathy Zimmerman is amazing!

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  3. Yes yes yes she is! We'll have to rendevous in Ligonier one of these days, Pat! And I'm definitely up for a KAL for this cardigan if you guys are interested. Thanks, as always for reading my blog, girls!

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  4. Beautiful sweater. Hope to see a picture of you wearing it in the near future. Could the techniques of Alice Starmore be adapted to this so that there were no seams????

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  5. Doris, I'm pretty sure you could find a way to make this seamlessly, but Kathy firmly believes that side seams add structure and better fit to garments. My experience making both kinds of sweaters says she's right. I think it's even more the case for a larger body. Skinny chicks may easily wear tubes but I do better with more structure.

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  6. OK, the front cover sweater looks like a typical blah plus-size sweater. The KZ sweater, however, is GORGEOUS! That design right there is worth buying this book. I don't know why they didn't put that one on the cover!

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  7. A Future Waltham KAL ?
    Count me in!
    t_a

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  8. I'd be up for that, too!

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