Monday, June 29, 2009

A gathering of frills

I've indulged my weakness for frills for little girls yet again:

Frilled cardi 1

The dotee has been away for most of the last ten months or so in warm (even hot) climates - Mexico, Cuba, the Philippines, with a brief period in the Australian summer. She's returning to Australia in a week or so and even though she usually lives in Brisbane, she'll need a cardi (or two).

So I've made her Erika Flory's 'Spice Girl' - very cute and not too heavy for Brisbane. I'm really looking forward to being able to photograph the dotee wearing the cardigan.

Frilled cardi 3

I used Heirloom Easy Care 5 ply for the body of the cardigan and Araucania Ranco Multy for the wonderful frills. The colours are a perfect combination. [The colours are so perfect that I'm having to resist the urge to immediately cast on for another pair of Cranford Mitts using the same combination of yarns].

frilled cardi 2

I was concerned while I was making this that the cardigan would be too small; and I found the fabric as I was knitting dense and stiff. However, after washing, blocking and ironing it's perfect. The Heirloom Easy Care lived up to its name and washed like a dream, and the resulting fabric is beautifully soft and drapey.

I'd bought some pretty flower-shaped buttons for finishing it, but they made buttoning and unbuttoning the cardigan quite a trial; so having indulged myself with the frills, I was sensible with the buttons.

9 comments:

Rose Red said...

It is so cute! Good call on the buttons I think - the frills are all the fripperies this gorgeous cardi needs! (and I think you should make another pair of Cranfords with those yarns...)

Anna said...

Love (1000)

Anonymous said...

That is SO lovely. I wish I had a little girl to knit for.

Emily said...

Bet the dotee loves this one.

And you're setting her on the path of elegant grey with notes of shell-like colours. can't be a bad thing!

DrK said...

that is SOOO gorgeous. i am making a baby sweater in that heirloom so am glad to hear it washes nicely. but mine wont be nearly as adorable as that. i hope we get photos of it on!

Bells said...

Oh Lyn. It's gorgeous. Really sweet. I'm going to have to copy you now, you know.

missfee said...

I love the frilling frills - and you had done them so tastfully - on very elegant dotee

Denise said...

Oh it is just DARLING! I'm sure it will look even more beautiful on the dotee :)

Probably Jane said...

A perfect balance of frivolous and practical.

I'm sure that yarn combination will make wonderful Cranfords!