Dropped and Cropped Cardigan

What’s cuter than a cropped cardigan? A lace cropped cardigan, that’s what.

This cardigan came about because I had exactly 150g of fingering weight yarn which I did. not. like. Why’d I buy it? It was a yarn club, and I’m sorry to say it’s really put me off them! The rest of the yarn from the club had been transformed into slippers for myself and my sister, but I still had 150g and a need for a cute little cropped cardigan to cover my shoulder tattoo at a conservative wedding.

So I did what any one of us would do: I turned to Ravelry and using their advanced search, found the Catskills Cardi. I bought the pattern… and then ignored it! I didn’t have quite the amount of yarn needed to follow the pattern through to the end, and I’m still delighted with the results, so never mind.

As you can see, the cardigan hits just under the bust. It looks funny with a tee and jeans, but as cute as anything with a dress! There’s plenty of cleavage-coverage (I asked the bride how busty I ought to look, and the answer was ‘not very’!) and although I was afraid my tattoo would show through the lace pattern, it’s obscured nicely.

You don’t get a photo of that, because I was using a selfie stick to take pictures, and the only one that turned out well, you’ve already seen. How’s that for real talk? I need a knitting photographer… or a tripod so I can use my camera timer!

The lacey-dropped stitches pattern was a simple repeat that was easy to memorise. I got a chunk knitted on airplanes, even though garment knitting on planes is not a feat I’d usually attempt. That makes this pretty close to the perfect travel knitting project if you ask me – coming a close second to socks – because you can wear it at your destination.

Whatever the yarn’s faults, it’s pure merino, and several people have complimented the colour!

Do you like the buttons? I found them at the charity shop for 10p a piece, proving once and for all that trash really is treasure – if you look hard enough!