Get Me My Vespa!

Audrey, Rowan 35, designed by Kim Hargreaves
Knit with just under 9 skeins (137 yards/skein) of Jaeger Extrafine Merino DK(100% Extrafine Merino Wool) in Cream (931) on 24" circular Addi Turbos in sizes US 6 (4.0 mm) and US 7 (4.5 mm).

Pattern Notes:
First of all, thanks to everyone over at the Audrey-Along, who brought my attention to this fun sweater and convinced me (through their own fabulous pictures) to make it, too!

I made this sweater in size XS, and substituted 9 balls of Jaeger merino for the 6 balls of Calmer called for in the pattern. (More on that below.) I loved this pattern and found it pretty straightforward to follow. As Rowan patterns go, it's a pretty good entry-level piece. Not a first sweater, mind you, but a pretty easy knit for someone who has attempted shaping and knows her way around a decrease. (Actually, even if you don't know a ton about decreases, there is a lot of support out there through the Audrey-along, so I still recommend that you give it a try! See my own tutorial on the decreases here.) The most complex part is the lace at the neck edging, but with a good reference book someone who hasn't tackled lace before can do that, too.

I changed very little about the pattern. I varied the increases slightly (I don't think this is a significant innovation on my part, so no blogging on them - not better, just different), and shortened the sleeves by about 18 rows. My intention with the sleeves was to have them end up at 3/4 length, which, as you can see, they did not! I think this is mainly due to the fact that I did 20 pattern repeats of the lace at the neckline edging. It makes the sweater a bit off-the-shoulder and lengthens the sleeves. If the neck were cinched, the sleeves would hit just above the wrists at their current length. At any rate, the result was just fine for me, since I decided part way through that I didn't want shorter sleeves anyway. (How convenient!).

If you are making the XS size, I would estimate that 18 pattern repeats would give you the cinched effect at the neck, 20 repeats would give you the almost-off-the-shoulder thing that my Audrey has, and 19 repeats would be a happy medium. For a close-up of the neckline, click here. I would probably be happiest with mine if I did the 19 repeats, but it's not so big a deal that I'm going to redo it. I'm not a girly-girl, so this sweater is more of an occasion piece than an everyday sweater. I can suck it up and put on a strapless bra for the days that Audrey makes her debut...

Impressions of Extrafine Merino DK:
This yarn is on my list of yarns that I would have if I could only have 5 types of yarn and was stranded on a desert island. It feels beautiful, looks beautiful, and knits like a dream (especially on my beloved Addis). I'm a traditionalist, and I hate working with novelty yarns (though I do it from time to time for the results), so if you aren't, take my recommendation with a grain of salt. Extrafine Merino DK is all I ever need. (Well, some nice alpaca wouldn't hurt, either...)

Possible substitute yarns:
I substituted Jaeger merino for the Rowan Calmer called for in the pattern, since the six balls of Calmer that I own are in a deep purple color (Zeal, it's discontinued), and I just didn't see Audrey on me in that color. (The Calmer is destined for other uses, perhaps Soul and a minisweater?)

Although wool and cotton are not interchangeable in many instances, they are here because Calmer is a spongy, elasticy cotton that acts like a wool. It's a blend of Cotton (75%) and Microfiber (25%), rather than a pure Cotton. In fact, I would hesitate to substitute another cotton for Calmer, unless it had at least 25% of another material that helped to give it elasticity. Audrey and the other patterns I've seen in Calmer rely on its light weight and ability to bounce into shape. This isn't a characteristic of 100% cottons. A yarn along the lines of GGH Bali might work (50% cotton, 50% acrylic).

The substitution is also appropriate in this case because Audrey has long sleeves and can really be worn as either a fall or a spring sweater, when the weather can be chilly. Since I knew that my Audrey would be finished for fall, wool worked well for me. Audrey will also transition well into the early spring in a wool in cool, damp D.C., which is where we'll be when that season comes around. Since the sleeves are long, you could use any type of wool that wasn't too itchy and allowed you to make guage.

Tips for Others Making Audrey:
1. For my tips on the body decreases or "darts," go here.

2. For a wealth of information on every aspect of this sweater, check out the Audrey-along, where many have documented their exploits in detail.

More fun Photos:
Coming soon. I'm fighting with MT today!