When I went to TNNA last December Anzula asked if I’d like to pick a yarn to design with and Rakuda is the finished product. They have got some very delicious yarns so it was a difficult choice. One of their newer yarns, Cole, jumped out at me. It was a little unusual, an aran weight yarn that is 70% silk and 30% camel. Instead of having a smooth, shiny feel as a lot of silk blends this was a more rustic, slubby version of silk with that delicious silk smell. It was such a distinctive yarn it really called to me.
As I started swatching I realised that the heavy qualities of silk really needed an open pattern that allowed it to drape. When I tried it with this large over-sized lace I loved how it looked and felt; both heavy and open at the same time! However I wanted to make sure that it still held it’s shape so I used garter stitch to anchor the cardigan together.
It ended up creating a cardigan that’s super fast to knit but very wearable for in-between weather. It is knit flat from the bottom up in one piece, German short rows shape the garter stitch shoulder slopes. Sleeves are worked in the round from the top down once the body is complete.
When choosing a size to knit for this cardigan several inches of positive ease are a good idea. The cardigan is naturally draped so a few inches of positive ease helps that happen. The size pictured is the 40.5″ finished size which has around 6″ positive ease.
Here are all the available sizes for Rakuda – you can see that I’ve give recommendations for the size (to fit bust is the size of your own bust) with the actual dimensions of the finished cardigan below that.
To Fit Actual Bust Circumference up to: 31.5 (35.5, 37.5, 40, 44, 46, 48.5, 52.5, 54.5)” / 80 (90, 95.5, 101.5, 112, 117, 123, 133.5, 138.5) cm.
5-7” / 12.5 – 18 cm positive ease recommended.
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Bust Circumference: 36.5 (40.5, 42.5, 45, 49, 51, 53.5, 57.5, 59.5)” / 92.5 (103, 108, 114.5, 124.5, 129.5, 136, 146, 151) cm.
Size 40.5” / 103 cm modelled with 5”/ 12.5 cm positive ease.
Length: 25 (26, 26.25, 26.5, 27.75, 28.25, 28.75, 30, 30.75)” / 63.5 (66, 66.5, 67.5, 70.5, 72, 73, 76, 78) cm.
The back panel is amazing–so nice to see a full shot of it. Wow. And the garter stitch really does give it some great structure. I’ve heard camel can be a bit rough–did this soften after a wash?
It wasn’t rough at all – maybe as the camel is just 30%? But it was super comfortable to wear even before washing.
Perfect! I guess I was thinking of *spinning* camel–which can feel rough to the touch :)
Lovely knits as always!