Cardinals update

If you're making a sweater to wear for a Christmas party December 16 and you're done with the yoke and part of a sleeve by November 16, does that mean you'll have it finished, blocked, and ready to wear? We'll soon find out!

I'm knitting away on my Cardinals cardigan, an adaptation of Ysolda Teague's Chickadee Cardi. I'm pleased with how the birds have turned out with their characteristic triangular tuft. Now they have the classic cardinals look.

The sweater uses a unique top-down construction, creating a hybrid round-yoke/raglan yoke that relies on extensive short rows to provide an excellent fit around the shoulders. After finishing the yoke, you then isolate stitches for one sleeve (leaving the rest on the original needles) and knit downward. I have knitted down to the left elbow - easy peasy thus far. (By the way, I'm showing you the back in these pictures.)

Now I'd better get cracking! I've got lots of knitting to do in the next month if I'm going to be able to wear it to my father's Christmas gathering. I'm sure lots of you are doing Christmas knitting in one form or another. Hope you're making good progess, too.